Let’s be objective, a bloodied Carl Starfelt sits on the ground and is shouting at the referee, clearly in an agitated manner. No one can see everything, least of all referees, so I am prepared to believe Alan Muir missed Carl being elbowed in the face, causing what police would call Actual Bodily Harm.
The assaulting arm was raised and clearly jerked back into the Celtic player’s face. The alternative would be that the ref saw the incident clearly and decided not to red card the Ross County player, or award a foul. It was a clear red card offence.
I have heard many referees speak about how they interpret events. They know they don’t see everything, so they look for clues as to what happened. When half the stadium and one entire team claims for a penalty in unison, they might not award it, but that’s because they didn’t see it, they usually know it should be a penalty, though. As a consequence, they close their ears to the protests and get play moving as quickly as possible.
The Rules of the Game permit referees to interpret events as they see fit. When a player is on the ground bloodied, and he reacts like a player who has been felled and bloodied, referees are permitted to interpret what happens next in context. They do this.
Dissent is a spectrum. I did not hear what Carl Starfelt said, but I know the context. Whatever he said, it deserved lateral from a referee who clearly knew he missed a violent incident.
The Second Yellow
Converse to popular belief, The Rules of the Game provide no sanctuary for the second yellow card. Practice is that a first yellow card can be picked up for a relatively minor infraction but the second yellow usually takes a clear and irrefutable breach. This is not a rule but it happens. It is in the same context of a defender committing a marginal foul inside the box that goes unpunished when the same incident would be penalised outside the box 100% of the time.
For his second yellow card, Carl did not grab or kick the Ross County player. There was no trip, there was no obstruction. Carl leaned into his opponent, who (as he did throughout the game) went down looking for a foul. I have watched the incident repeatedly. It was not a foul. It was never a yellow card. That the referee decided it reached the bar of a second yellow, elevates what happened here into the category of downright interesting.
The penalty
With 94 minutes on the clock, a shot struck a Ross County defender’s extended arm inside the box. A penalty should have been awarded. We have already covered the fact that referees do not see everything. Alan Muir was having one of those days. I am 100% sure he is not a cheat and had no intention to prejudice Celtic in last night’s game.
Here’s the thing, though, Alan Muir is refereeing Celtic less than two weeks after Crawford Allan, the SFA Head of Referee Operations, broke with good governance to re-referee a Celtic game in the media, telling whoever was interested that in his view, Celtic benefited from an incorrect decision.
We predicted we would see a backlash, Celtic would get nothing but the thin edge until everyone worked the anger out of their system. Crawford Allan has yet to apologise for breaking with protocol and stepping outside the remit of his professional competency. The ranks have closed, we are in for a torrid few weeks.
It was a huge game and result for Celtic. We’ll talk more about it later, but thought we should prioritise the governance issue first.
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” They can’t chalk them all off ”
Jock Stein ages ago
BIGRAILROADBLUES…
Are you drunk yet ?
Enjoy yrself my good man.
HH Mate.
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 12:50 PM
As I wrote the other day, Crawford would be sacked by now if we lived in a normal country.
__________
So would of all three officials in that semi final handball incident one of whom was the official last night.
———-
As an asside legally not sure P67 can say what some want him to on the published blog …..
Is Starfelt suspended for getting red carded?
If so does that include the cup final or league only.
2 games?
Effectively the error, ahem, punishes us for more than just the time we were down to ten last night.
SAINT STIVS on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 12:49 PM
Me neither AN DUN will need to get up and down the park
67ECW
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS
Looking at it in the cold light of day, you’re probably right.
Ange’s reluctance to play Rogic last night would strongly indicate he’s playing this Sunday.
Ange looks like he will go as strong as he can. I was critical of his decision to bring in Kyogo and go for the win in a pre-determined Europa tie but a cup final is there to be won now.
If we can get Kyogo, Jota, Forrest or even Giakamakous back for some game time then it will alleviate things for St Mirren and St Johnstone. I don’t expect any of these lads to be available for Sunday though so the scope for changes is greatly reduced.
ANGELGABRIEL @ 12:21
Now we face the consequences of cowardice.
——
I see no cowardice in anything Celtic did, or, didn’t do as Rangers FC were committing suicide by debt.
“Discretion is the better part of Valour”
Celtic took the correct decision to avoid the ‘sh** storm’ that was raging down Ibrox way. To confront individuals issues would have been counter-productive and turned the whole into an ‘Old Firm’ farce. We would have undoubtedly got splattered with so much sh** flying, and some of it would have stuck.
