A Tale of Integrity, Fair-mindednesss and Hypocrisy

[Frankie 8,150]

The last few weeks have really been a hoot in the ever hilarious world of the SPL. As Rangers edge closer to an unprecedented 53rd league title and the chances of a worthy treble, the conspiracy theories are ever more wild as players, managers and commentating legends trip over their petted lips.

 

Rather than concentrate on Rangers' admirable domestic record via an orthodox playing style but with an ever- increasing goals scored column amongst chances aplenty backed up by one of the most solid defences in club football (wood touched!); the talk is of hard done by clubs, players and managers cheated out of points by officials allegedly ordered to gift the SPL to Rangers because of our financial problems.

 

The list of examples to 'prove' the theories are endless: Celtic denied a penalty at Ibrox; Celtic denied a goal at Parkhead; Motherwell denied a goal at Fir Park; St Mirren denied a penalty at Ibrox; Celtic captain unfairly ordered off at Ibrox; Rangers defender not sent off after being penalised for a few fouls; etc etc etc. You may suppress your grin at these claims when you find out it isn't your average Sean next door phoning the ever impartial Radio Clyde panel but this is Celtic Football Club making the allegations via their 'unnamed source' handing in a dossier of decisions going against Celtic and for Rangers.

 

Add in the club manager, senior players (such as Aiden McGeady - yes that, non-diving; non-hacking and non-dissenter of official decisions during games Irish internationalist); ex-playing legends such as Billy McNeil (ask Davie Hay about McNeil's managerial integrity); then the full picture unfolds of what is being attempted here.

 

This isn't a few fans moaning about a few decisions. This is a football club with strong political connections in the game and beyond questioning the partiality of officials and the authorities in Scottish football. All because they chose the wrong manager, spent too much money on loan players who weren't really any better than what they had and are looking for an opportunity to deflect (and deny) from their own inadequacies as their crowd numbers go into free-fall.

 

Let's be something they can't be and be objective though: Celtic have been unlucky when it comes to a few decisions this season and Rangers have also benefited from a few. Celtic should have had more than one penalty at Ibrox earlier this season (they did get one though - when was the last Rangers one at Parkhead?); Madjid Bougherra could easily have been sent off in the most recent game; and John Gilmour made our life a lot easier at Fir Park last month. I'm sure there are a few more debatable decisions that have went our way of late. I'll take them when they come though as just as many go against us.

 

Similarly, neither should anyone apologise for being right. Firstly, Scott Brown was harshly sent off at Ibrox the other week. However, we've spent the last 10+ years hearing about how John Rowbotham should have sent off Paul Gascoigne for exactly the same aggressive behaviour in a game against Aberdeen. Where is in the consistency? Secondly, Fortune's goal at Parkhead earlier this year was harshly disallowed. Yes, at first glance, he looked to have jumped higher than McGregor and the decision looked wrong. However, any fair-minded person would agree that Steve Conroy (that well-kent Rangers supporter!) was in fact correct when viewing the various replays available to us we see Fortune clearly fouled the Rangers goalie's arm when jumping impeding his chances of catching the ball. Such incidents are always black and white but grey areas where consistency is the most difficult virtue to find for officials - as opposed to the lack of honesty implied by some!

 

Finally, when one wants to examine the officiating debate, one really needs to be balanced when doing so. Of course, I'm probably not such a person but were the red cards dished out to Kevin Thomson, Madjid Bougherra, Pedro Mendes and Kenny Miller really warranted this season? Maybees aye, maybees naw; but we got on with the games in question and secured points in all of them; away to Hearts, Motherwell and Kilmarnock amongst them. I could also list a plethora of other decisions that have arguably gone against us in recent times - from disallowed goals; to unpunished opposition players; to denied penalties but any impartial observer would come to the conclusion such decisions do even themselves out - perhaps not over the course of a season but certainly on an ongoing basis.

 

Or do they? A cursory look at the last five years of the SPL shows an interesting anomaly for the Celtic-minded wishing to infer bias against their team. Since 2005/2006 only in one season have Celtic had more yellow cards (07/08) or red cards (06/07) than Rangers. Much more often than not Rangers have the worst disciplinary record. Again, quick simplistic science based on basic stats but hardly signs of institutional bias year-by-year suggested by the likes of Billy McNeill?

