NEIL LENNON has called out match officials for failing to stick to the rules of the game when it comes to adding time on in matches when Celtic are well ahead. On Saturday against Ross County, despite both sides making three second half substitutes each, referee Don Robertson added on just one minute to the ninety.
And the Celtic manager in an interview with Celtic TV revealed that he predicted this to his coaching staff on the bench ahead of the board being raise. Gerry McCulloch, the Celtic TV presenter pointed out to the manager that his side is top of the league simply due to having scored one goal more than the Rangers and that the removal of these additional minutes, simply because Celtic are well ahead, could be detrimental and could be significant.
While 24 hours later at Tynecastle Kevin Clancy added on four minutes with the scores level at 1-1. That added time in the Hearts v the Rangers match was probably accurate enough but there is no questioning the logic that the referee should have played at least three minutes at Celtic Park, despite Celtic being 6-0 ahead.
Gerry McCulloch is perhaps not the most popular person to work at the club, mostly due to his spell presenting Superscoreboard on Clyde 1 – the station that last week were calling the Rangers ‘Champions Elect; because they were two points ahead of Celtic. Embarrassing.
The Tescos slogan ‘Every Little Helps’ is often apt for considering how Scottish referees can do plenty of small, seemingly insignificant things to hinder Celtic, and help others. This is a classic example and one that McCulloch has opened up a conversation about. Celtic, it should be noted, have lost a few titles to the old club across the city on goal difference so let’s do all we can to ensure that we get the additional minutes added on in circumstances like Saturday – and when that doesn’t happen let’s make sure we let the match officials know that we know what they are all about!
Listen to Neil Lennon’s excellent interview with Gerry McCulloch below, where he talks about how the Jeremie Frimpong came about, how his displays in training last week meant that it was impossible to leave him out of the side at the weekend and how James Forrest was almost raging at being substituted because he was enjoying the game so much.
