Joe O’Rourke has called on Michael Nicholson to go public with Celtic’s criticism of match referees.
Yesterday’s 3-0 win over Dundee was accompanied by some first half decisions that were beyond baffling.
Twice from corners during the first half Cameron Carter-Vickers was manhandled in the penalty box, firstly from Trevor Carson then seeing that he got away with it Joe Shaughnessy joined in to wipe out Celtic’s most attacking threat from a corner.
Sky Sports were able to highlight it but Greg Aitken on VAR didn’t even pause the match for a proper review. Play continued with the first half ending goal-less.
On the Celtic Supports Association website O’Rourke writes:
Don Robertson had the type of match that we’ve come to expect from him, officials like him are part of a major problem in the Scottish Premier League, I cannot think of one match official who I think is fair and impartial, I cannot think of one match official who hasn’t favoured Sevco, for them to go seventy three League games without conceding a penalty is unbelievable (think I missed a letter out there).
Now, I speak to Michael Nicholson regularly about officials, and he assures me that they continually question the authorities in that respect, but it’s time we went public on the situation with match officials.
Every match we play in Scotland, I go to extremely confident of winning, the only reservation I always have is the match officials, they can, and do have a negative affect of Celtic.
At this year’s AGM questions on refereeing issues were put to Nicholson and Peter Lawwell who joked back about the issue, to the amusement of the mainly elderly shareholders.
While cracking the gags Celtic main domestic rival is on a 73 match run of SPFL matches without having a penalty awarded against them.
A run that covers one year of VAR, three new Ibrox managers, three UK Prime Ministers and one change of UK monarch.
It seems that patience among supporters about the softly softly approach is wearing thin, as everyone knows the time to highlight and go public with these issues is after a win but with Lawwell around there is no chance of Celtic rocking the boat inside the SFA.
? “Penalty Rangers”
Celtic chief Michael Nicholson’s cutting reply when quizzed on referees and VAR at AGMhttps://t.co/6vJYJ8p66Ihttps://t.co/6vJYJ8p66I
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) November 22, 2023
Should Lawwell and Nicholson demand publication of all VAR conversations?
Yes, things are getting ridiculous
No, we have great, impartial officials
I have been on about our board’s approach for well ages now, and the fact that anything the fans are concerned about the answer is generally, it’s being dealt with in the background. This is not good enough and we deserve better.
This is a board which took a significant pay rise and then joked at the agm about the penalty farce treating those present with utter contempt. Fans seem to be taking notice now that this board needs to be answerable to the fans.
I wonder if they are joking and laughing now although knowing the ‘law onto himself man’ he won’t be giving a toss.
The Celtic board a playing a very dangerous game the fans are ready to turn on the board again.
The Board do not seem to give a toss as long as they line their pockets with cash.
The have a responsibility to make sure their players are protected but they have not come out to complain about the assault on CCV by the thug Carson and his accomplice defender. You could see the venom and hatred on Carson’s face. Is complicity in the 5 way agreement the reason for the cowardice of the Celtic Board. I am thoroughly ashamed of our Board for their shameful inactivity. Fergus never meant the club to fall into the hands of one owner and people like this.
Absolutely absurd now… Just wait till Saturday –
We ain’t Winning for sure – maybe a draw if Walsh is feeling sorry for us !
God forbid if the huns were 3 nil up with 30 mins left to play they would give us a penalty to try and take the heat of themselves but by doing that it will only prove that corruption DOES exist within the sfa hopefully this prediction will never happen but a penalty WILL be given against them in their next game