Chris Sutton has fired right back at Graeme Souness after the former Rangers manager accused him of bias AND trying to influence VAR decisions!
Sutton was a co-commentator alongside Kenny Miller at Ibrox with VAR decisions dominating the match and the post match fall-out.
Simulation is one of Sutton’s pet hates with a section of his weekend BBC 5 Live show with Robbie Savage given over to the Simulation Game.
Fabio Silva’s theatrics on Sunday was the subject of criticism from Neil Lennon and Kris Boyd during the half-time break on Sky Sports with the on loan Wolves winger involved in the key incident seven minutes into the second half.
With a clear view of the incident John Beaton produced a yellow card but after a visit to the VAR monitor cancelled that out and awarded a penalty to the home side.
Sutton was consistent with his view throughout the entire incident, bizarrely Souness told listeners to TalkSPORT that the pundits opinion carries influence in the VAR room where Nick Walsh was liaising with Beaton.
Responding to those claims Sutton told the Daily Record:
I have a lot of respect for Graeme as a player, manager and pundit but he is talking utter nonsense to suggest I was trying to somehow influence VAR. It would have been better if Nick Walsh WAS watching Sky Sports – as the officials might have made the right call rather than rewarding cheating.
I don’t know what he was watching when he called Beaton to the monitor, but it certainly wasn’t the TV coverage. Even in the unlikely event if they were, I’m not sure what kind of power Graeme thinks I wield. Does he think I’m God?! I don’t have that kind of sway unfortunately – give me another few months!
In seriousness, it wasn’t a Celtic thing or a Rangers thing, I just called that incident as I saw it. If anything I suspect Graeme has the Rangers blinkers on as there is no way he’d think that was a penalty if any other team was involved. And having watched it over and over again, NOTHING has changed my mind about the incident. It is still not a penalty kick.
Johnston clearly gets a touch on the ball and redirects its path. Silva sees the leg out and takes his chance to throw himself into it. Silva initiated the slight contact and are we supposed to reward simulation or stamp it out?
He was rolling around all afternoon and this was another example. His behaviour was embarrassing. Beaton was close to the scene and his initial interpretation was spot on.
He could see it in real time and he was right to show him a yellow card for yet another dive. I just can’t understand why Walsh got involved. The fact people can even debate it means it wasn’t a clear and obvious error from the referee in the first place.
In December Souness was a Directors Box guest of James Bisgrove at Celtic Park as Brendan Rodgers’ side enjoyed a 2-1 victory.
Recently he shared a stage with Philippe Clement and Jim White for a Q and A session, earlier this season he was hoping to get some formal role at Ibrox but that failed to find a satisfactory solution.
Graeme Souness dismisses Rangers return as he reveals Philippe Clement first that blew him away at interviewhttps://t.co/rOR6KqAfgN pic.twitter.com/IpFnUpOX0N
— Daily Record Sport (@Record_Sport) March 5, 2024
Sourness is nothing but a thug, the tackle on George Mcluskey when he played for hibs and I think it was against Iceland that tackle that could have ended a young man’s career.
If you’ve got respect for him as a player, manager and pundit Mr Sutton then I certainly bloody well dont…
A thug on the park, a financially doped cheat as a manager and a misogynist as a pundit –
I actually think that you don’t really mean what you’ve said Chris and tried to be diplomatic to him a trait that he’s not afforded to yourself…
However good on ya for calling out the penalty that never was !
Any fan of any side knows it wasn’t a penalty until religion and bigotry raised it’s repugnant head.