Ally McCoist has doubled down on his Celtic penalty pain insisting “they are ruining our game” after Dujon Sterling was penalised for handball in the final moments of the Glasgow Derby.
We told yesterday how Foy disagreed with McCoist’s Celtic penalty verdict as the former whistler agreed with the spot kick award after he watched the footage ‘four or five times’.
And now, 48 hours later McCoist was still fuming on talkSPORT as he pleaded for IFAB to ‘bring the word intentional back’ after watching Celtic escape Ibrox with a point in the Rangers draw.
Ally McCoist’s tears over Celtic’s penalty are brilliant.
What is he talking about??
Ally McCoist wants ‘intentional’ handball rule invoked after Celtic penalty row
The talkSPORT host was still raging at Celtic’s penalty as he moaned to Gabby Agbonlahor about the spot kick row.
McCoist: “I said, yesterday, Gab right, the game aside, Celtic deserved a point in the second half. But I don’t know, someone will have to explain to me what Sterling’s meant to do with his arms?
“We had Chris Foy on yesterday talking about arms in an unnatural position. And I’m saying ‘Chris his arm is in a natural position, because he’s PLAYING FOOTBALL. Is it not?
“He’s got no idea that ball hits him.”
Agbonlahor: “The common sense has gone. I loved football when it was deliberate handball. We all know what deliberate handball is.”
McCoist: “Correct. You’ve got to bring the word ‘intentional’ back.”
Agbonlahor: “It happened that quick. He didn’t do it on purpose. He didn’t put his arms out like that [to stop the goal]. The penalties that are given now are silly. I’m getting fed up mate.
“They’re ruining the game.”
McCoist: “That’s exactly what they are doing Gabby. They are ruining our game.”
Even IFAB shuts down McCoist’s Celtic penalty tears
So why is McCoist so bent out of shape when the IFAB lawmakers clearly state that the Celtic penalty award was the correct call?
According to IFAB’s Law 12, the handball rule clearly states:
It is an offence if the player: Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger.
A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.
By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalised.
It’s clear that Dujon Sterling’s handball is correct by the letter of the law. Not only that, Daizen Maeda’s header was goal-bound as the Rangers defender deflected it onto Jack Butland’s head.
It was as clear a penalty as McCoist will see, and the former Rangers man will simply have to accept it and move on.
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