Neil Lennon AGREES the decision not to award Rangers a penalty against Celtic in Sunday’s contentious League Cup Final was ‘unacceptable’.
The ex-Celtic manager reacted to the breaking news that Head of Refereeing Willie Collum has admitted the VAR team made an ‘unacceptable’ mistake in failing to award Rangers a spot-kick.
On-field referee John Beaton awarded a free-kick for a tug on Vaclav Cerny’s jersey by Hoops defender Liam Scales and the call wasn’t overturned by the VAR team.
Brendan Rodgers’ side went onto lift the first trophy of the season via a penalty shoot-out after the game ended 3-3 after extra time.
Now former Hoops boss Neil Lennon has EXCLUSIVELY told PLZ Soccer: “If Willie [Collum] is saying that, then it’s unacceptable because you’ve got a referee, two or three officials watching the game, slowing it down. It’s a Cup Final. These decisions have to be right.
“Willie has fronted it up and said yes it’s unacceptable and I agree with him. It has to be better. It’s alright having the Monday morning routine and calling these things out in hindsight but they should be getting it right on the day.
“They’re going to come in for some incredible criticism from one half of the city and that’s understandable. That’s natural because it’s a big moment in a big game and you expect the officials to get these, with all the technology we have, and the bodies around it, to get it right.
“We were talking off air about if Willie is the Head of the Referees, then for me would he not be there, for a big game especially. Either Willie or someone of a senior standing in the refereeing association.
“Willie has come out today and basically castigated the guys who have made that decision. If it came down to the understanding of the game then Willie would be number one in that aspect. You would like someone of that stature to be calling those decisions.
“If you have a bad game you get taken out but that’s no consolation to the Rangers fans, the Rangers players or the Rangers manager. The decision is gone now. It would have had a huge impact on a Cup Final.”
“For me it’s not bias, it’s just incompetence.”
🚨READ FULL WILLIE COLLUM QUOTES ON PLZ SOCCER’S WEBSITE HERE
📲 THE VAR REVIEW: VIA SCOTTISH FA YOUTUBE ⤵️
