Davie Weir:Allan McGregor

[ian1964 10,416]

RANGERS captain Davie Weir last night waded into the Allan McGregor suspension row and insisted the SFA have got their priorities wrong by banning players for innocuous offences while letting the "kickers" go unpunished.

 

And Ibrox boss Walter Smith described the disciplinary system used when trying players by TV evidence as "flawed".

 

The furore prompted new SFA chief executive Stewart Regan to issue a statement - and admit that procedures need tightened up.

 

Rangers keeper McGregor will miss today's match against Motherwell at Ibrox after the beaks used TV footage showing him flicking a boot at Aberdeen's Chris Maguire - and missing - on September 26 as evidence of violent conduct.

 

But his manager and captain believe the Scotland No.1 has been harshly treated - and Weir pointed to the yellow card shown to Hearts midfielder Ian Black the following week for a shocking challenge on Nikica Jelavic as proof that the SFA are not nailing the real offenders.

 

Weir said: "Anybody who's spoken about it thinks it's a strange decision. To get suspended for not kicking someone seems a strange decision and then the lad who kicked Jela last week didn't get suspended. So there doesn't seem to be much logic to it.

 

"It wasn't a tackle (from Black), he just kicked him. Tackles are part of football but this wasn't one.

 

"The ones I see in England are mistimed tackles which happen, especially with the pace football is played at. That's what happens. But this was different.

 

"I'm not here to change the system or dictate what's right or wrong but Jela is out for three months now because of that tackle.

 

"Allan has been suspended when there's not been any contact so there doesn't seem any logic. I know there are rules and regulations but in this case it's obvious to everybody."

 

Weir's boss Smith is just as unhappy.

 

He said: "I think the process is if the game is on television then anything that appears on TV, the disciplinary body of the SFA will look at and then put it to the chief executive .

 

"It is a flawed process. Ourselves and Celtic are on TV every week but it's flawed because it means for the other clubs it's down to whoever edits the stuff that appears on the telly.

 

"Unless every game is shown it is unfair and that is something that has been flagged up to the SFA for a long time. McGregor's was an innocuous foul. It wasn't even a foul but that's how they see it and we can't do anything about it .

 

"The other aspect is that it has got to be something that the referee misses.

 

"For instance, if the referee gives somebody a yellow card then it's deemed to have been spotted and nothing else can be done about it - even though more stringent action might have been taken in their opinion, they just ignore it.

 

"But if the referee misses it then they feel they are obliged to bring it up."

 

Celtic boss Neil Lennon agreed with his Old Firm rival and said: "You are under the spotlight more when you are at the Old Firm and our games are televised more than the other teams so it would be a concern."

 

SFA boss Regan, who had to deal with the McGregor case on his first day in the job, said: "The investigation process is designed to ensure violent conduct is eradicated from the game, whi le also providing a suppor t network for match officials who may have missed such instances.

 

"There are elements of the process that I am not entirely content with.

 

"I have requested a tighteningup of certain elements which I believe will help improve the functionality of the procedure."

 

Smith is also unhappy with one of his players - midfielder Lee McCulloch, who will miss this week's three vital matches against Motherwell, Valencia and Celtic - after aggravating a groin injury playing for Scotland against Spain on Tuesday.

 

Asked if he was disappointed that his player had chosen to play against Spain, Smith said: "A wee bit. Especially as he missed our game prior to playing."