Coulibaly looks for ref protection for the players
Lassana Coulibaly has called for players to be given more protection from Scottish referees. The Rangers and Mali international midfielder is upset that a late tackle on him by Hibs’ defender Ryan Porteous was only deemed worthy of a yellow card.
His manager, Steven Gerrard, called for the challenge to be reviewed after the 0-0 draw at Easter Road on December 19.
Coulibaly feels he was fortunate not to suffer a career-threatening injury in the incident.
The man on loan from French side, Angers, said: “I am very lucky because I had jumped before Porteous tackled me. But he still caught me.
“If my leg had been planted on the ground, then it would have been much worse and I could have been out injured because of it.
“The referees need to protect the players, because that type of tackle is a red card.
“In any league, not just the French league, that would be a red card.
“But here it is only a yellow card.
“You have to have respect for your opponents and not try to injure each other.
“Players need protected, and I don’t just mean Rangers and Celtic players, I mean every team.
“These types of tackles can injure someone so badly that they don’t play again.
“In France, there are some bad tackles, of course there are. But referees will give red cards for bad challenges. “Then players know that they can’t get away with those types of tackles.
“If you try and kick the player and not the ball, then you will be sent off.” Coulibaly has been glad of a rest since the winter break kicked-in a week ago.
He has mixed feelings about the non-stop schedule that means he has already played 25 matches this term.
The 22-year-old loves getting regular time on the pitch, but accepts a hamstring injury meant his form dipped for a spell.
He said: “Last season I played something like 25 games for Angers, yet already I have featured in the same number here.
“I am a great believer that you have to play games from the start to get the most experience. “I have learned more from playing every week here than I did last season when I was in and out of the Angers team. “But when you have a lot of games like us, playing SundayThursday-sunday, you don’t have the time to rest.
“Your body is always working. So if you don’t take care, then that is when you get a lot of injuries.
“I think there is still more to come from me. I know that this is not my best form.
“I know the way I was playing before my injuries came.
“Now I think things can be different.”