Keith Hackett: James Tavernier manufactured penalty for Rangers v Dundee
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 insisted that James Tavernier manufactured the foul as Rangers were handed a penalty against Dundee on Sunday.
The ex-FIFA official admitted that he could understand why the spot-kick was given, but he would have given it a “big no.”
Tavernier, of course, dusted himself down and smashed home the penalty on the way to an easy 3-0 victory at Dens Park.
“The difficulty here is within the game now, we’ve got players manufacturing penalty kicks,” he exclusively told Ibrox News.
“It’s making life absolutely difficult for the referee. The referee within the scope of the laws of the game, he can award a penalty.
“But, if we look at the game, as a fan, or a referee manager, I think the player, really, has manufactured a penalty kick, it’s soft and I think referees, in law he’s right, I think this is down to who manages referees.
“I think you just give it a big no and get on with the game.”
Big no?
This was a classic incident where we Rangers fans thought it was a penalty, but those in the home end certainly didn’t.
It could have gone either way, but it was given and Tavernier is never going to miss right now with the form he is in.
The skipper has been influential from the spot, scoring in both legs against Borussia Dortmund and the opener with Red Star last week.
This will bring up the whole VAR argument once again in Scotland, and it will be interesting to see how that would have dealt with it – time will tell if it ever comes in.
In other Rangers news, this BBC pundit was left ‘screaming’ after major transfer development at Ibrox