Not to sure about mics on managers, match officials should be the priority

Originally posted on The Celtic Star | Last updated 12/23/23

Not to sure about Mics on managers, how about mics on match officials?…

Hibs manager Nick Montgomery will wear a mic in the upcoming Edinburgh Derby. Viewers will be able to hear the Aussie shouting instructions from the touchline as part of an experiment, something if successful could become the norm in our game.

How do we feel about that? Well personally I couldn’t care less, but if they are going to mic up anyone, how about starting with the match officials? Yes that would make for a much more interesting concept, I’m sure you’ll all agree. Especially in this part of the world where skullduggery is rampant. That’s not me being ‘paranoid’ it’s just a fact.

We’ve witnessed it too many times in the past, and even during the VAR era where everything is put under a microscope they still manage to give ‘questionable’ decisions, nearly all in the favour of one side, without ever being held accountable.

But if they were mic’d up? It would be a whole different story. Picture this scene, it’s during a heated Glasgow Derby, handball by Connor Goldson in his own penalty area. John Beaton is the on field referee. He patches in his colleagues on VAR duty. “Copy fellow Bear anything going on that penalty shout, the players seem to think so.”

Andrew Dallas reply’s “Copy fellow Bear, don’t be daft it’s only Connor, what’s he like? He’s allowed to do so, and you know we can’t award a penalty against the famous in the league. Play on, over and out”

That’s why they will never allow it to happen, but it should. It would cut out the howls of ‘paranoia’ that are aimed at us Celtic supporters and we seem to have been joined by Aberdeen fans too in that regard. No wonder! If the governing body wants to take the pressure of the officials it’s surely a step forward eh?

Meanwhile you’ll get long odds in Motherwell getting a penalty at Fir Park tomorrow as theRangers look to increase their remarkable record to 73 league games without conceding a spot kick. Celtic can increase the lead over theRangers today with a win over Livingston at Celtic Park and that will start to see the pressure swing in their direction at Fir Park.

If Scottish football wants transparency hearing what the referee and the VAR officials have to say in these matches is the way to go. Who really cares what a manager is saying during the game?

This article first appeared on The Celtic Star and was syndicated with permission.

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