Kris Boyd has claimed that referee Nick Walsh was overawed by the Glasgow Derby and turned a blind eye to game-changing moments.
The former Kilmarnock striker was in the Sky Sports studio at Celtic Park as Philippe Clement’s unbeaten record came to an end with Celtic moving eight points clear at the top of the SPFL Premiership table.
Since the match finished there has been two statements from Ibrox demanding the release of audio over an offside incident in the first half, it is understood that the SFA will address this matter on Wednesday.
Boyd had other issues with Walsh, feeling that Celtic should have been down to nine men rather than finishing the match with 11 v 10.
In The Sun Boyd claims:
For me, whistler Walsh got too many key decisions wrong throughout the entire 90-odd minutes.
Johnston should have been shown a second yellow card for his challenge on Sima in the second half.
Paulo Bernardo should have been sent off, too, for his tackle on Connor Goldson, when he was already on a booking.
Walsh was quick enough to caution players late in the match. Yet when it came to game-changing moments, he turned a blind eye.
In my book, he was overawed by the game and the occasion, and didn’t cover himself in any glory when it mattered.
Saturday’s match was the third time in 16 months that Walsh has refereed a Glasgow Derby, no other referee has more recent experience of the fixture which includes February’s Viaplay Cup Final at Hampden.
On Sportscene Peter Grant gave a very different take on the Bernardo clash with Goldson while shortly before the Johnston and Sima incident Dujon Sterling’s swinging arm broke Matt O’Riley’s nose without even a foul being given by Walsh.
On BBC Sportscene 30 December 24.40 the former Grant said:
At first I thought he was going to be lucky here, but when you look at it, I think Connor Goldson is really lucky. I think he ends up going over the ball.
Goldson is hurt on the top of the knee and I think he’s (Bernardo) very lucky he didn’t get a bad injury there. I think people are saying it’s a second yellow, but he had a fantastic performance as well.
I don’t remember him being quite so critical of any decisions made by officials in a match his team won…. mind you, it’s been a while since they won a match against us which counted for anything……
He’s a bigot who is legitimised by the SMSM. No pretence of objectivity. To think that we used to have Hugh Mcilvanney writing about sport … and now this gurning idiot.
Boyd’s view is no surprise as he is a bigot & can’t hide his biased views in favour of The Rangers. The simple fact is that The Rangers & Boyd are whining because they didn’t get their usual penalty & lost the game.
Johnston’s hand was in a natural position & Sima was offside so no matter how one looks at it there is no way a penalty should have been given.
As for the Goldson/Bernardo incident for which Boyd claims Bernardo should have had a second yellow, he needs to look at it again. It’s plain to see that Goldson was lucky not to get a red as he went over the ball & Bernardo fortunate not to have been seriously injured.
Turnbull didn’t look to be offside when he was brought down in the penalty area so if anything we should have had a penalty & have a legitimate question to ask as to why VAR didn’t review that incident.
It’s a disgrace that Boyd is allowed to comment on our games given that his views are so anti-Celtic there is no chance of him giving an honest assessment of them.
Typical Boyd. He isn’t a rational pundit, rather a committed fan incapable of objective analysis. And there I’m being extremely generous.
Goldson made a deliberate attempt to get Bernado sent off while injuring him at the same time.
As for O’Riley’s injury: when the game is stopped for flailing arm to the face of an opponent it is always deemed a foul yet the game restarted with a drop ball to The Rangers.
I’m still waiting for any real analysis of the Turnbull incident by anyone other than Celtic websites and that encapsulates everything wrong with punditry and media in Scotland. They would rather focus on a handball in an offside situation than a genuine match altering incident.
There is no doubt The Rangers were pushing towards hhe end and the awarding, and possible conversion, of a penalty would have put the game to bed. Instead play was halted by the same linesman who failed to raise his flag in the first half for a clearer offside.
The really strange thing about that incident was The Rangers at that time were breaking up the park so why call the game back ? I believe it was because that would have prevented a review taking place in which Turnbull would have been shown to be onside. The only decision to be made after that is a two handed shove in the back a penalty.
No longer a “conspiracy theory” but a “pattern assistance”.
Goldson goes through the ball then fakes an injury with the intension of getting Bernardo a second yellow, big pussy is an embarrassment to Football, and Sterling missed the ball and could have broken Taylor,s ankle and that’s after the nose break without a card . Good with could have should have been crap.
Good with could have should have been crap ?
Je nais comprende
Boyd moans about pen not given,now he moans about sending offs.what a clown.never hear him talking about all the pens that should have been given against rangers but weren’t.
Dont hear him talking about Balagon spitting at supporters
Peter the pointer, the voice of reason. The only one to speak the truth. Sleekit Goldson did what he always does, goes in heavy and tries to con the ref. He went over the ball and could have seriously injured his opponent….not for the first time may I add. They can deflect all they want. They were well beat by an under strength Celtic team who were superior in every department. Great team performance with Clemente post match interviews being the icing on the cake.
Boyfriend is to biased for a pundut
Sorry misspelt boyd is biased to voice his views on anything about Celtic who he despises and won’t or can’t say anything good about Celtic he went and still thinks them friends who are anti Roman Catholic and think Celtic F.C 1888 are Anti protestant Celtic have and always signed best players and hero worship them no matter what religion we know RFC that was liquidated in 2012 had at one time a no RC signing policy and promoted hatred in the West of Scotland since then sevco started a new club Rifc and at the start promoted the old hatred if Rc even though they were signing them cause they new that old policies would get old support on there side but it only worked against them outside Scotland they have there own history now but claim old cos to shady dealings it will all come out and unravel the truth cover ups £70,000,000 Scotland justice system has spent paying libel cases that’s our taxmoney it’s to big to keep truth from coming out a lot of top masons are going to mentioned in this cover up I mention masons cause there big part of this big mess it’s a run away train and we tax payers are funding it
Kris Boyd named as a former Kilmarnock striker, not mentioning his time at Rangers or that he’s a die hard rangers fan, brought up in a staunch “Blue” family.
everyone in Scotland knows how bias he is yet he is given a platform. you will get a more honest review of the game from the local rangers supporters bus
Why did the linesman not raise his flag for Sima offside at penalty incident yet same linesman incorrectly flag Turnbull at Tavernier push ? Goldson should have been shown at least yellow for tackle on Bernardo but feigned injury and Sterling’s tackle on Taylor a straight red. Balogun’s conduct walking up tunnel not even mentioned . It is scandalous that Boyd, Clemente, Ibrox pundits and media are permitted to put such a bias slant on what actually happened and remain unchallenged where the basic reason is they cannot accept defeat. Celtic should make a brief, clever and measured response, without getting involved , that incidents in the game as reported should be given closer scrutiny. A blatant example of deflection of blame condoned by biased reporting. Disgraceful .
I’m just so so bloody pleased that I don’t subsidise Sky Sports Scotland !
Fat Boyd’s tears are getting in his greeting eyes again. It’s funny how he never sees anything but conspiracies or mistakes against his team. All the whining about the so-called Johnston handball incident is music to my ears. Clement is the same, he’s already been indoctrinated into the way of TRFC, just like every other manager since they were reborn – prime among them, Gerard and Beale -In the door not five minutes and shaking their rattle, then chucking the toys out the pram when they don’t get their own way. It is hilarious.excuse after hilarious excuse after their outrageously ridiculous claims of superiority. They are back where they belong. In their box. Lid firmly closed.