The SFA’s decision to appoint Don Robertson as the referee for the upcoming Livingston vs Celtic match has sparked controversy, given its timing just days after Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is set to learn the outcome of his disciplinary hearing.
Rodgers faces the possibility of a two-game touchline ban for a heated outburst directed at Robertson and VAR official John Beaton following Celtic’s defeat to Hearts in February.
The announcement of Robertson’s assignment to the match at Almondvale has raised eyebrows, particularly considering the context of Rodgers’ pending hearing, which could see him absent from the dugout for at least two matches.
The decisions made by Robertson and Beaton in the match against Hearts, including a red card for Yang and a penalty awarded against Tomoki Iwata after VAR reviews, were the catalyst for Rodgers’ criticism.
The SFA’s choice has been criticised by Des Roache and Steve Conroy, two former Category 1 Referees, on their podcast. They took to Twitter to express their disapproval, labelling the decision as “arrogant, distasteful, and disrespectful.”
They argued that while clubs should not influence referee appointments, the SFA could have exercised better judgment by selecting a different official for the game, especially before the resolution of the disciplinary process involving Rodgers.
They posted: “The SFA don’t do themselves or their Referees and favours. While Clubs should not get to dictate who gets to Referee their games. It may have been wise to have allocated the game to someone else before the hearing process was concluded.
“This appointment is arrogant, distasteful and disrespectful to all.”
