Earlier I wrote an article about the atrocious performance of referee Alan Muir last night, and my opinion that we shouldn’t let what happened at the end of the match when Anthony Ralston’s heroic moment handed us all three points overshadow the awful game had by the ‘man in the middle’.
That adage actually came to mind late in the second half when Muir literally ended up in the middle of the action, obstructing Callum McGregor from unleashing a shot just as the Ross County defence opened up. I suppose when booking players for being on the end of an elbow to the face after refusing to caution any player in a Dark Blue shirt up until that point doesn’t work you may as well literally get involved in halting Celtic’s attempts to score.
Anyway what I really wanted to discuss was our managers reaction, or more specifically his non-reaction, to this constant stream of terrible officiating in Celtic games. I can safely say that the vast majority of fans are of the same opinion as me. Ange Postecoglou has been a breath of fresh air since taking over.
There are multiple reasons why I love having Ange as the manager of Celtic. From his philosophy on the way he wants the game to be played, to the way he handles the media, I personally believe we are lucky to have the man from down under in charge of our club. Unsurprisingly it wasn’t a masterstroke from our board luring Postecoglou from Japan, rather a stroke of luck that Eddie Howe turned down the opportunity of a lifetime to hold out for a mega club…like Newcastle United.
There is one thing that many of us struggle to understand however. His apathy towards Scottish referees and their clear bias towards our club. The Celtic Star editor warned Ange about the referees in this country shortly after he joined the club. This is actually one of the reasons I started to write for this site as i thought that warning was spot on and I knew this site’s thoughts and feelings were very similar to my own regarding our club and Scottish football in general.
So far this season Celtic have had many dodgy refereeing decisions to contend with already. When the question is put to our manager regarding the officials Ange doesn’t get involved. He’s maintained the same stance since the beginning, concentrate on the football and don’t get distracted by what the referee is doing.
Some examples of how Ange refuses to rise to injustices handed out to Celtic are as follows:
Last night on BBC Sportsound: “Look, I think a few decisions went against us tonight, but I’m not going to complain about it, I just want to win games of football.
“That’s what I keep telling the lads, we just keep doing our thing, keep winning games of football and don’t worry about any of these other things that try to potentially derail us.”
After the Celtic AGM in November when Chairman Ian Bankier said refereeing in the country was ‘a concern’ and that the club was in contact with SFA over the issue, Postecoglou stated, according to Herald Scotland:
“My focus is on the way we play our football and making sure we encourage this group of players to build a team that’s resilient to withstand any challenges that are put before us.
“My view on referees has been consistent since day one. No one has heard me mention a referee after a game. If I feel the need, or there’s something to be said, then I’ll always protect the interests of this football club.
“Right now our focus is on playing our football and overcoming the challenge before us in St Johnstone.”
Speaking to The Scottish Mail on Sunday [12/12 print edition, page 159] Postecoglou would go on to address the lack of chat about referees, stating:
“In any walk of life, if you get distracted or taken away from that focus and try and control things you know that ultimately you are never going to have an effect on, I think you absolve yourself of your responsibility.
“I’ve seen it often as I’ve been managing for a very long time. I’ve seen people who take a different approach and really get riled up about refereeing decisions or things outwith their control and I think, ultimately, my responsibility rests on what happens between the white lines on the turf.
“I want to be sure that, every day, my players, my staff and everyone involved with the club knows that is where I am putting my attention.”
As I said earlier, Ange has so far consistently maintained the same stance. Now as fans it’s easy to get riled up regarding officialdom but is that what we want from our manager? Many will say yes, he should be protecting the club and his players by highlighting the many incidents that go against us. Many feel that if he doesn’t it won’t be long before one of our players sustains a career changing injury or the team gets screwed in a huge game such as a cup final or a Glasgow Derby.
Personally I feel like this is a matter of ‘when’ as opposed to ‘if’ and with two such games lined up during the next few weeks we might not have to wait long to find out. Incidentally do I think that Ange Postecoglou getting frustrated and having a go at referees through the media after matches will prevent this? Well no. That’s why I’m not going to get on the managers back about it.
Over the years we have had plenty of managers who have done this and has anything changed? We all know the answer to that. Muir was part of the team of officials who screwed Ronny Delia out of a treble and Ronny highlighted this regularly. Nothing changed. Muir is still finding ways of shafting Celtic over six years later.
Alan Muir is the guy on the line here. pic.twitter.com/pNg3TaSxsN
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 15, 2021
Ange is trying to keep his players focused on one thing, winning football matches. He doesn’t want anything distracting his players from going out and implementing his footballing philosophy and bagging 3 points. Are referees bias towards us. Most certainly, and they have been for as long as I can remember. Will Ange giving them the sharp edge of his tongue make us feel better, would we back him to the hilt? Yes absolutely. Will it lead to a change in refereeing in this country. No, but it will probably land our manager in hot water and see him spend time in the stands. The only people that helps is our rivals.
The only thing that will change the way matches are officiated in Scotland is by introducing VAR. But it needs to be done correctly. What good will VAR be if Bobby Madden denies Celtic a clear penalty and the decision is quickly reviewed by the video referee who just happens to be Alan Muir who backs his mates decision? The video referees MUST NOT be fellow SPFL officials. Otherwise we are back to square one. The referees in this country have proven time and again they aren’t up to the job. It must be referees with no allegiances to any teams in this country.
The sooner something gets sorted in this regard the better but as far as Ange Postecoglou goes, he is here to win football matches not try to change officiating in this country, because even if he did we know it wouldn’t change. Let’s just hope that trophies this season are decided by the players on the pitch and not the men in black in the middle. Wishful thinking I imagine but Christmas is the time of hope after all.
Conall McGinty
WATCH THIS…
Another disgraceful exhibition by another disgraceful and childish referee. The way he treated Starfelt was disgusting. Muir behaved like a petulant schoolboy. Muir also got in the way of an attempt by Calum to shoot. Deliberate or just bad positioning? Funny how the ref in the last game tried to do the same at Turnbull’s free kick against Motherwell.
There are plenty of videos of all the incidents and there may be a time for them to be used.
Ange correct in his approach to this perennial scandal.
In 60+ years supporting the Hoops the blatant bias of refs has been as predictable as an Orange march on the 12th of July.
The Celtic board should be highlighting the background of those refs who repeatedly are guilty of making (honest mistakes)and the failure of the SPL to act to remove them from officiating Celtic games.
Hail Hail.
Ange correct in his approach to this perennial scandal.
In 60+ years supporting the Hoops the blatant bias of refs has been as predictable as an Orange march on the 12th of July.
The Celtic board should be highlighting the background of those refs who repeatedly are guilty of making (honest mistakes)and the failure of the SPL to act to remove them from officiating Celtic games.