The job of referee has a kind of inverse relationship between popularity and career progress. Willie Collum has been at the centre of this season’s three major controversies. He was referee on two occasions when his assistants failed to notice Celtic conceded a goal in crucial league games against Rangers and Hearts (on each occasion the ball crossed the line by inches and remained there for a small fraction of a second).
There is very little a ref can do when his assistant doesn’t flag when the ball crosses the goal line, as we all know, but Collum still suffered reputational damage from some who simply blamed him for being in charge when ‘goals’ against Celtic were not awarded by assistant referees.
It takes a brave decision for a ref to award an injury time penalty for a team losing by a goal in a cup final. As we noted yesterday, Anthony Stokes clearly had his ankle clipped when clean through with Cammy Bell to beat on Sunday while the Kilmarnock defender never came close to the ball. This was a foul any day of the week, but having been in charge when Celtic benefited from assistant referee decisions, Collum booked Stokes instead of awarding a penalty.
This incident was almost identical to Collum’s decision not to award Celtic a penalty in the infamous game away to Hamilton Accies in 2011. With five minutes of the game remaining Niall McGinn was tripped inside the box but Collum booked the player.
The offside rule was subject to a new and unique interpretation that day. Hamilton ‘scored’ from a set piece with a player alone inside the six yard box who jumped over the ball. He was in an offside position by several yards and stood in front of Fraser Forster before allowing the ball to pass under him. Collum also sent off James Forrest for blocking a clearance in an incident which caused a Hamilton player to kick his boot.
All of this followed the infamous incident at Celtic Park when despite looking the other way, Collum awarded Rangers a penalty when Kirk Broadfoot stumbled in the vicinity of Daniel Majstorovic.
Without enjoying the light of robust critical analysis of refereeing decisions that happens in most other countries I’m not sure where we go with any of this. Celtic Quick News called both ‘goal’ incidents against Rangers and Hearts as assistant referee mistakes so it is only appropriate we record Mr Collum’s significant mistakes when refereeing Celtic, while we ponder the formula for career progression among Scotland’s referees.
I know we covered the issue of Duff and Phelps needing to talk-up any possibility of nullifying Ticketus ownership of future season tickets, Craig Whyte’s security over Ibrox of HMRC being prepared to accept a few pennies in the pound (before HMRC issued a rare statement about the important of paying your tax, “football club or not”), so apologies for repeating myself, but….
Duff and Phelps have agreed no deal with HMRC. Ticketus retain ownership of future season tickets and the recent court challenge appears to offer little threat, while Craig Whyte retains his security. In addition, Duff and Phelps have received no offer for Rangers with terms which are within their control.
So, apart from having no offers they can accept, no stadium to sell, no control over future season ticket sales, no agreement with HMRC and having absolutely no idea what they will do when player contracts revert to their full value on 1 June, Duff and Phelps job is pretty easy.
Right now they need to keep all their plates in the air. The very least we should do is cut them some slack as they endeavour to work the angles.
Issue 7 of CQN Magazine is out now! Go to the dedicated magazine site here to read it properly (which you’ll not be able to do below).
Sales of hard copies of the magazine are up on the corresponding figure last month – when we sold out. Order your copy for delivery by clicking on the link below for news and views from Celtic supporters.
Pay by card or Paypal.
You can support the online edition by making a discretionary donation here.
875 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- ...
- 24
- »
Awe Naw
From much earlier.
The point I was making was that if motherwell win on Saturday then there is no pressure on the MIB to ensure that we don’t win the title at Ibrox because the result will be irrelevant.
Big boy did it and ran away 10 years ago!!
When Alex Thomson of Channel 4 started his investigation, part of what prompted it was a desire to get to the bottom of the Campbell Ogilvie situation. He tried, on repeated occasions, to the get the SFA to answer questions, and even tried to get the former Rangers director himself on the phone. He was fobbed off at every single turn. He finally snapped, when an official at the SFA insulted him on the telephone and hung up on him.
Chick Young did get an interview with Ogilvie. We do not know exactly what he was told, or what questions he asked, but we do know that he went live on the radio with a rousing defence of his man. He denied, flatly, that Ogilvie had benefited from EBT’s and then went on to state, on the record, that there was no way Ogilvie had even known about them. This was not just Chick taking a flier … he was repeating a line which had been put out by the SFA itself.
Who gave the SFA and Chick Young that line?
