Former Rangers figure David Weir has expressed serious concern over the decision to potentially hand out a retrospective ban to Allan McGregor after his clash with Lewis Morgan versus Aberdeen.
The shot stopper caught the Dons man with a high boot when coming out to claim a loose ball and while the referee and his assistants did not dish out any punishment, the goalkeeper was offered a two match ban for dangerous conduct which was rejected.
Speaking of the incident and the Gers veteran, Weir fears that this is going to set a worrying precedent where players situations that are not clear cut find themselves being punished.
He told the Daily Record (07:42): “As far as I’m concerned it’s inconclusive. It’s up for debate rather than being a clear-cut incident where there is no doubt about his intentions.
“How could the SFA possibly prove that what he did was deliberate when it’s not a black and white issue? They’d have to make a decision purely subjectively and I’m not sure you can hand out red cards or suspensions on that basis.
“Listen I’m not saying Allan is an angel because he’s not. But if people are trying to say he has set out with the intention of trying to hurt someone – which is what I can only imagine the case against him will be – then that’s well wide of the mark.”
Opinion
This is not the first time that the Gers have found themselves in front of the disciplinary panel this season and considering how things have gone in the past there is no way to tell whether it favours them or not. The decisions made by officials this campaign have been nothing short of erratic and so there will be plenty of worried faces around Ibrox as they wait to find out if the goalkeeper is banned for the club’s coming matches. Weir makes a very good point in his analysis of the situation – how on earth can the decision makers deem whether it was intentionally dangerous or just an accidental collision which comes from the goalkeeper rushing out, which he is entitled to do. The club will of course receive an explanation for the eventual decision but it could well be that they are left unsatisfied, as was the case with Daniel Candeias’ sending off and appeal earlier this season.