McCann will ask SFA to overturn Miller’s red card

NEIL McCANN pledged to be the next manager knocking at the SFA’s unhinged disciplinary door after Kenny Miller pleaded innocence over the red card that ruined his return to Ibrox.

Miller was shown a straight red card by Kevin Clancy for a challenge deemed as dangerous play on Rangers full-back Borna Barisic. The striker had earlier been booked for an elbow offence on Andy Halliday.

However, Dundee boss McCann claimed that his initial impression of Miller winning the ball first was confirmed by his captain after the match — and that means an appeal will be lodged.

At the end of a week in which the disciplinary process at Hampden has come under sustained fire, the SFA’s Judicial Panel will be brought swiftly back into action.

‘We will appeal the decision — 100 per cent,’ said McCann. ‘Kenny has won the ball but, yeah, his momentum has taken him through and caught the player.

‘I spoke to Kenny, I saw it in real time that he got the ball. He said he absolutely got the ball. Yes he did catch the man but there were several challenges like that and the card wasn’t brandished.

‘It’s a straight red he showed. I thought it was a second yellow, I have to admit. I don’t think the first one was a yellow, though, I felt he was just trying to get himself across Andy.

‘I was surprised at the first yellow and equally surprised when I learned the other one was a straight red.’

McCann lamented injury problems that contributed to the defensive failings in his side.

New signing Ryan Inniss joined Josh Meekings on the sidelines, Darren O’Dea had to be withdrawn early in the second half and his replacement Genseric Kusunga wasn’t fully fit.

But McCann’s men stayed honest to the end and that left the manager encouraged that they won’t be pointless for much longer.

‘I don’t chuck it, the players don’t chuck it,’ he said. ‘We are playing with a lack of confidence but there are sparkles within games which give me encouragement they are good enough to do it.

‘They just need a wee bit more self-belief, a wee bit more confidence. That is the character you need, especially when you are on a run of straight defeats.’