FAO Gus MacPherson - Hypocrite of the Week

[Frankie 8,552]

Gersnet was interested to note the comments of St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson after their weekend defeat to Rangers at Ibrox Stadium. As another manager attempting to bring the game into disrepute we'd like to ask him a few questions...

 

The match highlights can be viewed courtesy of BBC Scotland here while the same organisation have an after-match interview with a clearly upset MacPherson complaining about one decision he felt influenced the game negatively for his team - that can be read and/or listened to here.

 

To sum up Mr MacPherson's complaint, he felt David Weir should have been sent off for an early foul on St Mirren striker Michael Higdon. Bringing up mandatory meetings with the SFA, the St Mirren manager was frustrated with the inconsistent message given out by the football authority and the referees with regard to goal-scoring opportunities and other decisions.

 

A few quotes and questions now follow:

 

MacPherson: "I'm not wanting players booked or red-carded but there are laws to the game"

 

Question: Given your obvious sporting principles, what do you want then if it wasn't a red card for Weir?

 

 

MacPherson: "David Weir impeded Michael Higdon in the process of shooting, he affected how he was shooting. There's a decision to get made there. No decision was made."

 

Question: As the video pictures clearly show, do you accept Higdon 'impeded' Weir 'in the process of defending', 'affecting' his ability to deal with the through ball. Why was that decision not made? Similarly, late in the game (no video highlight provided), a St Mirren defender stopped a cross illegally with his arm. Why was that decision not made?

 

 

MacPherson: "We watch games, we go to games and we see clips on the BBC and we see a different set of rules getting applied. None more so than when we're coming here (to Ibrox)."

 

Question: What different set of rules are these? Do you mean the free-kick given for a foul on your player but not the foul on a Rangers player immediately prior to it? What are you implying by the final sentence? Be a man and say exactly what you mean. We'd all love to see the evidence you have for such a controversial claim.

 

 

MacPherson: "We're actually shown clips at the start of the season by (Scottish FA head of referees) Hugh Dallas and shown incidents of what's important and what the new guidelines are yet, when the games come along, when there's decisions to get made, they don't get made. A lot of football people at the meeting were actually questioning and arguing, which is healthy because that's what the game's all about. But then, when the games come along, you're looking for them to be applied in the correct manner and it's not getting done."

 

Question: What is not being done in the correct manner? Do you mean hand-balls against your team not being penalised? Do you mean the officials being inconsistent in their application of the rules for aerial challenges - one of which you won a free kick from to score the opener last Saturday while Rangers were denied three identical fouls - one in your penalty area? Or do you mean the physical players in your team not being punished (see St Mirren Park - 8th April, 2009) where Rangers winger DaMarcus Beasley was taken off injured after 15 mins of the game after a variety of disgraceful 'challenges' on his person.

 

 

Finally, given you've been involved in professional Scottish football for over 20 years - as a player and manager - why did you choose last weekend to infer dishonesty from the officials and what do you do to intend to prove this scurrilous accusation which calls into question the integrity of Scottish football? It has been most disappointing to note of late how many important figures who make life-changing amounts of money from the sport (either in the past and/or currently) are so eager to question the integrity of officials and authorities just because their team of choice can't win a football match.

 

The fact of the matter is, every football club in Scotland (and indeed in the world) has its fair share of decisions go for and against them. Yes, it is frustrating and disappointing when it is the latter but for anyone to suggest an inherent bias in favour of one specific team at one specific stadium isn't just sour grapes but providing a dangerously paranoid platform for people to grasp to instead of addressing the real problems in our game.

 

Therefore Mr MacPherson if you are concerned about the quality of the refereeing in Scotland (most football fans are) why not air your concerns in a more constructive manner at the mandatory Hugh Dallas meetings you seem so strangely annoyed about having to attend. Anything else is quite frankly insulting to any decent person involved in football.

 

Shame on you for jumping on an already full (and broken) bandwagon.

[Zappa 0]

I'd like to ask Gus what he thinks about the stick on penalty we should have been given for the blatant foul on Beasley in their box. Go to the 3 minute mark of the highlights and watch it a couple of times. DMB is literally thrown to the ground from behind because he was going to get a nice header on the ball unchallenged and yet it mysteriously went unnoticed. Here's the highlights - Highlights - Rangers 3-1 St Mirren

[Frankie 8,552]

Good point Zappa - Beasley looked to be 'impeded' there 'in the process of shooting'...

[Zappa 0]

Good point Zappa - Beasley looked to be 'impeded' there 'in the process of shooting'...

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It was worse than 'impeded' Frankie! The St. Mirren player knew that Beasley was getting a nice header on that ball and sneakily pushed him to the ground when he was in mid-flight. It's actually one of the worst cases of cheating that I've seen in a while and should definitely have been a penalty.

[Frankie 8,552]

I'm only using the careful nomenclature Mr MacPherson did for consistency reasons...

[Zappa 0]

I'm only using the careful nomenclature Mr MacPherson did for consistency reasons...

.

I'm just really annoyed about that incident and the fact that it went unnoticed.

[maineflyer 0]

You see where it's all heading though, everyone will jump on whatever passing band wagon comes into view and right now the celtic smear machine is making sure even numpties like Gus McPherson are able to see the Rangers-are-cheats wagon ... once again the club should be addressing this big time.

 

I just hope the next owner has something between his legs. Unlike the current arsewipe who has been delighted to preen himself these last 20 years but couldn't lift a finger to defend the club.

[redford 0]

I was very disappointed that it was MacPherson in particular who was aligning himself with the darkside.

[andy steel 0]

I have to take issue with Frankie on one point - MacPherson, a player? Come, come, now, Sir.