The football world would have viewed Celtic as kicking their biggest and longest-standing rival when they were down. It would have been a massive own goal.
It is true that commensurate formal punishment was not dished-out to Rangers for their cheating, dishonesty & manipulation, however no one, but, no one, could have envisaged how big a fall was in store for the Ibrox club. There is no doubt they got what they deserved, with a cherry on the top.
We gained so much more, more than any European licence revenge, more than scoring points over LNS, by standing aside and watching the blue dominoes fall. We didn’t have to lift a finger.
Ibrox was the author of its own downfall, there was no endorsement needed from Celtic.
I’ve a double ankle fracture at the min lads so I’m afraid I’m on the injury list 🙄
.
Paul67,
In every Celtic SPL game there is controversy whilst there’s an SFA daisy chain of referees, salivating at the Champions League automatic entry windfall.
Maybe a wee break coming for the League Cup ? – then again maybe not. Countless times we’ve seen a Celtic knock back, lead to a Celtic goal.
Corinthians CSC
I know some disagree, but, imo, the decisions against us are, at best unconcious bias or, at worst, full blown discrimination based upon totally unqualified supremacist views.
There’s a mixed message here: how can you be 100% sure that someone is not cheat and then go on to state that Celtic will be denied proper refereeing of matches. is that not cheating?
SAINT STIVS on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 12:49 PM
I remember your free kicks at Inverclyde would make Ryan Christie blush ! :-)
Wee woman in number Laverock Drive still has a couple of your balls
I’ve agreed with the gist of yesterday’s article as much as I do with today’s, but it dawned on me how incongruous they are.
How can Celtic be at once the lifeblood of Scottish football yet crapped on at every and any opportunity by those who run the game and their acolytes in the SMSM?
If we are indeed the lifeblood of the game it’s high time we made it count.
Is’nt this the very same Alan Muir who missed jOSSES HAND BALL 2 yards from him in the League cup final along with the other 6 officials I mean 52,00 thousand in hampden millions watching on tv makes you wonder a little.
Having a lunchtime look around the web chit-chat, there appears to be considerable momentum building for the fitba to be stopped. In these parts, I’m not yet aware of she-how-must-be-obeyed, or Jason L , adding to the conversation but it’s probably not too far away.
Right now I would probably take it.
Shocking events in Tasmania.
My heart goes out to the Children who were killed or injured, and also to their Families.
Just Horrible.
Jimdom
I’m sure I read Jason L giving his opinion ahead of the cup final.
Like Alan Crawford, he seems to offer advice only sporadically
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 12:17 PM
I’m reminded of Alexander Scott’s poem, Scotch Education
A telt ye
A telt ye.
Happy Birthday to Tam Rogic……one of the most graceful, and talented players to wear the Hoops in recent years.
This Bhoy simply ” Glides” over the pitch , a joy to watch.
HH
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 12:49 PM
” We don’t run the game ”
Ian Bankier AGM 17/11/21
###
We all know who runs the game. There’s even a song about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4it9vK6G7o
I can see a pause in the season coming shortly – or at the very least games behind closed doors.
BIG JIMMY on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 12:50 PM
Bonkers Boris SACKS a Tory MP…for Voting against the Government in relation to Covid Passports…
Its a TORY CULT…I tell ye !
###
I’m afraid you may be labouring under a misunderstanding.
Voting against the party line and facing the consequences is not cult like behaviour. It’s how normal political parties work.
Cult like behaviour involves elected representatives never voting against, or even criticising, the party line.
See the difference?
Poor SFA Governance ? – A story older than time itself.
Beat them. Beat them well.
Aching limbs back on at Lennoxtown tomorrow I’m expecting to see Taylor, Johnston, JJ on the right wing and the mercurial Kyogo up front on Sunday. Tam Rogic starts and runs amok. Scales, Monty, Abada and Bitton sit it out….
Mon the Celts
HH
We know Sevco are quick to point out refereeing issues that get acted upon one way or another.
But this season something else is going on. There is a very clear media agenda to discredit every Celtic win with headlines about the ref. Headlines used to be about the game and the result. Somewhere in the article you might find a quote from the manager (s) about a controversial decision. That would be it. Now the decision is the story and it is being done to build a case that we are being favoured by the refs. Nothing being said about all the bad decisions and mistakes throughout the game. Just the one that might have favoured us.
Ange had the chance to counter this narrative but opted to use the old cliche about things balancing themselves out over the season.
Ange the coach, recruitment head and sporting director now needs to tackle Governance issues ?
