Chris Sutton has told Graeme Souness that he’s not god and in doing so provided a much more viable summary of the incident we watched on Sky Sports on Sunday afternoon in the Glasgow Derby. And a word on the former referee that they use on Sky Sports who never seems to come down on Celtic’s side in any incident but always seems to favour the bizarre decisions that go the way of theRangers.
Maybe Sky Sports should look at using an impartial former referee from south of the border rather than one with links to the six counties and a particular club?
One that actually explains the rules of the game. He thought that it was a penalty to theRangers and also that Walsh was wrong to call Beaton back for the foul on Tomoki Iwata which ruled out the Dessers goal. Yet the only difference with the two challenges was Alistair Johnston got the ball! Dermot’s for the watching folks.
“I’m surprised someone who knows the game so well can’t see through a diver… we should be calling it out. Beaton was in a great position and initially books Silva. Walsh re-referees it and thinks it’s clear and obvious… did Walsh see the touch on the ball from Johnston? …mmm,” Chris Sutton posted on social media.
This was just part of his response to Graeme Souness who yesterday attacked Sutton for trying to influence VAR decision-making during the Glasgow Derby at Ibrox after John Beaton had booked Fabio Silva for diving.
In his wider retort in an interview with Daily Record, Sutton defends his position magnificently.
“I have a lot of respect for Graeme as a player, manager and pundit. But he is talking utter nonsense to suggest I was trying to somehow influence VAR. It would have been better if Nick Walsh WAS watching Sky Sports – as the officials might have made the right call rather than rewarding cheating.
“I don’t know what he was watching when he called Beaton to the monitor, but it certainly wasn’t the TV coverage. Even in the unlikely event if they were, I’m not sure what kind of power Graeme thinks I wield. Does he think I’m God?! I don’t have that kind of sway unfortunately – give me another few months!
“In seriousness, it wasn’t a Celtic thing or a Rangers thing, I just called that incident as I saw it. If anything I suspect Graeme has the Rangers blinkers on as there is no way he’d think that was a penalty if any other team was involved. And having watched it over and over again, NOTHING has changed my mind about the incident. It is still not a penalty kick.
“Johnston clearly gets a touch on the ball and redirects its path. Silva sees the leg out and takes his chance to throw himself into it. Silva initiated the slight contact and are we supposed to reward simulation or stamp it out?
“He was rolling around all afternoon and this was another example. His behaviour was embarrassing. Beaton was close to the scene and his initial interpretation was spot on.
“He could see it in real time and he was right to show him a yellow card for yet another dive. I just can’t understand why Walsh got involved. The fact people can even debate it means it wasn’t a clear and obvious error from the referee in the first place.”
Yesterday Celtic contacted the Scottish FA with concerns over the footage Nick Walsh chose to show John Beaton as the video above points out. There is only a few seconds more in the more accurate footage that shows what actually happened. Beaton it appears did not revisit the incident properly in that VAR review as he did NOT see Alistair Johnston’s touch on the ball.
Meanwhile Celtic supporters must decide how to approach the Scottish Cup semi-final played at the Scottish FA’s ground at Hampden and any appropriate protest after the penalty incidents at Tynecastle, Livingston and now Ibrox.
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