An incident involving Celtic captain Callum McGregor during the Hoops’ 3-0 win over Hearts at the weekend has stirred debate among former referees.
The controversy centres around a challenge between McGregor and Hearts forward Kenneth Vargas, which some believe should have been looked at by VAR.
The incident, caught in a clip that has since circulated on social media, shows Vargas dispossessing McGregor and subsequently being grounded following a challenge. McGregor is seen jumping over Vargas, and while it is unclear how much contact was made, Vargas’ reaction suggested that there was little to no contact made on his leg, despite the Celtic captain landing in that area. Play continued without a VAR review.
Former category one referees Steve Conroy and Des Roache, discussing the incident on their podcast Behind the Whistles, expressed surprise that VAR did not intervene. They shared their insights on social platform X, where they stopped short of declaring that McGregor should have been sent off, they believed the situation warranted a closer examination.
“This is another. He’s tried to leap the Man on the floor and has caught him. debatable if Wreckless Y or SFP. Was worth a check it’s not nothing.
“Really suprised Clancy and his AR have a clear view of it. But as we discussed on the Podcast he failed to see a few obvious things yesterday. Including the penalty.”
What sort of refereeing is this?! A blatant leg breaking stamp after a deliberate foul, all in the space of 2 seconds and no action taken?! @behindtwpod thoughts? The media silence on it is deafening? Where’s the compliance officer @ScottishFA ?pic.twitter.com/Yo50aZkc1r
— Le Souness (@LeSouness) May 6, 2024
I don’t think there was any need for VAR to get involved, there was no stamp from McGregor, and Vargas’ immediate reaction doesn’t make a case for a stamp. There were also no complaints from his teammates or the referee or linesman, who were both in a good position to see the incident.
During the match I thought McGregor hurdled him. Infact if anything the Hearts player starts to try get up as McGregor has jumped so if there was a collision surely it is a accidental coming together.
Steve Conroy is being disingenuous here also. He knows very well that if an on field review was recommended in this instance in would have been a 95% certainty that a red card would have resulted.
This howevrr is what to expect in the build up to this weekend’s game. “Celtic player spits on pitch shocker” will be next, followed by “Celtic player ate my Hamster”.
So in order to jump out of a possible dangerous situation, and instead land safely ahead of Vargas, MacGregor has caused the desperate people to try to have the already biased SFA conduct a retroactive red card for a non-offence!
Not a single opponent, most notably Vargas himself, claimed he was fouled, let alone stamped on. The corrupt referee, Mr. Clancy, a mere fifteen feet away and starstraight at the tackle even saw nothing. The already equally corrupt linesman, even closer than Clancy, and also staring directly at the tackle from the opposite side, saw nothing wrong with McGregor’s clear attempt to avoid a collision with Vargas.
But of course, two known corrupt ex-officials who are currently starting to panic in case their team don’t win the league, manage to bring something up that no-one, not a single person, on or off the field off play on Saturday, saw a perfectly professional play into what they conjure up to be an act of britality! Give me strength!
Getting desperate anyone?