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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SFTB
Hi mate,
Would fit our support better to deride/chant about Boyd about his ebt,about his dodgy player registtration.in short. A cheat.
Wee tale bout Rt Rev paisley,a good few years back we had friends over stayin who were constituents of his,he came on the telly,bigoting bout somethin or another,I suggested he was a bit of a blowhard
Well I got put on a learning1 curve,
He is an absolutely brilliant mp and responds to every complaint or need they pursued with him. And they pursued plenty lol twas a suprise to me :-)
Hope all’s good
HH
…oh, oh…………
BBC wireless this morning purring about the Morelas 4goals and Kilmarnock being swept aside.
They do make a small mention of sectarian chanting but No mention of the hugely contentious refereeing decisions that —- denied Killie a penalty ——-had the goal keeper red-carded ..for nothing (all in the first few minutes of the game ……..and the not giving of a red to Candias for a horrendous over-the-top assault. The blatantly biased refereeing decided the game . The beeb doesn’t mention. Corruption on all fronts.
Where I take some issue with Steve Clarke is his placing this issue in `The West of Scotland`. It is all over Scotland but is simply more insidious in other areas.
JJ
PS The possible exception to this is in areas where English people are in the majority.
AN TEARMANN
Good MP??? ………Well he was at the forefront of stirring up religious hatred from the very beginning . I reckon that he was a big factor in the way that the troubles escalated out of control. I would say he had the blood of many on his hands.
SFTB
Regarding Kris Boyd, I know his family quite well. I used to drink with his dad back in the day. His parents are brand new, lovely people. Lived directly across from mine. My sister now lives there in the same house.
A Rangers diehard, definitely, an orange man, no chance. He’s actually quite a nice guy, he’s taken care of his family, buying property for them and lives a quiet life.
I’m not defending his punditry, he’s a muppet in that regard but definitely not a bad guy.
Kirk Broadfoot on the other hand is a racist bigot with form for it. He was asked to keep it down in a Drongan pub after a Rangers cup win a few years ago by a guy in the bar. He was threatening to hit him when he was told that it was Quinton “Cutty” Young, ex Ayr Utd and Rangers player that was asking him. He is an ? fatherless person!
I don`t suppose anyone will be `astounded of forehead` at this opinion by the Sevco Director:
“Robertson has backed under-fire Scottish refs and repeated his plea to overhaul the disciplinary system and bring in VAR to support the men in black.
He told SunSport: “We are fully supportive of Scottish referees. We don’t believe there is any need to bring foreign referees into the system.
“Indeed, we are strongly against the idea. If we don’t support our refs now, it’s going to impact on retention and recruitment of refs.
“What would foreign referees cost? And what would it say to our younger referees that clubs were willing to go down this line?
“We are not for foreign referees, as we want to support Scottish refs and we also want VAR brought in as soon as possible.
“We appreciate there is an implementation time for VAR but let’s start that process now and support our referees.”
JJ
SFTB-HENRY JOY- THAT song needs to come off the songbook, amongst others, we need to sort ourselves out before pointing any fingers.
Just saw the red card decision, wow!
Hunbelieveable!
In other news’ Steven was our first choice….’….eh naw he wisnae….
I wonder is Robertson including wee eyes in the back of the head Willie in the Refs the Huns are supporting. I somehow doubt it.
Small wonder they would be supporting the bulk of them as they are dyed in the wool Huns.
Is fat bastard ok then?
Do we have sufficient empirical proof for this nom de plume for him?
HH jg
Hot Smoked – The West Coast thing gets my craw as well………………it’s all over………….I think it’s unconsciously used by those who are brave enough to cal it out as a slight softener. to the message……..
It’s all over Scotland and is not confined to the Dark Ages at all, Scottish bigotry has survived and kept pace with scottish society just fine. the oranj ordure, “The Chirch” and Ra Glorious rainjurz……have kept bigotry on the simmer forever. Shortie plays its part too.
HH
Bamboo 8.11
I agree totally with you his stirring and insightin did tip the balance.the civil rights attack at burntollet was abhorrent,
Yeh I was suprised too,but they wouldn’t have a word against
Hope your good mate
HH
as regards to WC……..if ye notice the shortie picture editor always chooses the boul’ Wullie for his shot when the subject is problem whistlers…………….. anything vaguely positive and it’s any number of robo-gallant pioneers like brither McLean or Son-Of…….or…or…..or
aye – dead subtle.
Any links to red card?
HH
An Tearmann
BBC website
An Tearmann
Part of this report
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47313458
WC likes pound notes more than anything,as long as he’s getting the money he doesn’t care about anything else….
