Brendan Rodgers has put the focus on the SFA after claiming that John Beaton cost Celtic today’s match away to Hearts.
Interventions from the VAR prompted Don Robertson to send off Yang Hun-jun in the 16th minute after initially awarding a yellow card for a high challenge.
Shortly before half-time Beaton picked up on a clearly accidental close range handball by Tomoki Iwata, Robertson reviewed the incident then went with the view of his colleague to award Hearts a penalty which opened the scoring.
Beaton has plenty of previous in Celtic matches involving penalties, in January 2023 at Ibrox he refused to award a penalty against Connor Goldson for a double handball from a Carl Starfelt shot, earlier he had pounced to award a penalty against the Swedish defender when Fashion Sakala dived in with a challenge then celebrated with fans behind the goal as a penalty was awarded.
Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson gave match officials a free pass at the 2022 AGM when he explained teething troubles with the introduction of VAR to the SPFL, at the 2023 AGM he was asked about decisions by Beaton in a match against St Mirren and responded with a gag about Penalty Rangers.
With Rodgers calling out Beaton twice during his interview with Sky Sports the onus is now on the SFA to hit the Celtic boss with a disrepute charge.
?? “That cost us today, the officiating.”
?? “You will have to ask John Beaton what he’s seeing.”Brendan Rodgers gives his thoughts on Celtic’s loss to Hearts and key decisions in the game ? pic.twitter.com/JcPcdONBBl
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) March 3, 2024
I never like to comment on the officials, that’s not something I do but that cost us today the officiating, from on field from John Beaton on VAR. That was really, really poor.
The first incident – if you put a still on that of course it looks dangerous but that’s not the reality of the move. There’s no force there, the ball’s popped up, okay it’s a booking. That was really disappointing to go down to ten men with that.
But to receive the penalty against us. Wow. That was even worse. If you watch the incident again, Tomo (Iwata) has jumped, he’s on his way down, he’s not looking. He’s been nudged a little bit which pushes his arm out.
If that’s a penalty then you will have penalties every single game, every single week in a match because of that. We had one last week away at Motherwell, Casey puts his arm up and it hits him.
But that there is absolutely shocking decision making. I feel really really disappointed. We’re down a man we get a poor penalty against us and all of a sudden you’re chasing the game.
You’ve got to look at the reality of the action and the move. If you freeze frame, which we see all the time, it looks dangerous.
That wasn’t the reality of the move you’ve got to see it in the whole context of everything.
I thought the officials were very very poor and like I say, it was really really disappointing. You actually have to ask John Beaton in VAR what he’s seeing.
Because if he’s seeing dangerous play, the handball, he’s probably seeing something different to everyone else.
I just think they’re seeing a different game. It’s incidents like that – that’s why referees and officials get challenged because that’s not knowing the game. That’s not seeing the game.
? “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
Probably will and the club will just bend over and say ,,
Hi John come back anytime and do us , how about Ibrox next month, you fancy it ?
Unfortunately agree mate… Our cowardly, self-serving board will do or say little, as is their way.
Good for Brendan for calling it out. I thought Robertson got his on field decisions right but was weak in allowing VAR to change his mind.
Probably no reaction from our board. VAR 2-0 Celtic.
The game today was ruined by VAR decisions from interventions from a person with a highly questionable pedigree who does not understand the game and who is so biased in favour of Rangers. I just wish that if we are going to persevere with it that we could go live to the VAR suite and hear their input which would help us understand their ridiculous decisions and would probably prove their favouritism.
Unusually I didn’t see the match today as I’m unwell but whilst reffing is possibly worse than ever, and we all know how bad that is, the REAL enemy is the enemy within.
I refer, of course, to Peter Thomas Lawwell and his adored boss and until they and the rest of their selected Board are ousted then NOTHING will improve. For this season it’s mission accomplished, make the fake huns survive and prosper and resurrect the O** F***.
THAT’S what the cash pile is for, to save that shower of scum and the supporters won’t act decisevely to stop it.
I despair, and I’ve had enough.
Well done Brendan for at least mentioning the cheating/match fixing. We need a fit-for-purpose Board to back him and the team. I added to this but it’s gone missing???
Aaaaaahhhhh! Fukkin sick twice!
Well said Tic Toc.
These tory bastards are siphoning off the supporters hard earned money and getting fat and lazy in the process. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the top tiers was closed next season.
Who in their right mind would fund these rotten bastards in their quest to keep the huns relevant while our club goes to the dogs.
Remember, these wage thieves don’t put a penny into the club.
If our board don’t back Brendan on this issue he should tell them to ram their job enough is enough.
Not one claim from any Hearts players on the park for a penelty, it is obvious that Beaton had his own agenda today to make life as difficult for Celtic today. He has a history against Celtic and should be nowhere near our games. For God sake Celtic board please raise your heads out of the sand and voice your concerns NOW.
If u want an end to this corruption , take the players from the pitch , tell them we had enough the stench of corrupt decisions this season is the worst yet. It’s not good enough to allow this to continue , Beaton , Walsh , collum , Dallas , aitken , the list goes on all corrupt officials
An utter fcukin sickiner was that today so it was…
Glad that Brendan has spoken out –
But it would have been better if he did it after one of our wins where the cheats were out to the fore !