Hackett View: UEFA will be looking at extended ban for Roofe, more than six games for Rangers ace
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Rangers
Keith Hackett insists Kemar Roofe is facing an extended ban after receiving a straight red card in Rangers’ Europa League clash with Slavia.
The game will be remembered for different reasons and it is easy to forget that Roofe received his marching orders for a shocking challenge.
The forward went for the ball with a high foot and smashed his boot into the face of Slavia keeper Ondrej Kolar.
Hackett claims a potential six-game ban is simply not enough and UEFA should send a message to rid the game of challenges like this.
“It’s frightening. This is a really high-risk scenario and I worry about the impact of two players going for a loose ball like that,” Hackett exclusively told Ibrox News.
“I can’t understand how a player can go for a ball with his foot so high, knowing that there is an opponent there.
“It is a red. It didn’t look like an accident for me. I’d be thinking, ‘do we want this in the game?’.
The answer is no and if they’re going to send the right message, send the right message. For me, six games is not enough.”
It was an evening to forget for many reasons but an extended ban for Roofe would tarnish a bad night even further.
It is incredibly hard to tell if Roofe’s collision was accidental but he must’ve known that the goalkeeper would come out to challenge him.
This is what UEFA may look at when deciding a potential ban and it is hard to argue that the Gers forward didn’t know what might happen.
After the challenge, Roofe indicated to the ref that he only had eyes for the ball but that’s not how it works unfortunately.
It was a shocking challenge and the club must accept whatever punishment UEFA slams down even if it rules Roofe out of our Champions League qualifying campaign.
In other Rangers news, there’s been a big update on speculation linking Gerrard with Tottenham.