Fir Park calamity – Let’s see media outrage and Willie Collum’s rushing out a VAR Review

The Celtic Star

·21 December 2024

Fir Park calamity – Let’s see media outrage and Willie Collum’s rushing out a VAR Review

We are all looking forward to media outrage and Willie Collum’s explanation after Fir Park calamity…

"Oh my word!" 🎙️ Motherwell are down to 10-men after a VAR review didn't lead to Dan Casey's red card getting overturned 🟥
– Friday, 20 December 2024

We are just slowly starting to catch our breath again after a week that has seen one of the biggest inquests ever conducted into an incident that has happened in a game of association football. Watch this incident which is near the end of the highlights video shown below.

Now listen to Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell talking about the sending off….

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It seems that every single supporter, pundit, ex player, and ex-match official has had their say on the ‘controversial’ decision last weekend where essentially it came down to the referee blowing his whistle a fraction too early, hardly the crime of the century and had it been at the other end of the park we’d have been told to file it under Honest Mistakes.

The incident in question has received more news coverage than the recent US presidential election, the assassination of JFK, and the 9/11 attacks combined. An incident so clear cut that no one on and off the park complained about at the time.

Motherwell’s Dan Casey leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Kilmarnock at Fir Park Stadium Motherwell on Friday 20th December 2024 Photo Andy Buchanan/Shutterstock

Collum rushed out December’s VAR Review video

It was of course the outrageous decision not to award theRangers a spot kick in Sundays league cup final. TheRangers supporters, the SMSM and Philippe Clement have been equal in their collective outrage, and it left Head of Scottish referees Willie Collum with no other option but to come out with a quick explanation to appease the hordes.

The penalty claim explained. Beaton had blown the whistle for the foul outside the box. Image from social media.

Collum has done himself no favours by quickly condemning the decision and throwing his charges under the bus, and all just to bow to the Ibrox club who are forever feeling hard done by. Everyone (including the Ibrox club) knows that they lost the game because they aren’t good enough. Simple. Anything to deflect from their failures I suppose.

Collum has made a rod for his own back

Collum has made a rod for his own back, as have the SMSM with their repetitive ranting on the subject. So it will be interesting to see how both deal with one of the harshest red cards you’ll ever see in last nights premiership clash between Motherwell and Kilmarnock.

Referee Chris Graham, St Johnstone v Hearts, Scottish Premiership, McDiarmid Park, Perth, 02 November 2024 Photo Alan Rennie Shutterstock

Shocking decision at Fir Park

Motherwell defender Dan Casey was sent off for nothing more than a shoving match with his Killie opponent. It was astonishingly given as a red card in real time, but it got even worse when referee Chris Graham stuck to his original decision despite being sent to the pitch side monitor by David Dickinson on VAR.

We all look forward to the media outrage and a Willie Collum explanation before the weekend is over. Collum of course as we have already mentioned on The Celtic Star has rushed out his December VAR Review with three rounds of fixtures still to play.

Are these games any less significant Willie?

Collum has always been cowardly when it comes to facing controversy with any Iborx outfit, old or new. Yesterday Brendan Rodgers provided the explanation for John Beaton’s on-field decision last weekend at Hampden, which was accurate, fair and reasonable.

Had VAR done their job and asked Beaton to look at the monitor he may well have decided to stick to his initial decision because he knew when he had blown his whistle.

Last night’s decision was incredible. Motherwell will surely appeal the red card and it must be rescinded. Where does that leave Willie Collum? Will be have to rush out a second December VAR Review? Will we see Chris Graham punished for his mistake or is It only mistakes against theRangers that fall into that category?

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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