Ex-referee blasts ‘leg-breaker’ tackle after flashpoint in Rangers v Aberdeen
Rangers scraped past Aberdeen on Saturday as they kept pace with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership but one moment stood out during the game.
In the final moments of the 90 minutes, Gers midfielder Scott Arfield was looking to burst out of a tight situation when Dons player Vicente Besuijen scythed the Canadian down.
It looked like a tackle intent on anything but winning the ball at first glance but referee John Beaton chose not to brand a straight red card despite the deliberateness of the challenge.
Former grade one referee Steve Conroy couldn’t believe a red card was not shown by Beaton as he would have given it without a second thought.
“I would have issued a red card, without question,” Conroy said on the Get Involved Referee podcast.
“You would have to ask John how he didn’t see it because when you see a challenge like that coming you get yourself into position.
“However, in mitigation, it’s side on so he’s maybe caught behind the Aberdeen player but someone of John’s experience should be anticipating that and getting into position.
“The question is where was the fourth official? He was standing right there. It was a nasty one. It was a potential leg-breaker. I would be hoping that would be looked at.”
Don’t get carried away
Was it a red card? Yes, almost certainly and even Aberdeen fans might have trouble denying that.
But for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Rangers, whether Besuijen was shown yellow or red would have made little to no effect on the result nor their upcoming games in the Scottish Premiership.
Had they been due to play the Dons again very soon, then maybe it would have been more of a concern to the Light Blues as he would have been suspended for three matches.
But they aren’t, so it is now irrelevant as far as the Gers are concerned who have a crucial Europa League tie on Thursday at home to Red Star Belgrade.
They won’t be thinking bout Besuijen and the fortune he had in avoided red at the weekend and neither should anybody else associated with the club.
Aberdeen are non-existent in the Gers’ thoughts now and attentions have to turn to the present rather than fixated on the past.
In other Rangers news, the club could be set for a financial disaster according to Chris Jack with a player exodus in the offing.