 

And this is where the debate breaks down. Because we all have our valid arguments about that one game, that once incident where we lost the 3 points because of the barsteward in the black. So, the next time an Aiden McGeady, a Tony Mowbray, a Craig Levein and even Gus McPherson want to rant about being hard-done by, perhaps they should reflect afterwards to think where they may have been the one on the receiving end of a fortunate flag from an otherwise nameless linesman. And instead of questioning people's integrity or fair-mindedness they may show a bit more humility and class when attempting to discuss the foibles of our national sport. Anything else is just bringing the game into disrepute for the sake of a cheap jibe to deflect from their own failings.

 

That isn't the mark of fair people with integrity - just the actions of hypocrites who should know better.

Edited March 8, 2010 by Frankie

[bmck 117]

Too well written to be read by the people who need to hear it most.

[Danny 0]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate () here...

 

It tends to be whichever side is in second place that complains that little bit more. Whether we like it or not, and whether we perceive our complaints to be valid or not, when Celtic won the league in 2008, we complained bitterly about the postponed OF game and about the SPL refusing to extend the season - the truth is the teams behind always have more to moan about, and it's always been that way.

 

Why moan when you're in the lead? It doesn't matter if Mo was brought down - we won. It doesn't matter if the red cards we've had this year were valid or not, we're 10 points ahead.

 

If it was the other way around, we'd be moaning, as we have done - Martin Bain complained publicly about the SPL's decision regarding the season extension.

 

My point is everyone in football is a hypocrite, myself included. We moan when things go against us, and dismiss them when they go for us.

 

That's the nature of football and it will never change.

 

(btw, didn't Gazza downright slam his coupon into the Sheep lad's chest in a virtual assault? Hardly really comparible with Brown leaning his head into Lafferty)

[Bluedell 5,329]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate () here...

 

It tends to be whichever side is in second place that complains that little bit more. Whether we like it or not, and whether we perceive our complaints to be valid or not, when Celtic won the league in 2008, we complained bitterly about the postponed OF game and about the SPL refusing to extend the season - the truth is the teams behind always have more to moan about, and it's always been that way.

 

Why moan when you're in the lead? It doesn't matter if Mo was brought down - we won. It doesn't matter if the red cards we've had this year were valid or not, we're 10 points ahead.

 

If it was the other way around, we'd be moaning, as we have done - Martin Bain complained publicly about the SPL's decision regarding the season extension.

 

My point is everyone in football is a hypocrite, myself included. We moan when things go against us, and dismiss them when they go for us.

 

That's the nature of football and it will never change.

 

(btw, didn't Gazza downright slam his coupon into the Sheep lad's chest in a virtual assault? Hardly really comparible with Brown leaning his head into Lafferty)

 

I don't recall Rangers ever doing what Celtic have done in the past 2 weeks. Have we disclosed the fact that we were complaining about the refereeing situation prior to an OF game? Have we implied that a ref was not fair-minded? Have we had an ex-manager come out and say that our club has been receiving biased decisions for 50 years? Have we had a player come out and question a ref's impartiality? All in under a 2 week period?

 

Perhaps teams do complain more when they are in second place, but they certainly don't behave like Celtic have done.

 

I'm not sure of the relevence of the Gazza example. I'm sure every team could look at most incidents and highlight similar decisions that have been given for/against them in the past. It doesn't change the fact that Brown was correctly sent off.

[Danny 0]

I don't recall Rangers ever doing what Celtic have done in the past 2 weeks. Have we disclosed the fact that we were complaining about the refereeing situation prior to an OF game? Have we implied that a ref was not fair-minded? Have we had an ex-manager come out and say that our club has been receiving biased decisions for 50 years? Have we had a player come out and question a ref's impartiality? All in under a 2 week period?

 

No, but at the same time on timothy boards they're probably saying 'have we ever complained about a postponed OF match on these grounds, have we ever whinged about too many matches'.

 

My point is exact examples notwithstanding, both sides complain when they perceive injustices.

 

Perhaps teams do complain more when they are in second place, but they certainly don't behave like Celtic have done.

 

We sit here and act judge and jury to their morality, while they did the same in the past regarding us. They're probably saying similar things - and believe they're morally superior.

 

Which we know their fans' behaviour often shows they are not, but the mind of an OF fan doesn't see fairness however much we like to dress it up.

 

I'm not sure of the relevence of the Gazza example. I'm sure every team could look at most incidents and highlight similar decisions that have been given for/against them in the past. It doesn't change the fact that Brown was correctly sent off.