Has everyone else literally left the building?
HH
DENIABHOY
I was hoping Ange would have said something like ‘ I’m sure the elbow in the face will be reviewed by the panel “
“/_/”
Muir didn’t book Ralston for running into the crowd when he scored.
Police also now ‘probing’ crowd disorder according to BBC.
That’s it then Refs. on our side according to our last three wins loosing coaches have blamed the refs.
Even Mackay said he couldn’t believe they didn’t get anything from the game and ref. would have played on till Celtic scored.Where do they get those half wits from,blows my mind, never won a game we deserved to win.
new article posted.
DENIABHOY,
Add BBC Scotland’s sports department, STV and SKY to that list.
I thought the second yellow was a bit harsh being that it was going to lead to a red card, but it was definitely a foul. The first yellow was justified – you could tell from Joe Hart’s reaction that Carl was out of order with what he said. The penalty happened quickly and I would have been angry if that had been awarded against us. The arm didn’t look extended in real time.
Absolutely a brilliant and deserved win. Loved Raldo’s interview on Celtic TV – he was still glowing from the excitement. And what footwork from Rogic to get the perfect cross over. The guys a genius.
DAVID 17
Why did they not pull up “rangers”and Aberdeen for same crowd “problem”.
Someone at Celtic other than Ange has to speak up.Will not hold my breath a bunch of patsys.
PHEERSY on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 1:14 PM
SAINT STIVS on 16TH DECEMBER 2021 12:49 PM
I remember your free kicks at Inverclyde would make Ryan Christie blush ! :-)
Wee woman in number Laverock Drive still has a couple of your balls
——————
that did make me laugh big chap, hope your well.
I remember a time, left side of the box, maybe twenty five yards, gathered round McAleese, Heron and Wall,
i said am taking it,
all of them nae yir naw, your free kicks are pish and anyways its wrong side of the goal for you , your all left fitted and keeper has that side covered.
they did all their “juniors” type chat.
Hughie lydon shouted, higgie just hit it.
So i did, two steps and and outside of left foot, curled round the wall, hit the bar, and davie aitken put it in.
i thought i was maradonna.
swiftly deflated when heron said “you do that again and i will boot yir baws”.
memories.
RIMTIMTIM @ 8:28 AM
“Take last night for example. Imposters like Inquitousiv and An Dun are experts at talking us down, seeding doubts…being ever so wordly in the process when the truth is they are deadbeats”
I read back this morning and viewed this post with astonishment. I don’t know An Dun and so will not comment on his proclivities. I guess if I’m an imposter and deadbeat, I’ve been playing the role a remarkably long time. In fact, over 60 years. I must have been an imposter and deadbeat in arenas from Lisbon to Leeds, from Milan to Manchester, from Novi Sad to Philadelphia, from Tirana to Washington. Little did Harry Hood know I was an imposter and deadbeat when he and I played 5-a-side. Jimmy Johnstone must have been duped by me when I gave him a lift home from playing at Helenvale. Andy and Simon Lynch had no idea I was an imposter and deadbeat when I travelled thousands of miles annually to play against “The Lynch Mob” at Johnny Hubbard’s in Ayr. Davie Hay must have been completely taken in by me when he agreed to my request to watch Celtic training, then forgot the appointment, then yelled at me “WTF do you want?” when I battered the old green door at the Celtic Park frontage.
Auldheid, ( and I have yet to meet a smarter guy ) must have been completely fooled by me since 2012, when I downloaded and delivered all the Res 12 evidence to Grant Russell at STV. SAINTSTIVS must have been duped by me since he has a copy of an Evening Times photo of me in the same team as Jinky. I guess I had nothing better to do than be Treasurer of a CSC in a major U.S. city and be on this site since its inception. That takes being an imposter and deadbeat to a world class level.
I call games as I see them, and you, RIMTIMTIM have just been found out. Auldheid will confirm that I personally paid the Resolutioners last legal bill. Maybe you can regale us with what YOU have done for Celtic. ( And spouting arrant nonsense on here won’t cut it ).
” we don’t run the game ”
Bankier
” we also don’t mind being cheated on a regular basis” ?
On to Sunday now and what sleekit means Beaton can conjure up to defeat us
Amazing end to the game – nothing better than a last minute winner………….
I remember a game v Dundee Utd in the Cup at CP. DU were 1-0 pretty early and we battered them for the whole game – PVH scored in the last minute, great curling effort as i remember, and almost straight from the kick off Andy Thom raced away to blast in the winner – place was going nuts…….loved it.