As expected Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been charged by the Scottish FA, following his post-match comments at Tynecastle on Sunday after Celtic’s 2-0 defeat against Hearts.

The hearing is set for 28 March and this sets Rodgers on course to have to sit out the Glasgow Derby at Ibrox on 6 April. Celtic will defend the manager to the hilt on this one and the one good thing to come out of this is that at long last Celtic is maybe prepared to take on the Scottish FA on their bias and favouritism towards the various clubs playing out of Ibrox.

If Brendan is found guilty as charged then he is likely to miss the away games against Livingston at the end of the month then the vital trip to Ibrox a week later. The Scottish FA yesterday threw out the Celtic appeal against the Yang red card after John Beaton’s intervention to re-referee the game. The player will now sit out two matches as the Scottish FA go to war with Celtic.

And it’s about time we took the fight to them, Celtic. Maybe start by linking the different treatment that they seem to have for theRangers with the Scottish FA’s Five Way Agreement – maybe Peter Lawwell the Celtic chairman should actually read it, as he continually denies knowing anything about it. We all know that you know, Peter.

Celtic softly, softly approach has got us nowhere. And this is going to lead to the Celtic manager not being anywhere near his players in the build-up to kick-off up to well after the game is finished in the Ibrox Glasgow Derby in April. TheRangers supporting John Beaton has really hit the jackpot with this one, despite no-one at all backing his call to manufacture a penalty for Hearts on Sunday.

Here’s what the Scottish FA is charging the Celtic manager with…

Brendan Rodgers Notice of Complaint

Disciplinary Rule allegedly breached: Disciplinary Rule 72

“No recognised football body, club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA, shall in an interview, a ‘blog’ on the internet, on a social networking or micro-blogging site, or in any other manner calculated or likely to lead to publicity (i) criticise the Decision(s) and/or performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official; or (ii) make remarks about such match official(s) which impinge on his character. For the avoidance of doubt this Rule applies (i) whether reported to the Scottish FA by a match official for Misconduct or otherwise, and (ii) where remarks are brought to the Scottish FA’s attention, or of which the Scottish FA becomes aware, by whatever manner or means. There shall be a presumption that any material published in such manner was published in the name of and/or with the authority of the person or body bearing to have published the material.”

After theRangers supporter, John Beaton sent the referee Don Robertson to look at his monitor after initially issuing Yang with a yellow card and after Robertson – like everyone else watching the game – saw nothing of note in the Tomoki Iwata jump. So instead of Celtic getting a yellow card for Yang with was changed to a red and also a penalty on top.

Brendan Rodgers called out Beaton and not a single said was incorrect yet these people will protect theRangers supporter John Beaton but will instead go after Rodgers.

Here’s a reminder of what Brendan said:

“I try to respect decisions and give the benefit of the doubt. But I think when I see that level of incompetence, which is the only word I can use, then that makes me worry for the game. In such a tight title that can make the difference. I also think that VAR is not the problem here. That’s clear. It’s competence.

“The first one is the sending off when there is no force. Show a still image of that and of course and you will see a foot up with the head near it, but it’s not the reality of the move. Don got it actually right on the field. It was a high boot, so it’s a yellow card – no malice or force.

“For John Beaton to actually look at that in VAR, supposedly under no pressure, and say that was sending off? I find that incredible.

“The second one is WORSE. If you have a penalty go against you for that then there will be penalties every single weekend and midweek.”

Michael Nicholson, Celtic’s CEO is a lawyer to profession and is well versed in the rules of the game. He is about to have his biggest test as the Celtic CEO. In truth this is a confrontation that was always going to happen, but Celtic have been reluctant to engage.

That’s reticence is no longer an option as the Scottish FA have launched their own attack on Celtic, through John Beaton, their panel and their compliance officer who must have been away on holiday when Clement was screaming blue murder at Christmas because he never got a penalty that was offside anyway.