Brendan Rodgers could be in hot water with the Scottish FA after he didn’t hold back in his criticism of the referees following Celtic’s defeat at Hearts. The Celtic boss was particularly vocal about Don Robertson and John Beaton’s roles in the game after a 2-0 loss at Tynecastle.
Rodgers, usually more reserved, didn’t mince his words in a post-game vent. He expressed his frustration over decisions that went against his team, notably Yang Hyun-jun’s early red card for a high challenge on Alex Cochrane, and a contentious penalty awarded against Celtic for a handball by Tomoki Iwata.
He firmly believed these calls from the officials were detrimental to Celtic’s chances in the game, despite his team’s valiant effort to compete with only 10 players for the majority of the match.
The SFA’s compliance officer, Martin Black, is on the case, having reached out to Celtic to discuss Rodgers’ fiery comments. It’s still up in the air whether Rodgers will face any disciplinary action. [SunSport]
According to Rule No72 Article 96.1 of the Scottish FA, any criticism of match officials that suggests bias or incompetence can lead to serious consequences.
Rodgers might be looking at a suspension ranging from two to a whopping 20 matches, depending on how a disciplinary panel viewed his comments.
When asked if this was the worst officiating he’s witnessed in Scotland, Rodgers didn’t shy away from expressing his dismay, emphasising his attempts to usually respect decisions. However, he labeled the officiating as “incompetent,” which he sees as a worrying sign for Scottish football.
Celtic have today released their own statement and confirmed they have grave concerns over the use of VAR at Tynecastle, and also have appealed Yang’s red card.