The following day Ogilvie, with Channel 4 now on the case and RTC reporting that the SFA would face serious questions, because there WAS something to hide, had to admit that not only had he known about the EBT scheme, but he was part of it. Again, Chick Young has a cosy little chat with him, where, presumably, Chick did not object to having been lied to or made to look like a liar.
Chick Young’s next public statement was that Ogilvie had “not benefited much more than a good night out.” Who told him that? Who fed him his line? Whoever it was has much to answer for, because now we know the truth.
Ogilvie’s “good night” amounted to over £90,000 in untaxed money. If it had been paid to him in a brown envelope this could not look worse.
Either Campbell Ogilvie lied to the Association and the national broadcaster, or someone at the SFA is making it up as they go along, and Chick Young himself is lying live on the air. I am no fan of Chick Young, but I know what my money is on.
Campbell Ogilvie’s defence here is that he “did not know and did not ask.” It amounts, in fact, to little more than “I am deaf, dumb, blind and stupid.” This alone should disqualify him from holding a senior position in the game. He has admitted failures of directorial responsibiliy, a potential breach of the law.
Let’s also consider the fact, hitherto not discussed and examined by the press, that, if he is telling the truth about the EBT being a mere loan, and that one day it has to be paid back, that this would leave the President of the SFA beholden to a club his job is to oversee, to the tune of nearly £100,000 … itself a serious conflict of interest which should disqualify him from the post.
Whichever way you look at it, this man cannot continue in post. The longer the SFA pretends that this is not the case, the worse they look and the more the question has to be asked; are there ANY honourable men at Hampden, or is the ENTIRE structure of the SFA corrupt and needing dismantled?
He is hanging on by a thread. Every day that he does causes more damage.
RobertTressell on 20 March, 2012 at 18:39 said:
Yes correct, he’ll be looking at Hearts and guess who was involved, Campbell Ogilvie.
How this clown is in a job just goes to show how corrupt they all are.
Hamiltontim
No logical reason captain Hamilton …but animal instinct cannot be overcome and one swallow etc.
HH
Let’s see what channel 4 have come up with. An outsider’s view should give a more honest assessment than what we are used to in the media.
Chick Hun is an obnoxious,lyin’ scumbag…and a windbag..and a…
Ditto for Ogilvie Reagan….ah,the entire lot of them…the whole schemin’ lot.
,
I just hope we have no skeletons in the cupboard @?No matter how small the SFA would just love it if we had made some error that would allow an amnesty.
Keep the faith
Mtt
James Forrest is The Emperor of Ice Cream on 20 March, 2012 at 18:42 said:
James the SFA are corrupt always have been and always will be.
Why are they passing the buck on the registration of players.
I’ll tell you why, they don’t want to punish Huns before the split because they would be relegated.
Just logged on for the first time today, geezo I’ve not missed much eh?
What cowardice from the SFA, they know fine well Rangers have broken the rules if they are sending out “whataboutery” letters to try get RFC off the hook.
Just as well our club has been run in the proper manner then.
James Forrest is The Emperor of Ice Cream on 20 March, 2012 at 18:42 said:
James, someone said last night that Ogilvie stated that his EBT was a loan and that he was currently paying it back!
If this sort of stuff was happening in what we used to call a banana republic we’d be laughing out of the sides of our mouths. We live in the best small corrupt country there is.
I’ve been saying for a while now that we needn’t pin any hopes on outsiders coming in to tidy up the scottish game.
I have a general rule of thumb that managers, people in ‘high office’, positions of authority are not to be trusted. maybe harsh on some but a lot of them got to where they are by shafting others, a sense of entitlement, lack of empathy with others, while the world of work is littered with good people doing good jobs who miss out on promotions and so on because they refuse to compromise themselves in whatever way.
Don’t trust them, don’t rely on them and you won’t be disappointed. Maybe sometimes we might get pleasantly surprised, but not too often.
Regan and Doncaster are careerists not valiant heroes battling for justice and truth. And there in lies the problem.
Smash the SFA is what I say.
I got cut off Clyde on Saturday I ain’t listening again.
Can someone ask old Hugh why is Alex Thomson investigating this instead of them because he can’t use the legal argument now.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 20 March, 2012 at 18:48 said:
You will most probably be proven correct but it is possible that they will see it as an opportunity to rub it into us.
