All Celtic fans ask for is to be refereed fairly and consistently.
That’s it.
When we get the rules explained to us yet we then see penalties for handball given against us that are outwith those rules, or we get given a penalty against us but then in the next match a mirror incident happens against us, yet we aren’t given a penalty, then of course we are going to be angry, ask questions and ask for clarity.
And we never get that clarity. The referees in this country are allowed to stay silent and are given a free pass to explain absolutely nothing, and that is disgraceful and always has been.
And along with the couple of examples above, there are just so many incidents that need explaining that we are just expected to accept with no explanation given whatsoever.
And it’s not just Celtic by the way, look at what happened with St Johnstone at Ibrox in the last game where they got a player sent off after he clearly won the ball (which ended up getting overturned because it was clearly the wrong decision) and then Ryan Jack flying into Montgomery studs up right on his ankle, with absolutely no attempt to get the ball, results in just a yellow card for Jack.
These decisions are just incomprehensible, and not a matchday goes by in the SPFL that we don’t see ridiculous decisions like these.
This is why FIFA’s new VAR initiative, which is currently being trialled at the FIFA Club World Cup, if it is seen to be successful and it is taken up by the other leagues and tournaments around the world as these things are, could have an enormous impact on Scottish football.
Not only will these referees no longer be able to stay silent, they will have to be mic’d up and explain their VAR decisions to those watching at home AND the tens of thousands of supporters in the stadium.
Expect Scottish referees to fight this with everything they have if it gets the go-ahead. This is exactly what the game is this country needs, and it is everything these referees do not want.
Check out the post from FIFA president Gianni Infantino below.