AT-https://twitter.com/celticrumours/status/1098316684929179649?s=08
https://twitter.com/celticrumours/status/1098316684929179649?s=08
AN TEARMANN on 21ST FEBRUARY 2019 8:59 AM
I heard exactly the same about Paisley.
Interesting to hear it confirmed.
Separation of the Powers ?
:-)
Big story of the week thus far.
a) fans taking selfies
b) couple of broken seats
c) coin flipped at footballer
d) usual sing- song at Govan
e) Spanish police use of violence against football fans
f) standard of whistlers
___________________________________
Has to be …..of course!!!!!
RANGERS don’t want foreign refs in the SPFL — and will back our under-fire officials.
Managing director Stewart Robertson is baffled by claims the SFA is ready to call in overseas referees.
No $#!t Sherlock…
AN TEARMANN
Yes I heard the same from someone who came from his constituency . That he was a very effective hard-working MP who would visit their homes……..but I remember the early tv news footage of him leading a mob of loyalist thugs attacking civil rights marchers. Got a shock when came into a cafe on Arran while I was there, a big big glowering presence with wife and daughter timidly in toe.
Shameless cheating last night.
I think Stevie Clarke has given them a red herring in this case… the sectarian comment has over-shadowed the football refereeing cheating. Not that he shouldn’t have said it….
I presume this sending off will be appealed?
If successful, the Rangers player has to be cited for simulation.
Gerard has for sure got the whole team coached in cheating methods….and then to boast about how good they were … against a cheated team.
Shameless. If I wasn’t in an office … I’ve got an urge to spit on the floor.
I try not to get annoyed … but the ultimate in scumminess winning has me despairing here.
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Was Paisley on a free holiday,or did he have to pay for it ?
Robinbhoy and Bada Bing
Many thanks gents
:-)
HH
———————————————-
Macjay
He knew his way around the legislature,
He was a professional at it.
MP,Europe and member of nawn i-lan assembly
Most of the time all 3 at once,
Nice little earner
Buy a mail order doctorate,call yourself a reverend,open up a church,
Settle v comfortably indeed into those churches charitable status,
A great wee earner
And the legal trough wheel of corruption goes on from father to son .
HH
SomePaisley yarns.
Paisley’s wife seen leaving the dentist,friend calls out” How’s the mouth Eileen” He’s fine came the reply.
My mate was greeted with ,’good morning from Paisley in Belfast city centre “It was until I saw you”!
Paisley was objecting to a visit from a church of England minister in Belfast when the visitor asked Paisley did he wear a hat.”Of course I do” was the short retort.”Well if I were you I would put it on as there is a woodpecker flying about” said the good minister!!!
And….BBC programme Songs of praise from Paisley…the town not the mouth.
ALASDAIR MACLEAN on 21ST FEBRUARY 2019 9:57 AM
Not sure if you’v seen his comments post match on bbc.
Not a dig, just pointing it out. He’s livid and every right to be so.
Clarke described the red card as a “joke” and “embarrassing” and that we “might as well go home” if that is the standard of refereeing.
He also railed against Alan Muir’s failure to award his side a second-minute penalty after Joe Worrall grappled with Eamonn Brophy.
“The officials decided the game. It’s embarrassing,” Clarke said. “If the penalty had been given in the first two minutes it would have been different.
“And the red card is a joke. The goalie just lifted his arms. Every goalie does it every week. It’s embarrassing. If that’s the standards we might as well go home.
“Why speak? It’s every week. How can I talk about football tonight?”
HH
If Steve Clarke has received the sectarian abuse at the weekend and last night we had played killie and Boyd said what he did after the game we would be upset at the usual evening up of things. Those so called neutrals don’t care , don’t understand it or just call it an OF problem and one is as bad as the other.
It needs someone from their side of the divide to call it out for what it really is , not going to happen.
The more people in Scottish football speaking about the refereeing that aren’t connected to Celtic the better . Gives more gravitas to the argument in the eyes of the wider public and from any pundits from down south imo.
Prevents the old – ‘ that’s exactly what you would expect someone from Celtic past or present to say ‘
HH
AN TEARMANN on 21ST FEBRUARY 2019 10:04 AM
Don`t get me wrong , mate.
I`m no fan .
Loyal to the Crown AND the half crown.
Trying to be balanced, should we consider that we are viewing this game through the eyes of a few supporters watching with green tinted glasses. Could Sevco fans pick out incidents where decisions went the other way. Is there a trustworthy, neutral organisation that could dissect a game of a series of games and give a proper analysis of bias. Problem is, if Celtic should employ them, they are no longer neutral.
Dbhoy- no time for that plank Levein, but he doesn’t miss the MIBs to be fair…
Dudes
Does anyone have a contact number for the Celtic bus leaving from Dumbarton for the Motherwell game on Sunday? I need four seats.