Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘Stitch up’ to prevent 10 in a row
CHRIS SUTTON last night insisted Alfredo Morelos has dodged a six game ban as part of a ‘stitch-up’ to stop Celtic’s bid for ten in a row.
The former Parkhead player launched a blistering attack on the SFA following yesterday’s news that the Colombian will dodge punishment for three separate flash-points during Saturday’s Old Firm derby at Ibrox.
Former Rangers skipper Barry Ferguson has also waded into the row by insisting the decision not to drag Morelos into the dock for a review of clashes with Scott Brown, Ryan Christie and Anthony Ralston as a ‘victory for common sense’.
But Sutton said: “A friend of mine called yesterday afternoon after the decision was announced and said, ‘I know there are all these conspiracies in Scottish football, but letting
Morelos off just makes it looks like the SFA want Rangers to win the league’.
“I had no answer to him. What could I say? That’s exactly what it looks like. This ridiculous non-decision leaves the SFA wide open to accusations of corruption. They’ve also made
Scottish football look like a stitch up.”
But Ferguson is adamant the beaks got it right.
He said: “The whole clamour to have a review of these three incidents from Saturday’s win over Celtic proves to me that the world has gone mad.
“We’re talking about an Old Firm match here. This isn’t the final of Strictly Come Dancing. It’s 22 professional football players going into an absolute cauldron and fighting for three points.
“If you’re going to start hauling players over the coals for incidents like that you’ll end up suspending 10 or 15 players.”