Why Rangers will suffer from Celtic’s lack of ‘Sporting Integrity’
Josh Meekings. Being honest, you
probably did not have a clue who he was before Sunday; the majority certainly
did not.
probably did not have a clue who he was before Sunday; the majority certainly
did not.
But ‘that’ handball later and the
man is not only headline news, but hashtags and general support for him have
poured out of not only Scottish football, but even from England too.
man is not only headline news, but hashtags and general support for him have
poured out of not only Scottish football, but even from England too.
Donations have been made to his
club, Inverness, in relation to this absolute
farce of a scenario and Scottish football, the SFA in particular, has been made
an utter laughing stock of global football.
club, Inverness, in relation to this absolute
farce of a scenario and Scottish football, the SFA in particular, has been made
an utter laughing stock of global football.
For those of you on the moon,
Meekings handballed a certain goal in the semi final against Celtic, but did
not receive a red card. Celtic argue it cost them a place in the final, and
wrote a letter to the SFA demanding an explanation.
Meekings handballed a certain goal in the semi final against Celtic, but did
not receive a red card. Celtic argue it cost them a place in the final, and
wrote a letter to the SFA demanding an explanation.
Despite retrospective action
never having been taken against a handball in football, the SFA dished out an
unprecedented ban on Meekings, rending him unavailable for the final, the
biggest day of his life.
never having been taken against a handball in football, the SFA dished out an
unprecedented ban on Meekings, rending him unavailable for the final, the
biggest day of his life.
Meekings is being punished for
the officials’ mistake. No retrospective punishment of course for either Brown’s
scything tackle or Zaluska’s stonewall penalty concession, waved away by the
official.
the officials’ mistake. No retrospective punishment of course for either Brown’s
scything tackle or Zaluska’s stonewall penalty concession, waved away by the
official.
This is, of course, a Rangers
blog, so why on earth am I on about Celtic and Inverness?
blog, so why on earth am I on about Celtic and Inverness?
Because, like my previous entry
discussing ‘Sporting Integrity’, Celtic are once again showing there is none of
it in Scottish football, and that they are making the rules up to suit
themselves as it goes along.
discussing ‘Sporting Integrity’, Celtic are once again showing there is none of
it in Scottish football, and that they are making the rules up to suit
themselves as it goes along.
This affects Rangers. Next season
the Ibrox men will almost certainly be in the SPL and any bureaucratic
favouritism towards Celtic will affect Rangers detrimentally.
the Ibrox men will almost certainly be in the SPL and any bureaucratic
favouritism towards Celtic will affect Rangers detrimentally.
The reaction to Celtic’s pathetic
letter has been universal condemnation and utter mockery, and quite rightly so,
but what happens when Rangers are in the SPL – it goes from supporting someone
like Josh Meekings to outrage when some scandal favouring Celtic hurts Rangers.
letter has been universal condemnation and utter mockery, and quite rightly so,
but what happens when Rangers are in the SPL – it goes from supporting someone
like Josh Meekings to outrage when some scandal favouring Celtic hurts Rangers.
Peter Lawwell is already as deep
into the SFA as it gets; the man is part of the panel deciding whether or not
Dave King passes the Fit and Proper Person test, and that goes something beyond
a conflict of interest.
into the SFA as it gets; the man is part of the panel deciding whether or not
Dave King passes the Fit and Proper Person test, and that goes something beyond
a conflict of interest.
Celtic have become so deeply
entrenched within the ruling halls of the Scottish game there is simply no even
playing field north of the border.
entrenched within the ruling halls of the Scottish game there is simply no even
playing field north of the border.
As the Daily Mail’s Adrian Durham
put it, they essentially expected to make the final. They were so arrogant as
to truly believe they had a divine right to be there.
put it, they essentially expected to make the final. They were so arrogant as
to truly believe they had a divine right to be there.
What happens when it is Rangers
who suffer at the hands of this raging partiality?
who suffer at the hands of this raging partiality?
That Celtic grassing up Meekings
to the SFA is utterly pathetic, embarrassing and worthy of utter scorn is
beyond shameful, but how will Rangers handle injustices like this going against
us?
to the SFA is utterly pathetic, embarrassing and worthy of utter scorn is
beyond shameful, but how will Rangers handle injustices like this going against
us?
If only Rangers could leave this
pit of disgrace that is the Scottish game.
pit of disgrace that is the Scottish game.