Referee Steven McLean saw the incident when Josh Meekings stopped a Leigh Griffiths header crossing the line with his hand. He was 12 yards away with an unobstructed view. The blame for getting the decision wrong is entirely his.
We can only speculate as to why he didn’t award a penalty. At best, McLean didn’t believe the evidence of his own eyes and passed the buck to his assistant Alan Muir, who was around 6 yards from the action but with a less-clear view.
Muir did not see Meekings clear the ball legally. If he was distracted, and failed to see what happened clearly enough, he should have informed the referee. If Muir told the referee anything else, this is also a failing.
The SFA have a case to answer. Not fit and proper, to use their parlance.
Notwithstanding the fact that if the rules of the game were followed Celtic would be in the cup final right now, they are out because they failed to deal appropriately with the known qualities of Inverness.
Three goals were lost, all of which were defensive mistakes. A break downfield which caught the defence cold, a cross from the right which was not properly contested with all defenders in position, and a failure to match a back post run (similar to a recent League Cup final goal conceded to Kilmarnock). Fatigue may have contributed to the final goal but being down to 10 men was not a contributing factor for the first two.
The game should have been won in the first half but we opened the second period off-pace.
Another matter which should be on the agenda at Lennonxtown today is why didn’t we have the right studs on?
It should be someone’s job to make a decision after the team arrives at a ground on which studs to wear. If the decision was made, the decision was wrong. If this process was not followed, it should have been. Either way there is also a case to answer internally.
1,175 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- ...
- 31
- »
To my knowledge, no Celtic Board has publicly called out the cheating from within the SFA.
Apart, that is, from the much loved John Reid.
Kelly’s protest was about the Flag, a different issue.
Fergus’ was about the actions of Farry, not referees.
One would think that with all the various groups who represent the Celtic support, like the CSA, the Irish Affiliation, the Celtic Trust, etc., that there would be some joined up thinking in liaisoning with similar groups from other clubs in mounting a combined campaign against the SFA.
As members of the Association, Celtic are limited as to where to complain effectively and they only have one vote.
Time for the customers,the fans, to become proactive.
Start with the SFA competitions.
HT – the one thing I would love to see sorted atime Paradise is the stewarding. It’s currently a disgrace.
Celtic Football Club statement
By: Newsroom Staff on 20 Apr, 2015 17:12
WITH the Club being inundated today, Celtic can confirm that it has written to the SFA regarding yesterday’s match and in particular the incident involving Leigh Griffiths and Josh Meekings.
First and foremost we absolutely congratulate Inverness Caledonian Thistle on reaching the Scottish Cup final. They are a fantastic club and reaching the final is a great achievement.
However, given the level of reaction from our supporters and across football, we are duty bound to seek an understanding of what actually happened.
We have not been given any other specific explanation so far and this is simply to understand the circumstances of what went on and why such an obvious error was made.
mike in toronto
I have no problem answering that question. Celtic were well aware of the Statement at the highest level. CQN made them aware of this and we also gave our consent for the newspaper to formally notify both Celtic and the Rangers group of clubs (as Paul termed them) about the content of the Statement. Presumably this is where the leak to the FF website came from…
http://www.celticfc.net/news/8087
Celtic ask SFA for explanation of cheating yesterday
Now we’re talking
Ayrshire is Green and White
RobertTressell
17:27 on
20 April, 2015
Out of interest – serious question – what should or could the board do about the cheating?
I ask as someone who in plenty other areas of life demands action from people in positions of responsibility and leadership. Sometimes you have to know exactly what it is you want people to do before you demand and more often than not you need to have a strategy laid out for them or they won’t act in the way you want anyway.
So let’s put it out there
———————————————————–
Very good questions. I think most people want something as simple as a statement, however I don’t know what a statement will actually achieve. So along with thinking about what our desired action is, we need to think about what the desired effect is. I know that seems obvious btw…
what a crap day yesterday was !
A Hearts fan in charge of PR at Celtic.What an absolute farce.
There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of good Celtic fans out there who could do that job and probably a right good few on this blog.
roberttressell
Have you noticed any improvements from last season to this mate?
See my post at 17.30
See the post at 17.32 with the club statement.
See the connection.
Put pressure on. Force action.
Action not enough? Apply more pressure from below.
Simples
MickTT
17:32 on
20 April, 2015
http://www.celticfc.net/news/8087
——————————————————-
Hallelujah.
Remains to be seen if it will make the blindest bit of difference though…
TriR
It’s not just the fact that he supports Hearts, it’s that he’s not doing a very good job.
There must have been an avalanche of protests which forced the club to make a statement.
Well done to the Celtic supporters.
The statement is a start. More importantly will be what comes from it.
RobertTressell
17:27 on
20 April, 2015
‘Out of interest – serious question – what should or could the board do about the cheating?’
###
1.Suggest that the four home associations amalgamate.
if that’s a bridge too far
2. Suggest that the refereeing function of the four home associations amalgamate, at least in respect of top flight games.
