Celtic is preparing to robustly defend manager Brendan Rodgers against charges levied by the Scottish Football Association concerning his critical comments about officiating.
The club has enlisted the expertise of renowned legal expert Nick De Marco, who is no stranger to representing Celtic in high-stakes cases.
De Marco’s previous successful representation of Celtic came in 2019 during an incident involving club captain Scott Brown and his celebration in front of Rangers fans, a scenario that had potential disciplinary consequences.
Brown was cleared of any wrongdoing by the SFA after a hearing, avoiding a ban that could have sidelined him for crucial matches. The defence strategy employed at the time focused on highlighting the double standards in the SFA’s approach, supported by compelling video evidence.
Delighted to have successfully represented Celtic captain Scott Brown in his case before the Scottish FA today – now looking forward to watching him play at the match tomorrow #Celtic #SFA #ScottBrown https://t.co/aYSAaw6gNv
— Nick De Marco KC (@nickdemarco_) April 26, 2019
Celtic may adopt a similar approach in defending Rodgers, aiming to demonstrate through video proof that the manager’s criticisms of VAR’s impact and the officiating during the defeat to Hearts were justified.
Rodgers expressed his frustration in no uncertain terms, labelling the refereeing decisions during the match as “incompetence.”
This outspoken critique has led to a hearing set for Thursday, where Rodgers faces the possibility of a suspension that could see him absent from the dugout for significant upcoming matches, including the highly anticipated Glasgow Derby against Rangers.
Celtic’s decision to bring in De Marco, a lawyer with a track record of navigating complex football legalities, indicates the club’s commitment to challenging the SFA’s charge against Rodgers.
Given De Marco’s previous success in representing Celtic and his experience in a range of high-profile football cases, the club will be hopeful of securing a favourable outcome.
