Willie Collum told he’s got it wrong after what he’s now said publicly about Rangers
Willie Collum has insisted that he is happy with Nick Walsh’s decision not to send Auston Trusty off for his challenge on Jack Butland.
Referee Walsh has seen major attention for his call not to show Trusty a red card when the Celtic player caught Butland in the face with his boot.
Rangers ended up losing 3-1 to Celtic on 2 November and were subsequently eliminated from the Premier Sports Cup, as the Hoops advanced to the final.
Gers fans have been rightly enraged by the decision, and Rangers’ hierarchy wanted a second meeting with the SFA over the Key Match Incident.
Ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett has now weighed in on Collum‘s public explanation of the incident.
Ex-FIFA chief Keith Hackett says Auston Trusty should have seen red
Collum said on Friday that he supports Walsh only handing a yellow card to Trusty, as he explained the reasoning.
He added: “It’s important to say that there’s a subjective element to this decision. And we fully respect people’s opinions if they think that’s a red card.
“But here, the on-field communication is very clear from the referee.
“The referee comes to the conclusion that this is a reckless action, rather than anything more serious. The VAR look at the images, and they don’t see anything other than that.”
Collum has been slammed for agreeing with Walsh’s decision, despite having plenty of time to come to his senses.
- Walsh sent Rangers’ Thelo Aasgaard off in the 38th minute
- Trusty caught Butland in the face with his boot just before half time
- Celtic then beat Rangers in extra time with a man advantage
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, ex-FIFA official Hackett has explained exactly why he disagrees with Collum. He has suggested that Collum and Co. have been unable to see the “safety” risks for Butland.
Hackett said: “Collum’s discussion and explanation on how the match officials determined that the incident was reckless brings great clarity to why a yellow card was issued and not a red.
“However, I still lean towards a red card because in my opinion the challenge endangered the safety of the goalkeeper.”
“The whole aftermath has highlighted how much interpretation plays a role in applying the laws of the game, a point Collum himself has acknowledged.“
Rangers need to get revenge with results
The Bears next play Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on 3 January.
Danny Rohl and his side need to remain focused on putting together as many results as they can, as catching Hearts in the league is possible.
Rangers currently sit just five points behind second-placed Celtic in the table, but there are eight games to be played in the league before the rivals meet again.
The incident has caused understandable uproar, and continues to do so. However, Rangers have a massive chance to get the last laugh in a couple of months.
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