The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Murty says referees need to go full time to ensure better standard
Rangers boss Graeme Murty believes Scottish referees need to go fulltime if the standard of their officiating is to improve.
The performances of whistlers north of the border has come into sharp focus once again following Neil Lennon’s furious bustup with Kevin Clancy on Saturday.
The Hibernian manager was sent to the stand after angrily remonstrating with the official following his decision to hand Kilmarnock a disputed penalty during the 2-2 draw at Rugby Park.
Unlike Premier League referees in England, who earn up to £70,000 a year on full professional contracts, Scottish officials currently work as self-employed contractors who are paid on a game-by-game basis.
But Murty says the only way to drive up their displays is to copy the lead taken by top-flight chiefs down south and invest in the men in black.
“Until we have a professional core of referees in Scotland, who are training every day with financial backing commensurate to the task, they will find it difficult to reach the standards of the Premier League in England,” said the Ibrox boss.
“That’s nothing to do with their own desires or their wants – it’s to do with the reality of being professional and getting paid to do a job.
“It’s exactly the same as professional footballers playing at the top level with all the facilities behind him as opposed to a part-time footballer having to do a day job then going to play on the weekend.
“Unless we get to that level we will continue having this conversation.”
Murty, meanwhile, says he will do all he can to help Bruno Alves fulfil his World Cup dream – but warned the Portugal star he must earn his Ibrox recall.
Euro 2016 winner Alves has not featured for Gers since damaging a calf in December’s Old Firm showdown at Celtic Park and he was left on the bench for Saturday’s 2-0 win against Hearts.
Ahead of their trip to face St Johnstone tonight, the Gers manager says he is determined to help the former Porto, Zenit St Petersburg and Fenerbahce ace play his part alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at this summer’s World Cup in Russia but he will have to be patient to win his place back.
Murty said: “He’s a consummate professional and he understands, because of his experience, that we have to pick a team to win the game and that’s all it is. It’s not to do with reputation, it’s to do with getting the people on the pitch who are performing and the guys right now are doing that.”
“Professional and getting paid to be so”