AdminNeil Lennon Weighs in on Penalty Row and Accusations of Bias Following Celtic’s League Cup Final Win Over Rangers
The controversy surrounding the penalty decision in the League Cup final between Celtic and Rangers continues to simmer, with Neil Lennon adding his voice to the debate. Lennon, a former Celtic manager, has reacted to comments made by Willie Collum, the head of referees in Scotland, who stated that the incident involving Liam Scales and Vaclav Cerny should have been considered a penalty kick.
Lennon described Collum’s comments as “unacceptable” and questioned why Collum, as the head of referees, was not present at the game to ensure that such decisions were made correctly. Lennon also suggested that Collum’s comments were an attempt to deflect attention from the referees’ mistakes and that it was “alright having the Monday morning quarterback routine and calling these things out in hindsight, but they should be getting it right on the day.”
The penalty decision in question occurred during the League Cup final between Celtic and Rangers, which Celtic won 4-2. The incident involved Liam Scales of Celtic and Vaclav Cerny of Rangers, with Scales appearing to pull on Cerny’s shirt in the penalty area. Despite the protests of the Rangers players, the referee, John Beaton, did not award a penalty.
The decision has been widely debated, with many pundits and fans arguing that a penalty should have been awarded. Collum’s comments, in which he stated that the incident should have been considered a penalty kick, have added fuel to the fire.
In addition to addressing the penalty decision, Lennon also responded to accusations of bias made by Rangers fans and officials. Lennon dismissed these claims, stating that it was “difficult to blame the head of the SFA for a decision that is made on the pitch, at that moment in time.” Instead, Lennon attributed the mistakes made by the referees to “incompetence” rather than bias.
The accusations of bias are not new, with many Rangers fans and officials having made similar claims in the past. However, Lennon’s comments are likely to add fuel to the fire, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold.
The penalty row is likely to continue to simmer in the coming days and weeks, particularly with Celtic and Rangers set to meet again on January 2 in a Premiership showdown at Ibrox. The match is likely to be highly anticipated, with both teams looking to gain an advantage in the league.
It’s worth noting that the penalty decision was not the only controversy to emerge from the League Cup final, with some Rangers fans and officials also criticizing the performance of the referee, John Beaton. However, Lennon’s comments focused primarily on the penalty decision and the role of Collum and the referees in general.
Overall, the situation highlights the intense rivalry between Celtic and Rangers and the high stakes involved in their matches. The penalty row is likely to continue to be a topic of discussion in the coming days and weeks, and it remains to be seen how it will affect the teams’ performances in their upcoming matches.
One thing is certain, however: the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers is one of the most intense and passionate in football, and the penalty row is just the latest chapter in a long and complex history between the two teams.
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