Brendan Rodgers’ criticisms of the officials following Celtic’s loss to Hearts were arguably his most vehement yet as Celtic’s manager.
Rodgers placed the blame squarely on VAR official John Beaton for Celtic’s defeat at Tynecastle, which cost them the opportunity to lead the Scottish Premiership. Following these remarks, Rodgers now stands on the precipice of a significant confrontation with the SFA, having been charged by the association for his comments regarding Beaton.
In light of Rodgers’ outspoken critique, PFA Chief Executive Fraser Wishart weighed in, suggesting that Rodgers was fully aware of the implications of his words about the VAR controversy.
Fraser Wishart offered his perspective [Superscoreboard], emphasizing the clarity of the rules regarding criticism of referees. He noted, “Accusing a referee of incompetence is off-limits. If you question his competence, whether before or after a match, you’re likely to face consequences. It remains to be seen what will come of Brendan’s case, but with Celtic’s legal team advocating for him, suspension isn’t a certainty. Both Celtic and Hearts had reasons to be upset with the officiating that day, making it a challenging day for the referees overall.”
Wishart elaborated, “In my view, Brendan was tactical with his remarks; he understood the potential fallout, perhaps not anticipating it might cost him his presence at the Old Firm game. But it seems he seized the moment to call out what he perceives as unfair treatment towards his team.”
The upcoming hearing for Rodgers will not only spotlight the individual case but also draw attention to the broader issues of VAR inconsistency and the application of the rules within Scottish football.
Celtic has frequently been at the receiving end of contentious handball decisions, with instances involving Tomoki Iwata, Matt O’Riley, and Alexandro Bernabei raising eyebrows among the Celtic faithful. Conversely, players from rival teams often appear to avoid similar scrutiny for handball infractions, a situation that many find perplexing.
As Rodgers prepares to face the SFA, the Celtic community is hopeful that a fair resolution will be reached, particularly with the critical Ibrox Glasgow Derby looming on the horizon.
