David Martindale admitted the penalty given to Celtic in today’s 3-0 result against Livingston was the correct call but has questioned whether players will now start to try and clip balls off of defenders’ arms and hands.
Jota, clearly trying to cross the ball to the back post, saw his effort diverted by the arm of Andrew Shinnie resulting in a VAR check by Willie Collum and an eventual penalty, that was missed by Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Martindale didn’t suggest Jota was trying anything untoward but just so happened to mention that he thinks this kind of decision will be a trend in football going forward.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, he said: “The penalty is a penalty, you can’t defend like that now. I think what you’re seeing with teams now is they’re trying to clip the ball off the player’s hands if I’m honest. That’s going to be modern day football.
“I don’t see it as cheating, just a part of the game and I’m not saying that’s what happened in this case but I’m starting to see it now in football.”
Of course, the Livingston manager is saying something without saying it here. He clearly doesn’t want the drama of making a direct Celtic accusation, but why mention this at all if he doesn’t want to link today’s incident with that take?
A journalist from prominent outlet The Athletic has also taken issue with Celtic’s two penalty claims over the last week, suggesting the rules need to be looked at. [Twitter]
It’s amusing that this kind of patter is thrown up after Celtic are given their first penalty of the season, even with VAR in place. Is this the new narrative? Now it’s the rules that are wrong, and Celtic manipulating them, even when the decisions are correct.
It seems controversy will follow us around regardless, with plenty of fuming takes when Ange Postecoglou’s team are doing so well.
In other news, “The perfect people”; Buzzing Jota reacts to his blistering Celtic return.
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