In a very strange coincidence a lot of top reporters suddenly discovered an IFAB Q and A, not the Laws of the Game, at roughly the same time on Tuesday morning.
Like a dog with a bone they all rushed to their laptops, copied and pasted and then clicked on PUBLISH with some glee to prove that John Beaton and Willie Collum are honest men applying the Laws of the Game. Among them Tom English and Jonny McFarlane, the Blue Whales of the internet.
Their despair, desperation and relief was obvious. It never changed anything about the second half incident at Ibrox where the two Lanarkshire officials decided not to award Celtic a penalty.
Had Ange Postecoglou’s team drawn level at that stage there were reasons to fear that they could have gone on to win the game, open up a 12 point gap that would have finished the season and left Micky Beale with an even bigger mess to try and resolve.
Should Michael Nicholson demand publication of conversations between Collum and Beaton?
Yes, we must have clarity and accountability
No, lets give VAR time to get over teething troubles
As sure as Collum and Beaton came to their decisions out came the apologists, the ones that were silent and in hiding over penalties awarded against Alexandro Bernabei and Matt O’Riley earlier in the season.
In 20 SPFL matches no Scottish referee has awarded a penalty against the Ibrox Tribute Act. In 10 UEFA matches this season they conceded four penalties.
I suppose the decisions given depend on whether the match officials were members of the Lanarkshire Referee Association or not.
Paul Gascoigne was sent off twice in UEFA matches as a Rangers player before a Scottish referee found the courage.
In over 400 matches for Rangers Derek Johnstone was sent off twice, both against Swiss clubs in European matches.
One to mull over Chris: https://t.co/Gq1rrp2fO9
— Jonny McFarlane (@jonnyrmcfarlane) January 3, 2023
IFAB laws show conclusively that it was a penalty. IFAB laws have not be used correctly in this game. A public enquiry should be undertaken to find out why, and recordings of the conversation between ref and var officials need to be made public.
— Declan Tim ?? (@tim_declan) January 3, 2023
Utter gaslighting poppycock. For a start, Goldson goes in with two hands up (as well as his studs) well BEFORE Starfelt makes contact so cannot, by definition, be an “instinctive” reaction to the shot. His hands then divert course of ball and finish well away from his body.
— Sir Edward (@tullythedhog) January 3, 2023
It’s cheating mate. Once I could accept as a mistake but we’re racking up the decisions here. Hand balls, wrong offside calls the lot. They’re at it.
— Marty (@67Marty67) January 3, 2023
Your demise is really sad and quite wonderful at the same time. Bigger cheerleader then Derek Johnstone.
— DP10 (@DamonP10) January 3, 2023
‘conclusively’ ??? Open to interpretation isn’t conclusive. It was a *Rangers supporting referee who’s interpretation it was. “It isnae up to me.” I’m sure he said.
— Mash Malley (@MalleyMash) January 3, 2023
— AJ_1987 (@AJ87_F1) January 3, 2023
Absolute rubbish. He puts his hands up and pushes the ball up the way.
— thisdidnotgotoplan (@Itswayoverthere) January 3, 2023
Except what ifab says n what goldson done are 2 different scenarios.
— #TomokiIwata ?? (@__AHHH__67) January 3, 2023
This over exuberant defence of obvious bias only highlights the bias inconsistency.
If that handball is not a penalty, then no handball in the box is a penalty….it really is that simple.
— TheEssexHoops (Jamie) (@hoops_essex) January 3, 2023
2 given. 1 wasn’t. Where’s the consistency Jonny? pic.twitter.com/e6Wb28IHFc
— Anton Patrick (@anton_white123) January 3, 2023
Would have been a penalty all day long if it happened in the opposite penalty box. Let’s not kid ourselves on, you know it and I know it.
— Mark Murphy ?? (@Markyjig) January 3, 2023
If Carl Starfelt makes the exact same movement at the other end, a penalty is awarded. 100%
You know it, I know it, deep down everybody knows it.— David ???????????? (@DaveDogDad) January 3, 2023
Meanwhile im sure this is coincidence ??? pic.twitter.com/OnH8pg4Umo
— supa quadrupa (@K4RATE) January 3, 2023
As long as everyone now knows you can 2 handedly push the ball over the bar from inside the box if you are not a goalkeeper and it will never EVER be a penalty from now on in every single other game ?.
Any given will be referred to this and any deviation will be investigated.— David McGonigle (@davidmcgonigle) January 3, 2023
The actual state of you hahahaha
— kieran (@kezbhoy) January 3, 2023
IFAB = I Fantasise About Bears …..
— Robert Martin (@AndyGraysdouble) January 3, 2023
Where’s the actual link to this IFAB Q&A? (which ISN’T game laws btw)
Only the same identical screengrab (from Facebook?) has been doing the rounds.— David McGonigle (@davidmcgonigle) January 3, 2023
Its just a joke regarding this complete mess regarding var from monday match how can they try and say its not a penalty. also was starfelt tackle also really a penalty var was to make and help”refs make the right calls on these offences mistakes or cheating by the officals.
The thing is they ALL know it’s cheating and it has been going on for years.
Rather than looking at the pattern of this obvious chicanery, they prefer to focus on individual instances in minute detail in an attempt to find any reason to justify the latest “honest mistake”, as per this latest IFAB nonsense.
In Goldson’s case he had both hands up to deflect the path of the ball. If merely trying to protect himself he could have ducked or swerved, but he didn’t and it was a stonewall penalty.
What is most interesting is the concerted post match reaction of the Scoddish meedja.
Methinks the brithers doth protest too much.
What are they afraid of?
It’s almost as if they have this tacit acceptance that the Rangers are entitled to preferential treatment to all other clubs in Scotland ! That it should be a given …. Well ,I’m afraid sport anywhere does not operate on those rules . You either have equality for all ,or you get anarchy and corruption …And when those two arrive ,then you have turmoil ….
Editor: VAR is a real levelling up tool, Celtic start each match minus 1. Celtic board comfortable with this, keeps things competitive.
And that’s why Ange will be gone when the season finishes.
There’s me ,thinking a footballer,who has a ball traveling towards his head would use that to defect ball from the danger area n not punch it away like Joel Bats ffs
“I’m starting to think there might be something amiss with referees in Scotland” 9 yr old me in late1970.