The Celtic board will be looking on with bemusement, as the SFA upheld its verdict on Rangers’ Covid-5.
After Rangers players Calvin Bassey, Brian Kinnear, Dapo Mebude, Nathan Patterson and Bongani Zungu were caught breaking Covid protocols back in February, the SFA “offered” Gerrard’s players a 6-match suspension. Despite Rangers apologising, they still appealed the case.
That was so our rivals could field at least one of those players in a match against Celtic. The match happened, and Nathan Patterson played. Celtic appealed themselves, to the SFA, asking what on earth was going on. Even the mild-mannered John Kennedy was more than annoyed at the blatant disregard for sportsmanship.
And in the end, with screeching predictability, the SFA have upheld the bans [SFA]. Well, of course they were going to. By now, the damage is done, and the appeals process has become a laughing stock.
Essentially, you can do what you like, if your timing is just right.
Earlier this month, the SFA sprung into action when Brian Rice and John Hughes criticised referees. They’ve got every right to, of course. There are arguments about bringing the game into disrepute, and the SFA appoint the match officials. Again, though, it’s timing that’s the issue. It took little time for the SFA to act upon that, but clear and recorded breaking of Covid-19 protocols during a pandemic? Nah, take your time, troops.
Nobody is calling “conspiracy” here. At least we aren’t. It seems more like an act of incompetence as opposed to anything sinister.
Who could’ve predicted the SFA would uphold the suspensions? Only everyone watching
There’s surely got to be a quicker way of handling appeals that doesn’t annoy almost everyone.
We’re sure it’s busy at Hampden Park on a day to day basis, and the custodians of the game probably have their hands full dealing with a national sport so erratic and idiosyncratic.
Surely, though, if they have a staff of more than say, 3 people, this could’ve been dealt with far quicker. Rangers deserve criticism too, here, for a blatantly disrespectful display of gamesmanship during a time of global crisis. Sure, Celtic have had their own Covid gaffes, and have quite rightly been condemned for it. But we’ve never tried to gain a sporting advantage by flouting the appeals process in such a blatant way.
This isn’t to say we didn’t deserve the lose the last derby. Nor is it a suggestion that if the Covid 5 had their appeal addressed within two months of an incident, Celtic might’ve won. No, the Bhoys were insipid against Rangers last weekend, and it’s the team’s own profligacy and defensive uselessness that cost us.
But still. This is pathetic. And again; entirely predictable.
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