There had been a few baffling decisions throughout the match which is just typical of Scottish refereeing overall.
Ryan Porteous constantly ended up horizontal whenever he was close to a Celtic player in the full knowledge that Steven McLean would award a free kick.
Hibs players avoided any punishment when they delayed Celtic free kicks, an issue their manager Lee Johnston had highlighted in advance of the match.
There’s no justification for this at all and we’d love to hear the referee’s explanation.
Scottish refs. Amateurs. pic.twitter.com/MYVBTkZm6V
— 20 Minute Tims (@20MinuteTims) October 16, 2022
The completely baffling attitude of McLean was summed up in the incident above in stoppage time.
It was a standard challenge, two players going for the ball, losing 6-1 in stoppage time there was an element of desperation about the Hibs player trying to get the ball away from Alexandro Bernabei.
In some circumstances the Celtic defender could have taken a tumble and claimed for a penalty. He didn’t but incredibly McLean opted to halt play and award Hibs a free kick.
It wasn’t game changing decision, it wouldn’t b overturnd by VAR but at the full time whistle Celtic fans were simply asking Why?
The Aberdeen manager was right. Hibs players, particularly Porteous, are a bunch of divers.
They were ably assisted by McLean yesterday, who had a shocking performance, allowing dives fouls and interference with the flow of the game to go unpunished.
And the media wonder why the standard of football in this country is so low.
Scotland will continue to be a backwater so long as this anti football is tolerated and encouraged.
What about the penalty claim at the end of the first half…should’ve been and a sending off! Let’s see that again! We had 60% possession but the foul count was 17 by Celtic and only 7 by Hibs!!!!! Says all about the ref!
IF VAR is implemented properly,
then how long will it be for the Scottish ‘elite’ 🙂 referees threaten to go on strike?!
Some refs – and linesmen – should be highly embarrassed by VAR, on a frequent basis.
Because he’s a cheat, Joe.
McLean cheated here. He has previous for this. He punished a beautiful and skilful move where our talented LB left 2 diddies for dead. They both tried to foul him from either side and Bernie skipped through. McLean is at it again. He is an absolute disgrace of a referee and also as a person. Only the linesman on the old main stand side comes out of this game with any praise.
McLean cheated RD out of a treble in 14/15 season along with his cohorts nothing will chance until they called out n by the way we were excellent ????
It was a piece of nonsense giving a free kick against Kyogo. But once he gave it was it not classed as an off the ball incident and action “should” have been taken. McClean and all the other referees in Scotland make up the rules as they go along and as long as it is detrimental to CELTIC the SMSM will turn a blind eye to the blatant cheating
Because he is an orange cunt that’s why. HH
WHY ? ,its the same mentality that’s be around Celtic for all their history.
And it’s Never been Honest Mistakes.
A worse decision was the booking of O’Riley for a late but ultimately harmless tackle when a worse tackle by a Hibs player shortly after warranted a free kickl but nothing further.
Simple guys
They didn’t want us to ride the joy of another 7-1
You on average get one or two decisions go to VAR.Up here the games will get stopped so many more times
It’s scary that the referees are not held accountable for there terrible displays,just another honest mistake would be trotted out