IT’S SHOW TIME
I’m keeping count of referees’ decisions
PEDRO CAIXINHA has admitted he is keeping a record of refereeing decisions for and against Rangers.
Speaking after last Friday’s league draw with Partick Thistle, the Ibrox boss claimed his side were suffering from a ‘deficit’ of decisions in their favour.
He was also angered by referee John Beaton’s display in last month’s defeat to Hibernian and believes Thistle striker Conor Sammon blocked keeper Jak Alnwick at corners during Tuesday’s Betfred League Cup quarter-final win in Maryhill.
A calf tear will rule defender Bruno Alves out of today’s clash with Celtic, with 19-year-old Ross McCrorie poised for an Old Firm baptism of fire.
Yet, hoping referee Craig Thomson will not be increasing the deficit of decisions he now lists on a game-by-game basis, Caixinha added: ‘I am working on it.
‘We have a lot of time to be more focused on our time, analysing
our opponents, setting up the training content and organising the training weeks. ‘But I am going to do like an account list (of decisions) for and against. ‘Normally, when things are regular, by the end everything is balanced. ‘I just want to understand and see how things are going to be.’ Caixinha has accused domestic opponents of being more aggressive against his side — a claim Thistle manager Alan Archibald believes influenced 50/50 decisions on Tuesday night. Yet, denying he is turning the screw on officials before Thomson takes control of today’s encounter, Caixinha added: ‘No. Not at all. ‘Look, the first time I started to do it (keep a record) was in Mexico. Why Mexico? Because you know that at the beginning of the season we have a meeting with the referees to talk about all the rules, blah, blah, blah, attention more on this, attention more on that. ‘Everything is discussed because we want to have a clean and open communication, so anything that might happen we need to discuss it. ‘That’s why here I have only pointed my finger to one referee or referee’s decision: after Hibs, because it was really too much. ‘The reason is on my side because it’s not about the referee or the decisions, it’s the player that was involved in it. I watched some more matches and the same player (Anthony Stokes) needed to receive at least two more red cards directly, and he stayed on the pitch. But that is not my question. ‘My question is to analyse and to discuss it by the images that are sent to the referees’ committee or whatever with our thoughts about it. Are we seeing the game and the rules of the game being applied in favour or against? ‘Just like that. I don’t want more than that.’ Caixinha was unhappy with Thistle’s tactics at corners in Tuesday night’s extra-time victory. Claiming keeper Alnwick was impeded repeatedly by striker Sammon, the Rangers boss added: ‘The issue is that repeatedly, even in this last match, our goalkeeper Jak was blocked by Sammon — and nothing happened. ‘That’s what I am referring to. If they are going to use it or not. ‘Celtic never block our goalkeeper at corners. They block some players in our zone at the far post, but the block is allowed. ‘But the goalkeeper cannot be touched, please. The goalkeeper on the goal-kick area, he cannot be touched. And if he cannot be touched, he definitely cannot be blocked.’