DAVIDSON: ROOFE’S CHALLENGE SPARKS FIERCE DEBATE

St Johnstone star Murray Davidson faces a fitness sweat ahead of this month’s Betfred Cup final.

The Saints ace limped off against Rangers at Ibrox and is now a doubt for the Hampden clash with Livingston on February 28.

Davidson appeared to receive treatment on his right leg before being withdrawn.

However, an earlier lunge at his left leg by Gers striker Kemar Roofe has sparked fierce debate.

Here’s what the coaches from both sides – as well as former players and our man at the game – had to say about the incident.

● Rangers No2 Gary McAllister – “I thought the referee had a good view of the situation. Knowing the type of player that Kemar is, I think the referee seen it as a yellow. He mis-controlled it, tried to retrieve it and the ref has seen it as a yellow.”

● St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson – “It was one of those where I don’t think there was any malice in the tackle but it doesn’t look great. TV pictures can slow it down and make it worse than it is. The only thing I am worried about is I’ve lost my player from the challenge. Not great.”

● Former Scotland Women’s boss Shelley Kerr, speaking on Sportscene – “I agree when you watch it live, it doesn’t look like there’s too much in it.

“But you can see he catches him and I think it’s a red card. I think he’s trying to protect… he’s trying to shield the ball but I think the key thing here is that he does have a wee bit of a lunge.

“I don’t think there’s any intent. I really don’t because I think his first thought is to try and win the ball, to protect the ball. But it turns out to be a wee bit reckless.”

● Scotland legend James McFadden – “I think Kemar Roofe, initially, when he takes the bad touch, is going to try and put his body in between the ball and Murray Davidson.

“But when he takes that extra lunge, for me he loses control and you can see the damage it’s done on Murray Davidson’s leg.

“I don’t think he meant to go in and hurt him but I felt as though he lost control, and he’s very fortunate that he stayed on the pitch because the referee was right in front of him.”

● Ex-Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands, speaking on BBC Sportsound – “It could’ve been a completely different game if he’d been red carded. Rangers were lucky he only got a yellow and kept 11 men on. Had we had VAR, this would’ve been a straight red card. We don’t have it up here so instead the referee has to make a splitsecond decision.”

● Former Dundee, Rangers, St Johnstone and Dundee United striker Billy Dodds – “Roofe should’ve gone. I don’t think it matters whether it’s intentional or not. Looking at it again, it was on the border of (being) a horrendous challenge.”

● Courier sports writer Eric Nicolson, St Johnstone correspondent – “Forget this nonsense about Roofe protecting or shielding the ball.

“The best in the business at doing that was Kenny Dalglish and you would never have seen him going over the top in this sort of reckless fashion. It was a crude, high and out-of-control challenge and intent – or lack of it – is a red herring.”

● Courier sports writer George Cran, our man at the game – “In real time – watching from way, way at the back of the stand where the football writers are situated at Ibrox this season – it was very difficult to tell just how bad the challenge was.

“There was a very clear scream from Murray Davidson which had the alarm bells ringing.”