We shall see.
mickthetic on 20 March, 2012 at 18:51 said:
I just hope we have no skeletons in the cupboard @?No matter how small the SFA would just love it if we had made some error that would allow an amnesty.
————————————————————————-
I was going to ask the question myself – are we 100% squeaky clean? We’ll have to be or there will be carnage.
TopCorner on 20 March, 2012 at 18:11 said:
Cracking read that….
I wish this would get to the point tho’ soon, tired of hearing about the orcs and their orcdung!
SP
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000 on 20 March, 2012 at 18:16 said:
Yup the connection is clear to see. A mindset of irresponsibility to everyone but themselves.
Saint Stivs on 20 March, 2012 at 17:03 said:
Fortunes Favour Mibbes on 20 March, 2012 at 17:01 said:
and dont forget George Peat celebrating a huns goal against us while in their directors box on em “official duty”,
aye right.
The instance of him jumping up arm raised celebrating, actually hit the bar.
Thats how much of an inbred hun he is.
Would love to see him brought down at some point through this.
Robert Tressell
Yeah that is my thinking on it too. Hmmmmmm
If we have done something wrong could we just lie? ha
KTF
Mtt
Ogilvie said that he received three payments of £5k each while with the huna and then £80k when he left. Now why would you give someone a loan like that as they are heading out of the door!
Loan my *rse
I assume sfa statement means players only. I am correct in saying Celtic had used ebt with non playing staff prior to john Reid arrival?
The biggest concern I have over Regan’s comments and his subsequent letters to all member clubs was the reference to a deadline date of 6th April(?).
This reads like an amnesty.
Ok all you bad clubs, including rangers, if you’re ever to behave in such a disgraceful manner in the future then you’ll be in big doo doo. Don’t do it again but we’ll forgive you this time.
It is also vital to refer to Ogilvies loan as a hidden tax free payoff and that he had a gauranteed path of promotion with the SFA and that those facts are related.
I think it will come out that many non Rangers employees benefitted from offshore payments.
SFA officials
SPL officials
Police
Newspaper men
Media men
HH
Guidi suggesting Alex Thomson is after publicity??????
I am not surprised by Regans attempt to further muddy the waters of Scottish Football he is part of the establishment who walk hand in hand with Rangers,Celtic will see no justice from that man they must watch what is happenning very carefully and be prepared to take there own legal action if this whitewash of those cheats at Ibrokes and the Administrators of Scottish football continues.H.H.
James Forrest
” Let’s also consider the fact, hitherto not discussed and examined by the press, that, if he is telling the truth about the EBT being a mere loan, and that one day it has to be paid back, that this would leave the President of the SFA beholden to a club his job is to oversee, to the tune of nearly £100,000 … itself a serious conflict of interest which should disqualify him from the post.”
Exactly but Ogilve’s tenacity will be his downfall.
Celtic had won EBT relating to juninhios contract which the head of the UEFA FFP commitee put a stop too.
HH
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon on 20 March, 2012 at 18:59 said:
The idea of these payments being either discretionary or loans is utterly absurd. A player’s agent is hardly going to recommend a deal where payments are discretionary – three bad games in a row and guess how the discretion would be exercised?
The only way the agent would be happy with a loan is if was never to be repaid – i.e it wasn’t a loan.
Won=one
eve Bhoys no swally the day kidleys were begining to talk back after Sunday monday battering.
While watchin the game and half way thru the 2nd half and prity sober ah thinks to masel whos the ref cos av never saw him much of him? Then all hell lets loose and Willie colum flashes thru ma heed and there on ma mobility 52incher is titch give us a penalty. Naw naw that canny be right and sure enuff it wiznae. So a swings ma right boot at the 52″ and wallops ma weddin picture smashin it to bits. But dont worry bhoys she nafft off wae ma social worker years ago. Anyway back to titch. A think hes got a problem if hes no gettin any attention and thats why he didnae give us the stonewaller!!! I thinks its called A S D?? Attention seekin diddy??
Guidi needs to perform fellatio on the hun to secure his job.
Pat Nevin
Charlie Nic
Andy Walke
Willie Collum
Etc.
HH
Who is this? Is this a referee pretending to be a punter?
The National Front in France commands just under 25% of the vote. Worrying.
Ceaser67 on 20 March, 2012 at 19:04 said:
you must be Declan…surely
@alextomo: Rangers report 7.45 #c4news
When is this programe on Channel 4????