After speaking with senior club officials, Philippe Clement stated that he was not aware that Rangers intended to request that the SFA keep referee Willie Collum away from their matches. He further emphasized that no such request would be made in the future without his knowledge.
Tonight, Collum will oversee the Ibrox club’s home Scottish Cup clash against Ayr United, his first match as manager since the decisive Premiership match against Celtic at Parkhead back in December.
The ruling by VAR official Collum that Celtic right back Alistair Johnston had not committed a handball offense within his own penalty area in the first half of a league match the visitors lost 2-1, infuriated Glasgow supporters. Johnston had clearly punched the ball out of play.
The next week, Rangers CEO James Bisgrove and director of football operations Creag Robertson met with SFA head of refereeing Crawford Allan and requested that Collum not officiate any of their games coming ahead. Their request was promptly denied.
But Clement said yesterday that he hopes the Old Firm controversy is history and that he has no problem with Collum being named for the Ayr match.
To be honest, I’m happy,” he remarked. “If I ever felt that a referee wasn’t impartial, I would immediately resign from my position. I’m relieved that the past is behind us.
Then, we will be able to move on from this story. There was a mistake, in my opinion. It was obviously a handball. However, I am not perfect either. I probably make mistakes every day. I therefore don’t judge someone based on their mistakes, whether they be permanent or not. Both the game and the circumstances are new.
It’s critical that we avoid dwelling on the past while discussing this game. That’s also crucial in life. My goal is for my players to stay focused on the present and not dwell on the previous few weeks, months, or start of the season. It has to do with playing in the upcoming game. You anticipate being given more opportunities to show that you can redeem yourself if we make mistakes.
Clement said, “No,” when asked if he had been consulted regarding the Collum request. That is something we have discussed in the club. That will take place later on.
The Belgian, meantime, emphasized that he accepted the SFA disciplinary panel’s decision to deny Rangers’ appeal against Dujon Sterling’s red card, which was given toward the conclusion of Tuesday night’s Premiership victory over Aberdeen at Ibrox.
“You have to accept decisions even though you don’t want to lose players,” he stated. Referees are there to ensure that the game is fair and that the rules are followed. Clarity is crucial for managers, players, and supporters.
“This was not a clear case; otherwise, VAR would not have intervened to view the pictures. Alright, the choice has been made and it is accepted. There isn’t an alternative.
There have been additional tackles that resulted in a yellow card in previous games. However, it is the nature of football. Things are never clear-cut. Serving as a referee in a gray area might be challenging at times. That, in my opinion, is one of football’s pleasures. When it works against you, sometimes I don’t feel that way. However, there are usually a lot of conversations.
“Details are crucial, but there will always be a gray area. Perhaps this was everyone’s misconception when VAR entered the picture, believing that the gray area would vanish. That isn’t feasible. Every movement has a ton of subtleties. There was some gray here. It didn’t work in our favor. We must come to terms with it.
