We’ll discuss Celtic’s failure to reproduce the kind of performance which humbled Hearts 0-4 at Tynecastle last time we faced them later. For now it’s worth considering what SFA Head of Referee Development, John Fleming, does next.
It’s been a year since he took over the job and whatever his hopes for the calibre of performances when he was appointed, he will surely consider the shambles of referee performances an “affront” (to use one of his words) to standards.
Euan Norris’ performance yesterday was abject. He saw Ian Black go over the ball and plant his studs into the leg of Joe Ledley but awarded only a yellow card. He saw the same player deliberately handle the ball later but awarded only a foul.
The rules on handball could not be clearer. A player must make a deliberate attempt to play the ball with his hand or arm, or to have moved his hand or arm into an unnatural position, before he can be considered to have committed a foul.
This rule is neither new nor unfamiliar. Balls innocuously strike hands and arms in almost every game raising interest only from partisan fans ignorant of the rules. And for the record – if you are slide-tackling, jumping to head or turning your back on a shot, the natural position for your arms are not stationary and by your side. Neither incident late in the game were penalties.
Norris failed on all important calls during the game and is clearly doing the reputation of the SFA, and by implication, Fleming, any good.
No one emerged with any credit after last week’s Charlie Richmond fiasco but Fleming suffered in particular. His briefing to the Daily Record, which simultaneously listed Richmond’s confidential performance statistics, confirmed the impression that Hampden is playing fast and loose with appropriate behaviour.
A wise rector once said, ‘Judge me on my graduates, not my students’. Fleming is working with the population he inherited, but it is his responsibility to improve standards and enhance the reputation of referees. On both counts he is under water.
In a curious twist, Fleming’s predecessor is on stv.tv today comparing Neil Lennon’s reaction to that of Harry Redknapp’s reaction to the referee mistake at one of Chelsea’s five goals yesterday. The Wembley apologised for an “honest mistake”. We’ve yet to hear the same from Norris or Fleming.
Creative writing award of the day goes to STV for this gem:
“Dallas, formerly Scotland’s head of referees before leaving his position following controversy over what was considered an offensive e-mail”.
So it might not have been an offensive email after all. ‘Jokes’ portraying individuals or a group of people as having, or sharing guilt, with one, or a small number of, criminal(s) is fertile ground for prejudice to grow. STV should be clear that it is inappropriate and offensive in the workplace.
We have an outstanding original canvass painting of Neil Lennon available for purchase on eBay to kick start our summer charity fundraising. This year the beneficiaries will be Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Martin Chambers Foundation and The Neuroblastoma Alliance, Aberdour PS PTA, The Haven, Blantyre. The painting, by US based artist, Joseph Gormley, is an outstanding memento of our manager during these times.
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Row z
thurget the mibs i huv wen thru my hole life taking it up the jacksie and noo that i like it furully i dinny want youse tay stoap me getting ma fix of blooo sqaure sliced sooosage noo
Hail Hail
Standing at Hampden when Celtic were 4-0 down at half-time to Partick Thistle is something that I remember with fondness as time passes. My thoughts on our that day were philosophical and even humorous but never angry.
Yesterday was different because though our team was outplayed form much of the game and our young manager was outsmarted by a much more experienced coach we were still in it.
Step forward the talentless Masonic mafia that have an agenda against us and we are denied the chance of seeing just how things would have panned out on a level playing field.
I don’t know how Lennon kept his temper as he did because I was bouncing round my front room spitting blood when the cheat pointed to the spot.
Awe Naw
And stoap inpersinatin KOJO!
Euan Norris = Cheat!
Whether we should have done more to win the game or no’.
HH
Big nan
what game were you watching yesterday ?
Hail Hail
timbhoy2 on 16 April, 2012 at 14:31 said:
Joe Fillipis hair cut/.so you wia ant lenny to ban all the media from celtic park ,a sour grapes just because we got beat yesterday ,wake up man smell the coffee ,we are just not good enough ,end of story
There is no way on gods green earth you are a Celtic fan.
Your team is on life support I suggest you focus all your energies on them,,after all they don’t have much time left.
Hail hail
Is Kev Jungle the daytime Kojo?
I think we should be told..
Big Nan
Can’t agree. Don’t think we were outplayed or outsmarted. If we had taken the actual open chances we created and so did they we’d have won 7-3
HH
The Question, I’d like to have put to the Shining Bright Knight –
“Why exactly don’t you want to pay your bills?”
*Click* Brrrrrrrrrrrrr……..
Big nan
I don’t know what game you were watching,couldn’t have been the Celtic v Mini,s?
How you can say Celtic were outplayed and beaten by the better team is astonishing?
Hail hail
goldstar10 on 16 April, 2012
Thanks mate. I was worrying that we had a problem coming back from a goal down. So disappointed yesterday. Living and working in Edinburgh is painful today.
LB
diz onybidy fink thit the huns are gaien ay thi way doon jew tay the proliferation of frontally lobotomised huns i day and I fink no bin ible tay cooont or read kid noo bi cuasin my problums …bit diiny moan abbot the mibs
Alistair McLean 14.03
You say the Hearts penalty should have been given because VW handled the ball….whit ???? Have you seen the replay? After coming off JL the ball brushes the fingertips of VW who , by this time , has turned his back to the play . In fact the ball does not deviate from its path one bit after that . A penalty my a**e.
I suggest you watch Dermot Gallacher’s version of events. The ex World Cup ref said no penalty should be awarded for a second-phase event such as happened with VW.
Livi bhoy
Keep your chin up m8
Hail hail
Morning all,
I kept away from the CQN yesterday as I just knew there would be Celtic ‘customers’ (certainly not supporters) putting the boot into Neil. Seems I was right.
