Rangers told to forget Willie Collum demand over Celtic penalty row as ex-ref says ‘it’s not up you’

Rangers do not have the right to insist that Willie Collum not be allowed to participate in any of their games,

according to former top referee Steve Conroy. As the Old Firm ‘penalty’ controversy continues,

it is understood that the Ibrox club has asked the SFA to

stop considering the veteran official for any match involving Philippe Clement’s team.

In the midst of a developing dispute between claims and counterclaims,

former Category 1 referee Conroy says that’s solely the SFA’s call.

He also urged Hampden Beaks to reveal VAR audio of the Derby flashpoint.

Conroy, who gave up officiating 12 years ago, acknowledges that criticism is a necessary part of the job these days.

He is uneasy, though, about the lingering effects of Saturday’s derby and the controversial first-half incident,

in which Alistair Johnston was handballed by on-field referee Nick Walsh and VAR Collum but no penalty was given.

He believes that at the time of the occurrence,

Rangers had a compelling case for their appeals.

He does, in fact, think that was a clear punishment.

However, that ought to have been the end of it when it wasn’t supplied.

On Wednesday, SFA head of referee operations Crawford Allan met

with director of football operations Creag Robertson and

chief executive James Bisgrove of the Rangers to discuss their concerns regarding the incident’s history.

Record Sport understands that the SFA vehemently disagree with

the Gers spokesperson’s later claim that there was a

“overriding consensus” during the meeting that Collum had made a mistake.

The team had submitted to the SFA a “number of specific requests,” they continued. One of those,

it is understood, is that Collum will no longer be given consideration to officiate at their games,

and the other is that the VAR audio will be made available to the public.

Conroy, who cohosts the Get Involved Referee podcast with Des Roache,

stated in an interview with Record Sport that “it’s not up to Rangers who gets appointed.”

Although I think Willie was in error, that ought to have been the end of it.

Thus, that will not occur. If Willie doesn’t play for the Rangers any more,

it’s because the SFA, not the team, has determined he can’t do it anymore.”

Conroy went on to discuss the fallout from the incident, saying,

“Someone from the weekend is ‘at it’.”

I’m not sure if it’s the SFA or the Rangers.

Furthermore, no one will know until the audio is released.

But it is completely inappropriate and uncalled for for anyone to

make personal assaults on anyone for the simple reason of officiating a football game.

An essential component of being a referee is scrutiny.

It’s normal for there to be people who disagree with your decisions in business.

However, not in the event that there is any personal intimidation.

As I frequently say: “No ref, no game.”

Pundits and punters alike were perplexed as to why the penalty against Johnston in the first half at Parkhead was not awarded.

Images shown later in the game, well after halftime,

further confused things by demonstrating that Abdallah Sima,

the Rangers player engaged in the altercation, was really playing offside.

Conroy thinks that person who chose to press the button on those pictures

“threw everyone under the bus,” and it was the biggest mistake of the whole thing.

The Rangers spokesman stated that there was “no mention of a potential offside at the time of the handball decision” following the meeting on Wednesday at Hampden,

where Gers executives listened to the VAR recording.

They have insisted on the release of the audio.

SFA sources emphasise that if VAR had originally determined that the event was a handball,

then offside would have applied in that instance.

At this point, Conroy believes that the best way to end the issue is to make the recording public.

“They should release the audio without a doubt,” stated the former Category A referee.

The entire incident seems to have gone wrong in some way.

Personally, I think that’s the most obvious punishment you can receive.

“Back then, there was no consequence.

Although I don’t think Alistair Johnston meant to smash the ball, intention is irrelevant at this point.

“He was elongating himself, and he was doing it in an entirely abnormal posture.

He obviously got hit in the hand, so there’s a penalty.

But that’s the end of it if Willie looks at that and doesn’t think it’s evident enough for Nick to have an on-field review.

The offside doesn’t matter. If they have determined that there is no penalty,

then there is no need to search for any further incidents.

“I don’t know why they uploaded stills and images of an offside that, in technical terms,

might have been a missed offside. That has complicated everything.

“Whoever chose to release those photos has put everyone on the defensive and added unnecessary stress to our lives. There is a lesson to be learned there.

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