It won’t happen, but it’s what’s needed. I can’t see anything else working.
Embramike, is that a joke statement? tell me Celtic did not release that to the world.
That is pathetic and grovelling if true. Fair play on their word to ICT, I bear them no grudge for yesterday’s farce.
Bada Bing, I’ve no clue wtf your last post to me was about?
bed time, late here in oz and I’m as sick of this shithole as I am of thon other wan……………where I live:)
HH if you can still be arsed.
HT – haven’tbeen over much since early part of the season but in all honesty not much. Should I have? Have you? Better/worse?
Apart from downright hostility to some sections like the GB my general beef is the unhelpful surly nature of them. The west of Scotland prides itself on friendliness with.the exception of those with yellow bibs on at fitba matches it would seem.
WC …. thanks.
As for the statement …. a good start. I expect the usual bs answer, so I hope Celtic follow up on this ….
in the 1960’s Joe Orton wrote the great farce ‘what the butler saw’…. I have an idea that 2015’s ‘what the linesman said’ could be a similarly great farce ….
‘WITH the Club being inundated today,’
###
Not quite sure what to make of that.
ACGR-Hatton Garden is the jewel centre in London,a vault got raided last week and about £100 mil was knocked out safety deposit boxes…..
celtic could record every conversation made by the ref and linesmen no problem with the existing technology in celtic park. take a minute to set up.
there is no law against it as far as Im aware.
I’d do it without telling the referee – they’d soon learn wee codes otherwise.
The most mealy mouthed statement ever from celtic. It translate to
“We don’t want to ask but our supporters are complaining. So we have to but don’t worry we won’t do anything when we get the answer”
An absolute insult to all celtic supporters.
ernie …
hopefully it means that we are mad as hell, and not going to take it anymore …
HowardBealeCSC
Wonder if celtic’s email to the SFA had subject line the unseen unfenian hand.
Ernie/Davidopolous – I posted earlier today, prompted by other posts before mine, that the spotlight needs to go on ‘competence’ of the officials. Obvious mistakes, refereeing which disrupts the flow of games etc etc is the best course of action IMO.
We know what it’s but there will be no public confessions to it from hampden. So go for competency. Get similar results – that is, better refereeing. If that involves pooling refs across countries and it can be painted as promoting good practice and giving local refs experience abroad then go for it.
Also, taking a harder line I think they should be pushing for root and branch change at the SFA. Time for the Deidco cabal to.go. That’s in need of machiavelli…
Yesterdays performance by the officials was unjustified, blatant, smug, and what are you going to do about it Timmy,
In all my 40 years of watching Celtic that was the most evil in your face act of nasty anti Celtic,
Some supporters may say that you can’t take nothing away from ICT, I am not one of them,
Years ago we got a wee lift when the officials stuck one on us, but yesterday was totally a provocative act from the dungeons of hell,
I’m now away for a lie down!
Happy Celticing
roberttressell
I know that the Celtic Trust had meetings with Celtic about the issues you mentioned. I believe that a new code of conduct was issued to all stewards about how they should be dealing with supporters.
I think they’ve been more hospitable and less surly this season.
The Club Release a Statement and its Getting Slagged Already….Jeezo…
The statement is a philibuster, by the time the SFA respond you will all have moved onto the next chicanery.
The masons will do their damndest to stop us winning the league.
Read back, in fighting, trolls repeating the same mantra “not renewing”, and sure enough a few sign up to withdrawing support also.
All that does is weaken the Celtic.
Celtic supporters believe that we are being cheated consistently by Scottish referees. Celtic this evening have asked for clarification from the SFA. It is time for the SFA to address this issue. Let’s have an enquiry into whether Scottish referees are cheating Celtic.What have they to hide?
http://www.cqnmagazine.com/at-long-last-celtic-grow-a-pair/
Oh oh The Pastor’s no happy…
Desmond and co………….. ?
Why not publish the letter they sent to Sevco Football Corp….or was it just as pishy wishy as a Hun shell suit……
amfeckingmoreannoyedthanawiscfc……
things might never be braw again ….
Neganon
Let’s see what reply is forthcoming and Celtic’s subsequent reaction to it.
HT ideally I’d like to see it brought in house. By the way, I’d like to contribute to the CST thing and will email you. I have to be honest and tell you I’m already at more things than my very tolerant Mrs should have to put up with so it’ll be as a ‘number’ not an ‘activist’!!
The statement is saying we aren’t complaining but those pesky fans er customers are!
This is a statement from a Celtic board with balls:
http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/1/I7GBZetLwdbUU0UmpLzFUQ589631/GW486H1007
Yesterday’s refereeing was obviously shocking.
the physical nature of ICT’s play throughout took its toll. from start to finish they kicked, pushed and battered with impunity.
McLean and his crew made the major decision not to award the penalty, but the way ICT were allowed to play was insidious.