Yesterday illustrated how corrupt Scottish football is. I thought we were poor for the first 60 minutes but upped the tempo after that. I was so angry when that scumbag ref handed the mini huns the penalty. It was a joke decision by a clown of a ref.
I back Neil and would expect if not demand that he confronts them.
What are the odds that he will be banned for the Hearts game? He will not be allowed to lift the SPL trophy on the day of his greatest triumph…the day we won it my immediate thought was that he would have that moment stolen from him.
We are ALL Neil Lennon
Hail Hail
lik i am gittin sik ay fis I huv sed i diiny toak abit the mibs .. big jock diddy i thin we shidnae
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 16 April, 2012 at 14:44 said:
Shut that door!
ibleedgreenandwhite1
Very tough that one today.
I did take some muted satisfaction though after the Jambo’s slated me this morning by asking if the cup is tainted like our league win? Much shuffling their feet and Mark Hateley Err, Err, Mrm……
Idiots
LB
starry
;-)
Hail Hail
Hearts outplayed us yesterday, I’ve heard it all now LOL!
No question we were the better side over 90 minutes; nowhere near our best but Hearts better than us? Gies peace
They were on their last legs and but for the shoddy penalty I truly believe we would have beaten them in extra time
I spent last night scunnered that, competitively, the season is now over. However, the more I think about things today the more i’m looking forward to the next five games because I’d dearly love to win this league by 20+ points just to rub it in.
David Hughes @DavietheDJ
Rangers lost the appeal, hmrc dont want to do a deal. You heard it here first. Better be true!
hmmmm
Lads quick ?
Who’s had most pen’s between us & huns
pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese be true!!!!
Craig Beattie says penalty decision was wrong!
Use that in evidence, Celtic.
Stephen Knox @sknox7
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details @paullarkin74 I’ll buy your book if u follow/RT my wee Belfast bhoy @Wee_Oscar. We’re helping him fight a rare childhood cancer #TeamOscar
From our very own Knoxy2000 with a wee picture of Oscar for those on Twitter
I think that Paulo got his tactics right and while we were dominating play in the first half 70% to 30% in possession doesn’t mean we were better because we didn’t make use of that possession.
They played to contain us and then brought on Beattie to have a go and it worked. We then came back into it and it was about even IMHO.
I think we were in the ascendancy and had the momentum to go on and win the game in extra time when the cheat stepped in.
That’s how I saw it. Not our best by a long way but we were getting there.
I’ve watched hoopers goal a few times now and I still can’t see how the ref could see he was “offside”. Even freezing the image as it leaves Chaz’s peg it is still impossible to categorically say he was definately offside- despite this commentators on BBC were adamant that Hooper was “at least two yards offside” and the decision was a disgrace. I thought it was my own bias that made me unable to see what they were seeing. But after numerous viewings I still can’t see if he was offside- so I’m not crazy afterall. The amount of times I heard the phrase: “hooper was CLEARLY offside” from MSM clearly demonstrates how the bamsticks operate.
So Hearts penalty was just evening things up after Hooper was CLEARLY offside? Everything is alright with the world then- the Great Tao has in no way been violated. Thank the lord we have the Scottish Sports Press to explain this to half-wits like myself. I’ll sleep easy tonight.
KAYAL33 1258
Fair play to the club for their actions,and what a shocking story.
The poor lass,she has no family left.
Be sure our problems are little ones,right enough.
hen1rik
Penalties in SPL 2011/12
TEAM – FOR – AGAINST
Glasgow Rangers 10 2
St Johnstone 6 5
Heart of Midlothian 5 4
Kilmarnock 5 2
Celtic 4 1
St Mirren 3 4
Motherwell 3 2
Hibernian 2 8
Aberdeen 1 1
Dundee United 1 3
Dunfermline Athletic 1 5
ICT 1 5
Mort
Big Nan
You have virulent Stockholm syndrome that´s all do not worry about it. It is not terminal it just affects your judgement….but most can see that and will take it into account. Especially such a bad case.
Hail Hail
wonkyradar
No if we are talking evening things up then Hoopers offsige goal evened up Skacels offside goal.
Hail Hail
ibleedgreenandwhite1 on 16 April, 2012 at 14:39 said:
Big nan
I don’t know what game you were watching,couldn’t have been the Celtic v Mini,s?
How you can say Celtic were outplayed and beaten by the better team is astonishing?
………………………
Show me where I said we were outplayed and beaten by the better team.
Now if you can do that well that would be astonishing.[Control C is copy and Control V is paste if that helps}
Really interesting post from Brogan, Rogan etc on RTC.
I see Diouf is accused of using a bottle in his scrap
Hail Hail
Bhoys is channel 4’s Alex T (AKA real Jurno) still due to appear on Radio Snyde this evening? Oh i hope he still is it should be fun fun fun
don’t know if it’s been mentioned, but i reckon the corner leading up to hearts penalty, was in fact a goal kick to celtic, anybody any thoughts on this
Anyone got a link to the RTC article?
LB
U17’s game tonight, Celtic v huns.
Sometime around 92-93, 4 of us went to see a similar game at ibrox.
We parked in the car park at the Celtic end, but our fans section that night was the rhs of the enclosure. Walking through their filth was a joy! They were in their hayday at the time.
Anyway, we were beaten 3-1. The only major incident of note that night I remember was a save from the young Celtic keeper. A shot from a hun was deflected and changed direction as it sailed towards our goal. In mid-air, the keeper turned and palmed the ball away. Unbelievable stop. We asked one of guys next to us if he knew his name. A young Irish boy named Shay Given.
Macari released him soon after I think.
SPF