The SFA Head of Refereeing, John Fleming, spoke about the semi-final incident on Sunday, largely to protect his fraternity. Referee Steven McLean made a huge error but Fleming said “I don’t think there was anyone in the ground who would have thought it was 100% a penalty and sending off until they had seen the replay.”
This flies in the face of the Celtic players who claimed for a penalty on the spot, the raised voices from thousands of Celtic supporters, and the shout from the TV commentator. Fleming’s assertion is demonstrably untrue.
He is a man in a position of authority at the SFA. He is allowed to have opinions, or to disagree with any club, but making untrue statements to protect his referees is a wholly inappropriate. If is the standard referees are held to, no wonder we have problems. Having asked for clarification on the refereeing error yesterday, I expect Celtic will be even keener on an explanation for Fleming’s incredulous comment.
I’ve linked here to a Stanford University report on Omission Bias in Sports. The report finds that people are biased to favour inaction (i.e. don’t make a decision) over action (make a decision which will have a profound impact).
It’s an interesting concept which good refereeing guidance will account for. They found that “For all sports, effect [is]stronger if game is close and weak when score is lopsided”.
Omission bias is what we should be looking for in Scottish football. Evidence this video of former referee Kenny Clark, who while still officiating SPL games told an audience that he held a grudge against Celtic’s John Hartson and failed to award him a foul which he saw clearly enough to describe in some detail.
Unfortunately, no journalist has ever been able to contact Mr Clark to ask him about his grudges or omission bias. If this was England, the media would not allow Clark to flaunt omission bias while defending it in others, he would be called to account.
See above, Sunday’s officials greeting each other on the pitch before kick off. Before the dust settles on this one, some of us better learn a new handshake. Those wanting real change at the SFA will have to fight for it.
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In the 90’s it was a fact half the masons in Moodiesburn had a season ticket for Celtic Park.
Is Leigh Griffiths classed as a Munro?
Can I Have
What happened to the other half?
Walter smith x deid team manager said “its an error by officials you should just get on with it “… unless the referee has a timmy sounding name then you make sure he dis nae ref any more of your games
I hope Meekings’ appeal is based on the fact that you can only be charged retrospectively if the referee HASN’T seen it.
Leftclicktic – I hope that yer wee Ma is well on the the road to recovery me old China plate.
Best wishes to her from the Belfast area.
Laters.
KTF.
Bada Bing. For me that is terrible I have all my working life run up against the Masonic funny handshakers and I have been held back in favour of there masonic pals.That happened by more than one company.I have always thought that the best person should be promoted in the interest of the company and its customers and it was hard to see some of the poor calibre of masons moving upwards while I was held back and I was told the reason on more than one occasion however,these folk who told me would not speak up publicly.I always thought Celtic were above that sort of thing but it appears I was wrong. H.H.
Blantyretim,
Just saw your post. Thanks for trying.
Clogher
bournesouprecipe
17:29 on 21 April, 2015
Can I Have
What happened to the other half?
They stayed in the knights club to watch the hoops on the telly.
bournesouprecipe
17:29 on 21 April, 2015Can I HaveWhat happened to the other half?
it’s a secret….
pheersy
17:30 on 21 April, 2015
Walter smith x deid team manager said “its an error by officials you should just get on with it “… unless the referee has a timmy sounding name then you make sure he dis nae ref any more of your games
God bless Bill Innes
bournesouprecipe
17:24 on 21 April, 2015
DVLA advise the most cautious learners to treat big Leigh as a roundabout
————-
Could maybe use him for the three-point turn…..?
After she was chased off Twitter by the swivel eyed Clarksonistas, wee Sue Perkins has gone into hiding behind Leigh Griffiths.
!!bada bing!!
17:33 on 21 April, 2015
bournesouprecipe
17:29 on 21 April, 2015Can I HaveWhat happened to the other half?
it’s a secret….
How you doing big man
Team news-
Leigh Griffiths to start as there is no room on the bench.
Exciting news from Hollywood – Leigh Griffiths gets cast in the next Star Wars movie as the new Death Star.
raspberry-good mate,still canny shake Zico off …….hope you are well.HH
!!bada bing!!
17:39 on 21 April, 2015
raspberry-good mate,still canny shake Zico off …….hope you are well.HH
New job with no shifts or weekends, couldn’t be better.
South Of Tunis
17:37 on 21 April, 2015
Team news-
Leigh Griffiths to start as there is no room on the bench.
————-
Game is off. Leigh Griffiths will block out floodlights.
BFDJ-
” Leigh Griffiths is twice the player I was.. “
Next in the SFA master plan. Where is that Leigh Griffiths charge for racism?
LB
BAWSMAN
Lord Livingstone of Parkheid is still on the board.
It’s good to have a government minister ‘on board.’
Remember Dr Reid?
Whatever happened to the dossier money?
HH!!
I have by and large been avoiding the blog since Sunday.
We were cheated plain and simple. We should take this all the way.
On Meeking being cited, laughable and out of order. Is it unbelievable, no it is not.
We need to get out of Scotland, now, long over due.
I feel for Meekin now, had he got his red card on Sunday, whether we went on to win or not I say hell mend him. I heard him say it hit him from point blank range. Bullshit, he mad himself bigger by his own admission to stop the ball. He should have kept his arms behind his back. His arm was in an unnatural position, result red card and penalty, open and shut case….
Stop press but McLean 12 yards away without any impaired sight of the play and the joke that is Muir didn’t see it…nothing to see here as Scottish Referees are the Bastions of Scottish Football…corrupt to the core..
Sucks
Football
Association
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
raspberry-great stuff.HH
I never forget a face – but in your case we’ll make an exception
Groucho CSC
Certain SFA charge for Leigh Griff…for growing his hair back.
Alan Muir thinks Leigh Griffiths is built like the side of a……… Big Hoose
out of interest, I know the answer already, can anybody find a link to a similar incident to the hand of merkin happening this season in all of Scottish football.
Mclean will be lauded a hero by the craft and beyond, after a job we’ll done for the cause.
He is in breach of trust, a man with no integrity, a common cheat, in full view of what must now be millions.
He can live with that for the rest of his life and no doubt someone will remind him of it when he’s seventy. McLean cheated, we know it, he knows it. He can lie and his bed at night now wondering if it was all worth it.
https://twitter.com/celtic/status/590558388838334464
Leigh Griffiths to star in a remake of ‘the Ten Commandments’, playing the role of the twelve tribes of Israel.
HH!!
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=966495813395611
ICT statement on meekins charge
“extremely disappointed that this has arisen and the player himself is mentally shattered at the turn of events.”
Reality
https://twitter.com/bigronni3/status/590550584937291777
I see that they were talking about scrapping corroboration but it’s not happening now.
Tonev will be worried now… no wait he got done.
SFA on a different planet.
The rest and be thankful has once again been closed to traffic as Leigh Griffiths sits doon for a rest.
‘The teacake that made Uddingston famous has made a big man out of me.’
Jerry Leigh Griffiths.
Keevins hints at Celtic behind Meekings being cited,compliant reptile.
bada bing
this is unbelievable it hurts me more than the cheating refs.
the game is truly up