The Caldwell Compromise that will suit the SFA and Celtic to avoid Rodgers getting Ibrox ban

With Brendan Rodgers appearing before the SFA to answer a Notice of Complaint tomorrow the assumption is that the minimum punishment facing the Celtic manager is a two match ban from the dug-out.

That message has been drilled out since the aftermath of Celtic’s defeat at Tynecastle, meaning that the hoops boss would be forced to watch from the stand at the Tony Macaroni Arena and at Ibrox.

Clearly the second fixture presents a major problem for the SFA and SPFL, unless they want to create a 10 yard exclusion zone around Rodgers a seat in the Directors Box at Ibrox surrounded by the angry natives is far from safe.

Two years ago a Celtic physio was hit with a bottle thrown by a hospitality client at Ibrox, during the same match broken glass mysteriously appeared in Joe Hart’s penalty box during the half time interval despite the Ibrox ground-staff forking that area at exactly the same time.

There have been claims that Celtic are going in to tomorrow’s appeal all lawyered up, there has even been suggestions that they will have Dermot’s Dossier and a top KC.

Anyone tracking the interest levels shown in the club this season by their largest shareholder would be amazed at that turn of events.

There is one get-out punishment that is bound to appeal to all of those closest to the issue, especially the Celtic Chairman who has shied away from any confrontation with the SFA since 10am on 27 July 2012.

Back in 2019 Gary Caldwell was also charged by the SFA of breaking Rule 72 with Rule 76 also thrown in for criticism of Andrew Dallas.

The Sun reported the former Partick Thistle manager saying:

We should’ve won but for another crazy decision. It’s important for people’s lives they get these decisions right.

I’m not saying they can be perfect but I think the way they go about it afterwards, the arrogance they show, isn’t great.

Rather than accuse John Beaton of arrogance Rodgers labelled the VAR official incompetent. Any review of matches involving the Bellshill based official will throw up wildly contrasting decision depending on what teams are involved.

After the hearing Thistle announced:

Gary Caldwell has been handed an immediate one-match suspension following a Scottish FA Judicial panel hearing at Hampden today.

The manager was found to be in breach of Disciplinary Rules 72 and 203 and will be banned from the dugout for Saturday’s trip to Alloa Athletic.

Gary has also been given an additional one-match ban, suspended until the end of the 2018/19 season.

A similar outcome tomorrow would suit all parties. A token punishment for Rodgers who can operate as normal at Ibrox with either Beaton or Nick Walsh refereeing the match.

Crawford Allan can continue his farewell campaign without any questioning. After the weekend fixtures David Dickinson will have refereed three SPFL matches involving the Ibrox club since the turn of the year while Willie Collum gets spread around the 11 other Premiership clubs.

Collum is a contender for the April 7 Glasgow Derby, he knows exactly what is expected of him, in his trial match in the Scottish Cup against Ayr United he scored highly including a booking for Scott Brown.

Celtic have made no comment on the Notice of Complaint issued to their manager or any club comment on the officials at Tynecastle.

Don Robertson hasn’t refereed any match since Celtic’s 2-0 defeat, on Sunday he will referee the match away to Livingston with Alan Muir on VAR.