THE Scottish football season concluded with the shrill of referee Steven McLean’s whistle to signal full-time on Celtic’s 3-1 Cup Final triumph over Dunfermline at Hampden a week ago.
The latest victory from the Hoops completed the silverware double after the fifth successive title had been sealed the previous weekend with a 3-1 victory over Hearts at Parkhead.
The World Cup Finals in USA, Canada and Mexico kick off in 12 days’ time.
And it is time to put heated debates over recent controversies that have erupted in such vehement fashion to bed.
Referees’ chief Willie Collum has had the final say on his Var Review Show as he explained some of the decisions that appeared to irk so many in the game and in the media.
PENALTY-KICK…referee John Beaton was correct to award a spot-kick after Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson’s handball as he challenged Auston Trusty to a high ball.
First up, the champions’ stoppage-time penalty-kick in the 3-2 win over Motherwell at Fir Park was the correct decision.
Collum backed John Beaton’s decision to award a late spot-kick for handball against Sam Nicholson, citing “clear evidence” with the Well player’s hand and arm “in an unnatural position” and the resulting contact “a punishable handball”.
The former match official said: “We fully support what they’ve reached in terms of an outcome. We’ve been very consistent with handballs when it goes above shoulder height.”
Collum also addressed two incidents in Martin O’Neill’s side’s 3-1 win over Danny Rohl’s Ibrox outfit earlier this month, an encounter which was refereed by Nick Walsh.
The visitors had claimed unsuccessfully for offside when Yang Hyun-jun equalised in a crowded penalty area and Alistair Johnston was booked for a challenge on Mikey Moore at 1-1.
The head of refereeing said the defender’s tackle did not meet the “criteria” in terms of “excessive force”, “brutality” and “endangering the safety of an opponent”.
He said: “We agree with the referee that it’s reckless. We would say it’s glancing contact, it’s not full studs on the leg, bending over the leg.”
NO RED CARD…Celtic defender Alistair Johnston’s tackle on Ibrox winger Mikey Moore was not carried out “with excessive force”.
And Collum also backed the award of the Yang goal on the grounds of the goalkeeper’s line of vision and Benjamin Nygren not interfering with play.
He pointed out: “Jack Butland can see the shot. The ball doesn’t deviate, it continues in that direction.
“Does the Celtic player, attacker who is offside in front of the goalkeeper, does he make a movement towards Butland? Does he try to make a movement towards the ball?
Two decisions in Celtic’s 2-1 success over Hibs at Easter Road on May 3 were also analysed.
He said: “Josh Campbell completely ignores the ball. It’s a two-handed push. This is far removed from normal footballing contact. This is too excessive for us to ignore.”
However, the award of Hibs’ equaliser after no handball was given against scorer Joe Newell was the correct call following a “thorough check”.
Collum added: “They don’t see any conclusive evidence here to say that Joe Newell has touched this with a punishable part of the arm.”
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