 

Oh he was - that is why I don't understand the Gazza example described by Frankie. One was a blatant red card not given, the other was a soft red card within the letter of the law.

 

In no way am I trying to say Rangers fans and Celtic fans are the same, but I am saying that it's maybe a little innaccurate to say we're the good fair consistent guys and they're the bad hypocriticall morally corrupt guys. Both sides are guilty of being hypocrites.

 

(I will admit over there appears to be a significant level of dignity from our fans and club overall which timmy doesn't have, but this isn't quite the same as saying we're always consistent and morally fair)

[Frankie 8,150]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate () here...

 

It tends to be whichever side is in second place that complains that little bit more. Whether we like it or not, and whether we perceive our complaints to be valid or not, when Celtic won the league in 2008, we complained bitterly about the postponed OF game and about the SPL refusing to extend the season - the truth is the teams behind always have more to moan about, and it's always been that way.

 

Why moan when you're in the lead? It doesn't matter if Mo was brought down - we won. It doesn't matter if the red cards we've had this year were valid or not, we're 10 points ahead.

 

If it was the other way around, we'd be moaning, as we have done - Martin Bain complained publicly about the SPL's decision regarding the season extension.

 

My point is everyone in football is a hypocrite, myself included. We moan when things go against us, and dismiss them when they go for us.

 

That's the nature of football and it will never change.

 

(btw, didn't Gazza downright slam his coupon into the Sheep lad's chest in a virtual assault? Hardly really comparible with Brown leaning his head into Lafferty)

 

I don't think that is a Devil's position as it is one I agree with to a fair degree. I said as much in the article where I pointed out that the bias argument falls down simply because there are so many different examples of supposedly bad decisions which can be seen quite differently by the individual - no matter who they support and no matter their position in the league.

 

The Gascoigne/Brown incidents are a good example of this. Of course, Gazza was more aggressive but both players used their head to illegally butt an opponent. A clear example of violent conduct and why anyone is defending Brown I'll never know. Sure, one could say it was harsh given it was hardly the end of the world but if Duncan Ferguson can be sent to prison for motioning his head, then Scott Brown can be sent off for similar.

[bmck 117]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate () here...

 

You done a better job than Keanu Reeves.

 

It tends to be whichever side is in second place that complains that little bit more. Whether we like it or not, and whether we perceive our complaints to be valid or not, when Celtic won the league in 2008, we complained bitterly about the postponed OF game and about the SPL refusing to extend the season - the truth is the teams behind always have more to moan about, and it's always been that way.

 

I think once you play the don't-the-second-team-fans-always-do-this card, the corollary is that the first-team-fans always complain about the second team fans doing that. If one's a natural consequence of being second, the other's a natural consequence of being first.

 

I also think the major difference that Frankie's alluding to is that Celtic fans aren't just moaning, but systematically trying to influence games and effectively accusing a whole institution of sectarianiasm. Moaning is natural, but that seems to go slightly further for me.

Edited March 9, 2010 by bmck

[Bluedell 5,329]

No, but at the same time on timothy boards they're probably saying 'have we ever complained about a postponed OF match on these grounds,

 

That incident is one of the most disgusting acts by a football club I have ever come across and anyone who tries to defend it deserves no respect.

[Frankie 8,150]

And one should also remember Celtic figure-heads are suggesting these bias complaints are not just as a result of being 2nd but an ongoing implication of prejudice in the Scottish game.

 

Ergo, while it is right to say those in second place will moan about an injustice more than those who are winning, Celtic are not strictly doing this as the Masonic conspiracy guff has being doing the rounds for eternity (or since 1888 at least)...

 

[ian1964 10,416]

I don't think that is a Devil's position as it is one I agree with to a fair degree. I said as much in the article where I pointed out that the bias argument falls down simply because there are so many different examples of supposedly bad decisions which can be seen quite differently by the individual - no matter who they support and no matter their position in the league.

 

The Gascoigne/Brown incidents are a good example of this. Of course, Gazza was more aggressive but both players used their head to illegally butt an opponent. A clear example of violent conduct and why anyone is defending Brown I'll never know. Sure, one could say it was harsh given it was hardly the end of the world but if Duncan Ferguson can be sent to prison for motioning his head, then Scott Brown can be sent off for similar.

 

I've searched for a video of that,but I can't find it