Foreign refs and pointless volleys at the BBC

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Calls for foreign referees are not new in the Scottish game, but refs have successfully resisted the idea.  It is in their economic interests to have only Scottish referees take charge of Scottish games, and, most of all, they want control of the country’s biggest games.  The argument has been that if a referee works his way through the system for years, he should not be denied the opportunity to take control of the biggest games in the land.

The SFA have been sympathetic to this argument for decades but are now confronted by the country’s major clubs telling them standards are not good enough to support the game at the level it is being played at in Scotland.  A window of unanimity opened when the rent-a-statements across the city were twice hit by extended bans in a week, making it difficult for them to avoid the follow on question, “If things are not good enough, why not ask for change?”

Behind this issue lies a longstanding desire for Scottish Premiership clubs to see the SFA focus more on administering youth and amateur football, and the international team, leaving the professional game to the SPFL, where appropriate performance standards across a range of issues can be set.

Those who want a fair and open game have nothing to fear from foreign referees.  Arguments against this proposal amount to little more than an expression of self-interest.  I suggest we move quickly before some realise that decades old affinities are at risk.

I see Newco are reinforcing their 8 point deficit bunker with volleys at the BBC.  It is comforting to preach to the choir but it is also pointless.  The BBC is a broadcasting mammoth.  It employs over 20,000 staff and churns out an enormous volume of material.  Its power bases are geographically, culturally, politically and ethnically diverse.  Try conspiring in an organisation with 20 people and you’ll see why.

It will get things wrong.  It will employ people whose views you do not like and its protocols will infuriate you – after all, they must search for hours trying to find some loon to ‘balance’ all the sense coming from a prevailing opinion (a personal gripe).  But in the history of broadcasting and media, no organisation has been subject to as vigorous and accessible oversight. It is not intellectually honest to suggest otherwise.

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384 Comments

  1. i'vehadtochangemymind on

    Does stevie gee really think this is going to enhance his reputation and chances of managing a proper club? Is he hoping to become the next smyth – at least smyth had money to cheat with. Good luck stevie g trying to create your narratives and influence refs and the league, it’s the shi* on the pitch you put out that matters.

  2. prestonpans bhoys on

    After the media hysteria about foreign refs being employed I think today’s events at the bigotdome may have converted a few more clubs than Celtic. PS you’ve got to see the red card, can’t do a link with this phone

  3. Did anybody on here seriously think the huns would get beaten tonight ? By hook or by crook Kilmarnock were doomed.

     

     

    Forget them, we have our own mega prize tomorrow with a huge away support demonstrating faith and the importance of this game.

     

    Maybe, just maybe ” This is the day when we win away ”

     

     

    HH and stay safe to all in Spain.

  4. SOUTHSIDE on 20TH FEBRUARY 2019 9:57 PM

     

    Douglas Ross mp “red,red,red” made the Bachman red card decision, apparently.

     

     

    ——–

     

     

    Thankfully Douglas Ross is not busy and there is nothing important happening in relation to the Country’s future…

  5. Update from my bhoy in Valencia:

     

    Local police smiling and applauding us as we sing and pick up our rubbish behind us.

     

    National Guard roll up in armoured cars and wade in with batons and pepper spray!

     

    He’s currently holed up in a restaurant cos the police are preventing them going back to their hotel! They’ve tried 3 times to get through a cordon.

     

    This is Amsterdam all over again!

  6. Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke has just gone on an astonishing rant at the sectarian abuse he claims he was subjected to at Ibrox tonight. Says he is thankful every day in life for Chelsea taking him away from the West of Scotland – meaning his children could grow up in England.

     

     

    @ twitter

  7. Brendan needs to get with how we feel,the ‘John/Alan/Craig/Andrew…etc…had a good game’ pish,needs to stop,we are on our own here

  8. I hadn’t realised this…

     

     

    “The inference was not lost on anybody. In documenting some supposed hardships that Celtic had been subjected to, Boyd seemed to be feeding a conspiracy about biased referees. The “neutral referees” had come in during the refs’ strike of November 2010, he added, and “did ever so well”.

     

     

    On this and on a number of other things, Boyd is confused. On the weekend of the referees’ strike in Scotland, Celtic hosted Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Alain Hamer from Luxembourg was in charge and disallowed a perfectly legitimate Celtic goal. The match ended 2-2 and Celtic went on to lose the league to Rangers by one point.”

     

     

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47312046

     

     

    So, but for a refereeing mistake Celtic would already be rounding the final bend en route to 9 in a row. That Luxembourg ref must have been a closet Hun!

     

     

    Two absolute shocking, game changing decisions tonight. Let’s hope Aberdeen play in the QF like they did against us in December… although I’m sure the ref won’t be blatantly and unashamedly batting for the home team this time!

  9. ” We’re ‘living in the dark ages’ with the sectarian abuse he suffered from Rangers fans tonight.

     

     

    He says Daniel Bachmann’s red card is a ‘joke’ and ‘embarrassing’, and if that’s the standard of refereeing here we should ‘pack it in’.

     

     

    Steve Clarke

     

    Super Snyde scoreboard

  10. Steve Clarke:

     

     

    “The refereeing is a joke. What’s the point, we might as well all go home.”

     

     

    “When Rangers approached me for the job they said it (sectarian abuse) was gone from the West of Scotland.”

     

     

    “I thank Chelsea for taking me and my children away from this (abuse)”

  11. I just watched the red card, wow, nonsense.

     

    Simply cheating, just incredible the lengths they are going to.

  12. Steve Clarke: “It’s lovely being back in the west of Scotland. When I was approached by Rangers about taking over the job here I was assured that we don’t have that in the west of Scotland any more. “But to call me a f***** b******, come on. Where are we living? The dark ages?”

  13. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Well I guess the not so subtle comments about not being able to win the league have been taken heed of…….

  14. I suppose the link would help…. ? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgdKlYVBoE

     

     

    Seems unimportant now….billybhoy 10:29

     

     

    thanks for the real updates about what’s happening to our Bhoys in Valencia – Amsterdam all over again indeed. Has to be political and the club must issue a statement…. there is a reason why we sing “We’re the best behaved supporters, best behaved supporters, best behaved supporters in the land” Simply, it’s true. Heavy handed authoritarian, establishment brings out the worst in our support… and rightly so. It should be challenged every time. It’s fascism.

     

     

    A wise man said to me once…” look at both groups involved… which on do you think has come geared up for the fight?”

     

     

    Hail Hail ??☘️??

  15. prestonpans bhoys on

    Now it would be funny if the SFA over rules that red card,then invokes a retrospective on the the huns tackle

  16. Just like the 4 penalties from Dallas was an unnecessary overkill, so Muir today making 3 corrupt decisions has also made another unnecessary overkill. They don’t know how to cheat cleverly anymore but guess what. Drunken Celtic Yobs terrorising Valencia will be a handy squirrel for the rags tomorrow.

  17. After Steve Clarke telling the truth about the vermin,Jabba the Hun will have his reptiles, looking for a bhoy defending himself against Valencia polis,and frame it as ‘Celtic hooligans in Europe’ blah blah blah

  18. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    Dearie me – been watching the reply from Cheat Stadium – shameless, blatant and clear cheating from Muir.

     

     

    Truly shocking – as bad as the Rev Mike McCurry performances.

     

     

    What was the point of Kilmarnock even bothering to turn up? A complete waste of their bus-hire.

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  19. It won’t be long until the reunification of the island of Ireland, the independence of Scotland, thanks to brexit, and the likely arrival of the dangerous Ulster-Scots to Scotland, all in the ten in a row year!

     

    Woosh!