ian1964 10,457 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 (edited) TONY Mowbray has heaped scorn on the SFA appeals system following Celtic's failure to have Scott Brown's red card in last Sunday's Old Firm match rescinded. n a withering appraisal of the procedure which saw referee Dougie McDonald uphold his decision to send Brown off at Ibrox, the Celtic manager also claimed the real villain of the piece has gone unpunished in the shape of Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty. Mowbray suggested Lafferty was guilty of embellishing his reaction during the off-the-ball clash with Brown which saw the Celtic captain shown a straight red card midway through the second half of the match Rangers won 1-0 to stretch their lead at the top of the SPL to ten points. He also claimed Lafferty, who received no sanction from the referee, had placed Brown "in a headlock" and thrown him to the floor. Mowbray believes the SFA appeals process, which requires the match referee concerned to agree to his decision being re-assessed by an independent review panel, is flawed. He would like to see the appeal system being taken out of the referee's hands, as it is in England where claims of wrongful dismissal go directly to an independent FA regulatory commission which does not allow submissions from either the match officials or clubs involved in an incident. "People talk about an appeal, but did we have an appeal?" asked a bewildered Mowbray. "Who was the appeal to? My frustration is that the same referee who made the decision on the day has had another look at it and the matter is finished. "It doesn't seem much of an appeal. If you appeal something, then you want to do so to an independent body. But that is not the case. "I have watched the incident again and I can't see a sending off. Even if you think I have a level of bias because I work for Celtic, I still can't see a sending off. As a guy who looks at things honestly, I can't see what Scott has done. "People have said to me that it might be a headbutt, but is there a headbutt? The crime of feigning a potential headbutt might be more of a crime than what Scott Brown did. If you honestly believe Scott threw his head towards him (Lafferty) and that his headbutt was a violent act, then fine. I have watched it and I just can't see it. Scott has been flung around (by Lafferty). He was put in a headlock and thrown to the floor. "My disappointment is that the referee has had a look at it again and he thinks he was right. I'm sure you can look at the statistics and see how many appeals have been successful. How many times have the refs decided they got it wrong? "I didn't know the appeals process in Scotland before we went into this. I thought we would appeal, someone would have a look at it and think 'yeah, maybe the referee got that one wrong', without going over the top of the individual and wagging a finger at him. "A club has to pay �£1000 to make an appeal. If you think there are grounds to spend �£1000, you do. You don't want to throw money away. You appeal because there is something to look at. If it gets thrown out by an independent panel then you say 'fine' and move on. It just seems harsh to me that the guy who makes the original decision is then asked to make another decision. My own personal view is that the procedure is not correct at the moment. "I only want a procedure that works and gets us to the right decision. We all know Scott is a hot-headed boy who has done things in the past. But I can't sit here and say he was irresponsible last Sunday." As Celtic's currently fractious relationship with the SFA shows no signs of easing, Mowbray also labelled the outcome of their appeal as "political" in the wake of the controversy over decisions going against the Parkhead club in the previous two Old Firm fixtures this season. "Maybe another decision in a massive Old Firm game not to go Celtic's way would be just a little bit too much," he said. "If it had been upheld, it would have been proven to be a wrong decision, I think. So maybe the political decision was taken that maybe the right decision had been made. "Was there extra pressure on the referee last Sunday? All he has to do is watch the game, see the decisions, make the decisions and nobody is going to question him. But when you watch it back, it is wrong. "In a massive game the whole world is watching, and given what happened in the previous two Old Firm matches, why make such a big decision if you weren't sure of it? If you look back at it, he (McDonald) has got to look through two or maybe three bodies to actually see the incident. "I would have thought when he watched it again that he almost had an out, to say 'listen I saw the boy go down but there were two or three people in my way and having seen it again, I don't think it was a red card'. In my mind, you can't see something that didn't happen. So why come rushing over with your red card out? If you have a doubt, stand there with the players for two minutes, lecture them and show the world you are in charge of the situation." Mowbray will be without the suspended Brown tomorrow when Celtic travel to face a Falkirk side against whom they have already dropped four points in two previous meetings this season. Despite last week's massive setback at Ibrox, however, Mowbray remains defiantly positive about his prospects of ultimate success as Celtic manager. "I think I signed a four-year deal," he said, "and I am here to build a team that can be successful for a long, long period. I want to play expansive football at this club and the people who brought me here bought into that. At times, it can be like a rollercoaster. "This club has to win something every season, it has always been that way. But there are some seasons when it wins everything, some when it wins something and some when it wins nothing. If you don't win anything, do you throw everything out and start again? "The train keeps rolling until you get better opportunities or you are told it is time for a change. I don't make those decisions. But, for me, if you believe in what you are doing, you keep going." http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Tony-Mowbray-says-Lafferty-reaction.6129515.jp Edited March 6, 2010 by ian1964 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,457 Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 FFS Monkeyheid, get over it 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Funny how he says the ref should not have made the decision to show red if he wasn't sure..... McDonald decided TWICE that he was happy with the decision he made. And... Political ? If anyone is being political it is Mowbray himself - he is using politics to deflect the spotlight from his failings as a manager to casting blame for those said failings onto the SPL, SFA and the Refs. All both laughable and amusing, even moreso considering how the media, pundits and even most fans felt this season would conclude at its start. We were the ones in turmoil, would struggle to hold 2nd place, were crumbling and had no hope - financially we are still goosed but we have pretty much wiped the floor with our domestic competition - and credit shoul (though I doubt will) go to WS, AM, KM and a small band of brothers (the players.......) For the stellar team spirit, fight and determination shown THUS FAR this season. We welcome the chase Mogga. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,356 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 It's getting tedious now, Tony. :yawn: It's also verging on pathetic. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,457 Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 You would think he would just be concentrating on beating Falkirk?? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 0 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 tbh I do agree with him that Kyle made a big meal out of it, I was one of the first to say that at the time. But it's getting pathetic that a week on, him and Broonaldo are STILL going on about it. I saw something though from O'Dea saying that he doesn't believe in stupid conspiracies, but that refs are getting things wrong, and not just here. That verges on sense. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewarty 1,878 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Just deflecting from the reality and pandering to the paranoid element of the Sellik support. And on the evidence of this week, that would appear to be the majority. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainstandbear 0 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 broon holds lafferty's shirt and puts his head into lafferty's chest....violent conduct...red card...end of! ffs mowbray, get over it! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 broon holds lafferty's shirt and puts his head into lafferty's chest....violent conduct...red card...end of! ffs mowbray, get over it! Exactly, Lafferty's reaction is neither here not there. Brown tried to headbutt someone. Only in Celtic's paranoid minds could that be acceptable. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 MOWBRAY MUST STAY !!! FAIL FAIL !!! :giruy: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.