Clement call to serve a Rangers ban slapped down confused Celtic fan read out rules

The Parkhead boss will be missing from the dugout against Livingston when the Scottish Premiership restarts this weekend.

The main distinction between Philippe Clement’s subtle jab at referees and Brendan Rodgers’ attack on Celtic officials has been identified, as former Parkhead player Mark Wilson defended the Ibrox coach.

For violating SFA Disciplinary Rule 72, Rodgers received a one-game ban and one suspension after he yelled at referee Don Robertson and John Beaton in the VAR room during Hearts’ loss. It is against the rules for players or managers to criticise referees “in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official.” The Celtic manager cannot avoid penalty for calling Beaton “incompetent” during his post-match diatribe.

However, the choice has caused some controversy among the Hoops’ fan base, with some citing earlier remarks made by the Rangers manager throughout the campaign. According to a caller on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, “the Rangers manager can say what he likes and nothing gets done about it”—a reference to the manager of the Lights Blues’s past jabs at the work of match referees.

Notably, after losing to Celtic in December, the Belgian took aim at VAR Willie Collum and referee Nick Walsh. Under apparent pressure from Abdallah Sima, Alistair Johnston handled the ball in the box; Collum did not intervene to give the penalty kick. Sima was observed to have been offside before to the confrontation.

In his post-match debrief, Clement stated, “My biggest frustration is that if there’s a clear handball, I don’t understand why it’s not a penalty given.” Rangers would later take up the issue with the SFA. There was no correspondence directed at me. Furthermore, even though I’m not a referee, if Sima is offside, the VAR ought to have given a clear signal for offside. The choice is then known to all. At that point, there was no communication. If not, the referee’s signal is incorrect.”

Host Gordon Duncan said, “You are allowed to criticise them,” in response to the irate caller. Simply said, Rule 72 prohibits expressing bias or ineptitude.”
Wilson, a former Celtic, continued, saying, “I believe it’s the absence of the word incompetence. That’s how basic and easy it is. Brendan Rodgers had an incredibly difficult interview to give immediately following the game, and I feel bad for managers because it’s understandable that they would want to share their thoughts with their supporters.

“The boundary they walk on is really thin. Some of the rhetoric he used was very aggressive. He simply used the incorrect word.”