Much as he dislikes it even Neil McCann now knows the rule that disallowed Kemar Roofe’s ‘goal’ against Celtic.
When an opponent is in the act of kicking the ball you can’t just hang your foot in to create contact then take advantage or cry for a foul. The rule has been well explained through the kicking arc.
The fall out from Sunday has been predictable, an angry letter was sent to the SFA and leaked to all of the favoured messengers with the answer from Hampden known in advance.
Funnily enough there was an identical situation exactly a year ago, viewed clearly by Nick Walsh in the pre-Var days with the referee deciding not to enforce the Laws of the Game.
The more you hear he rules around the incident from Sunday, the more inexplicable the Abada penalty shout becomes.
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) September 6, 2023
In Scotland referees are strong on game management which prevents Celtic running away with matches, early goals in the Glasgow Derby are a particular danger and to be avoided.
The Disadvantage Rule is another favourite when play is halted for obscure infringements while routinely the free kick split will be 50-50 or against Celtic despite having 65% or more possession in almost all domestic matches.
I can’t remember who he was but there was the manager of some team we were playing in the UEFA Cup years ago who took in a derby match at iBrox as part of his scouting of us and he got collared for a few words by the one of the heroes from the local sportsdesks afterwards and he said something to the effect that he learned little about Celtic because it was a very strange much in which the referee seemed to give every decision to Rangers, disrupting a lot of Celtic’s play….
Usually it is a foul against Celtic, when two players collide when going for the ball in the opponents first third of the field. This quickly stifles any danger to them.
It is like them having an extra defender on the field. Especially if its Huns. This breaks up the rhythm that Celtic like to play with! In case maybe Celtic get a goal and then it is too late to make the decision.
This makes it seem like it an innocuous foul, but usually, when analysed, no reason can be given for the decision going against Celtic. But it halts Celtics progress and gives them possession and hence an advantage they never earned.
The Cheatin’ then Cheatin now’ and Cheatin’ figures are available on a site called ‘Celtic by numbers’ I think !