Rodgers slams ‘incompetence’
◆ Five crazy minutes at Tynecastle swing title race back in Rangers’ favour as Rodgers’ men are left to lament red card and penalty miss
Brendan Rodgers hit out at “incompetence” from officials Don Robertson and John Beaton after Celtic lost 2-0 to Hearts at Tynecastle.
The champions arrived in Gorgie knowing that a win would move them back above Rangers with nine games to go in the Premiership title race, but it was hearts who prevailed in a controversial match.
Jorge Grant scored a debated penalty just before half-time before Lawrence Shankland added a second goal on 57 minutes,while celtic were forced to play the majority of the match with ten men due to ava r-provoked red card for their winger Yang Hjun-jun on 16 minutes.
Rodgers seethed over the nature of the two big flashpoints that went against his Celtic side. For Yang’s red card, given for a challenge that caught Alex Cochrane in the face, on-field referee Robertson originally issued a yellow card, but on the advice of his VAR Beaton reviewed the decision and upgraded it, while for the 42nd-minute penalty, Robertson was called to the monitor once more and pointed to the spot for a handball against Tomoki Iwata.
"My feeling is that the game was decided by the officials – on the field and outside of the field,” said manager Rodgers. “You guys will know me long enough to know that I don’t really comment on officials – they make mistakes and whatever else. But today that felt like really really poor officiating.
“The first one is the sending off when there is no force. Show a still image of that and of course and you will see a foot up with the head near it, but it’s not the reality of the move. Don got it actually right on the field. it was a high boot, so it’s a yellow card – no malice or force. For John Beaton to actually look at that in VAR, supposedly under no pressure, and say it was a sending off? I find that incredible.
“The second one is worse. If you have a penalty go against you for that then there will be penalties every single weekend and midweek. I don’t know what he is supposed to do. Tomo is jumping, he got a nudge, he is coming down, the ball falls on to his arm and there is no intention to move.
“Then you get the penalty against and he gets the chance to look at it and see it. that really left us with an uphill task in the game and credit to my players. They kept going, their keeper has made a few good saves. if we get one of them it changes the momentum of the game. But it was a poor day for the officials."
Rodgers was left in no doubt VAR technology is not to blame and the decisions were borne out of “incompetence” from theo fficials. “i also think as well that VAR is not the problem here, that’ s clear ,” the celtic boss added. “It’s competence. And I think the first one is a great example of the game being refereed outside of the pitch. The referee made the decision and someone outside made another decision to say it was a sending off. So that’s the game being refereed outside of the field and in big games that costs you.”
Rodgers was asked if it was the worst display of officiating he had experienced during his time in Scotland and responded: “I think so. I think when I see that level of in competence is the only word I can use, then that makes me worry for the game.”
For John Beaton to look at that in VAR and say it was a sending off? I find that incredible
The latest episode of the 2023/24 cinch Premiership title race did not disappoint. It was a thriller, laced with action and drama. Come the end of the season, Celtic’s 2-0 defeat by Hearts may prove a pivotal act.
There was a five-minute scene at Tynecastle that defined a painful loss for Celtic. On 11 minutes, Adam Idah’s penalty, driven low down the middle, was saved by the legs of Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark. Then, on 16 minutes, Celtic winger Yang Hjun-jun caught the face of Alex Cochrane with a very high challenge for the ball.
It was unintentional – but dangerous. Referee Don Robertson gave a yellow card but on the advice of his VAR John Beaton, the official reviewed the incident and upgraded it to a red. From that moment on, Celtic lost control of this game.
Hearts were clever in the way they managed the remainder of this match, patiently probing away at the Celtic defence. VAR came to their rescue again in the first half – more on that later – but Steven Naismith’s men were worthy of their victory thanks to a Jorge Grant penalty and a crisp Lawrence Shankland strike, his 27th goal of the season.
Celtic sloped out of Gorgie failing to capitalise on Rangers’ shock 2-1 defeat by Motherwell 24 hours earlier. They continue to trail the league leaders and Old Firm rivals by two points. Nine matches remain.
Hearts have now taken six points from Celtic this season and are a bit of a bete noire for Brendan Rodgers. It was the Jambos who trounced his Invincibles during his first spell as manager but this season’s results are far more significant. “Can we play you every week,” sang the home support. Hearts, now 13 points clear in third place, will be difficult foes again after the split.
Of course, the hosts rode their luck at times. Idah’s penalty, after Cochrane had tripped Yang, was weak. Celtic still carried a threat with ten men and Clark was kept on his toes throughout.
Perhaps the most fortunate moment, though, was the decision to award them a penalty on 42 minutes. Tomoki Iwata knew little about the ball coming off his arm as he tried to head the ball away. Robertson was unfussed to begin with too but after a long VAR check, he gave the penalty. Grant kept his cool and showed Idah how to do it with an emphatic finish into the corner, sending Joe Hart the wrong way.
VAR did go against Hearts in stoppage time for the slimmest of offsides calls against Shankland. But the Scotland striker, with national team boss Steve Clarke watching in the stand, was not to be denied.
His precise finish on 57 minutes after the ball broke to him off Greg Taylor in the box was the perfect illustration of his ruthlessness in front of goal.
Celtic never stopped trying to get back into the match, but numerically handicapped and without injured talismanic captain Callum Mcgregor, who watched on glumly behind the away dugout, they did not look like a side capable of staging a grandstand comeback. Kyogo Furuhashi was thrown on at half-time and gave them more firepower but in the second period, the closest Celtic came to scoring was when the impervious Clark beat away two Idah efforts. The Scotland keeper won their personal duel hands down.
As you were, then, at the top of the table. And there will be more twists to come.
Celtic sloped out of Gorgie failing to capitalise on Rangers’ shock 2-1 defeat by Motherwell