Keith Hackett shares verdict on Kevin Clancy in Rangers clash v Cove – Exclusive
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive Rangers columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Ibrox…
Keith Hackett has claimed that Kevin Clancy would have been extra careful during the Scottish Cup clash between Rangers and Cove.
The Bears cruised to a 4-0 victory at Ibrox and were officiated by Clancy and his team who are regulars in the Scottish Premiership.
Hackett believes that Cove could have disliked Clancy and how he addressed players from the home side, as he could come across as unfair.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, Hackett said, “Sometimes in cup games, you have to expect the unexpected.
“It’s so important that you put the right level of performance in. What tends to happen, there is a degree of familiarity.
“The low-level club doesn’t like it, as they think the referee is favouring the bigger team, he’s more comfortable knowing that player than knowing me. It built into the mind of those players, that they don’t get fairness.
“The referee can’t be over-friendly with the team they oversee on a regular basis.”
Quiet.
Given the lack of officials and full-time contracts in Scotland, the likes of Clancy will often be used for the big games involving the Gers.
Clancy and his team will be familiar with the squad and often address them by their first names, something that may not have happened for the Cove squad.
There didn’t appear to be many complaints, and it was a straight-forward game to officiate given the dominance of the home side.
Should it have been a tight, contentious affair with fans in the ground, it could have been different, but we have to applaud the officials for once on Sunday evening.
In other Rangers news, Derek McInnes & Ally McCoist were both blown away by one ‘invaluable’ Bears star during the win against Cove