LEGENDARY Celt Sir Kenny Dalglish has waded into is old club’s SFA VAR row and thrown his support solidly behind Brendan Rodgers.
The Hoops boss has been summoned by the Scottish football rulers to answer a complaint following his comments after the champions’ controversial 2-0 loss to Hearts at Tynecastle a week ago.
Rodgers was incensed at referee Don Robertson and his VAR assistant John Beaton after they joined in two bizarre decisions that saw Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun red-carded in the 14th minute and the hosts awarded a phantom penalty-kick just before the interval.
The Irishman labelled the performance from the officials as “incompetent” which has upset the occupants of Hampden’s sixth floor.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT…Brendan Rodgers at Tynecastle.
Dalglish said: “It’s not right that Brendan Rodgers has been charged by the SFA for his comments after Celtic lost 2-0 to Hearts.
“He highlighted some blatant mistakes in that 90 minutes that cost his side. I’m sure any other manager would have done the same.
“Having watched the incidents several times, referee Don Robertson and his VAR, John Beaton, got it horribly wrong.”
Dalglish, speaking to the Sunday Post, added: “Yang shouldn’t have been red-carded for his high challenge on Alex Cochrane. There was no aggression or malice in his attempt to play the ball.
“In my day, that would have been an indirect free-kick. Don just about called it a right with his initial decision of a yellow card. There was no need for VAR to become involved.
“Then, towards half-time, the Jambos were awarded a penalty for a handball against Tomoki Iwata. That’s one of the worst calls I’ve seen in a long, long time.
PHANTOM PENALTY-KICK…Tomoki Iwata and Alistair Johnston combine to thwart Stephen Kingsley in the incident that saw Hearts awarded a controversial spot-kick.
“It was NEVER a penalty. For VAR to get involved was outrageous. It then defies belief that the referee agreed with his colleague.”
Dalglish, like many observers, picked up on the point that there was no need for Beaton to get involved as there was not a “clear and obvious error” in either of the incidents.
When new technology was introduced to the Scottish game in October 2022 that was the criteria before a game had to be halted for the examination of any so-called infringement.
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Livingston this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
