As the fallout over Kyogo Furuhashi’s goal rumbles on, the debate has probably run it’s course for me.
Whether or not it was offside is irrelevant now. The game is over. The three points are at Paradise. That’s all that matters.
But what it interesting the amount of furore this has caused in Scottish football.
For the life of me, I cannot remember the last time a contentious decision has been analysed, dissected and minced as much as this.
And there has been PLENTY of dodgy decisions going on across Scottish football that never get this amount of coverage.
Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show, pundit Stephen Craigan was explaining why he thought the decision was not given against the Celtic striker and revealed private conversations he has had with an ex referee on why the goal was not given offside, “What I would say on referees assistants is, unless they are 100% convinced that they know what happened, they can’t put the flag up or they can’t draw the attention to the referee.
“And I remember speaking to Stuart Dougal about it and I said, ‘You know, you must know’ and he said, ‘Listen, we don’t give things unless we’re 100%’.
“So unless they see it, they can’t give it.
“I just think that the referees assistants position is a yard ahead of the ball.
“So he has no idea of Kyogo is in line with Tony Ralston or not because he’s had a position to see that.
“If he’s standing directly behind Ralston, he will see it clearly. And if he thinks he’s offside then his flag has to go up.
“That’s why I don’t think he put his flag up.
“Plus, I also know some referees have said in the past I don’t know what happens now, ‘I’m in charge. Don’t put your flag up unless I want to draw attention to you. I’ll deal with it. If I want you to help I’ll come to you.”
“That’s some referees taking control.”
And it is no wonder the man in the middle is getting big decisions wrong.
If they cannot accept, or are unwilling to accept, help from their assistants then what chance have we got to move the game forward and improve the refereeing standards?
This is very very simple all this bluster is to deflect away from “the rangers” being helped by officials. End of
What ever happened to the so called fifa rule that gave the attacker the benefit of any doubt so to increase goals per game.
Unless you’ve got ‘Tory Boy’ running up a wing shouting ‘red red red’.
I was told the same. Some refs tell linesmen not to flag for big decisions. I’ll ( the ref ) make them.
Also linesmen told don’t flag for anything not in your half of the park.