Many Celtic fans have been talking about Dermot Gallagher’s comments regarding Motherwell striker Devante Cole’s challenge on Jeremie Frimpong last weekend.
During Celtic’s recent 4-1 win over Motherwell, Cole had gone in with a challenge on Frimpong which pundits said had deserved a red card.
Former Premier League referee Gallagher spoke to Sky Sports (via the Scottish Sun) about Cole’s challenge and believes that the referee read it wrong, saying that Cole was ‘lucky’ that he wasn’t sent off. He feels that Frimpong is also lucky he didn’t suffer serious injury as the point of contact was ‘really, really bad’.
Do you think Devante Cole should be banned?
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These comments from Gallagher caught the attention of many Celtic fans and they expressed their opinions very clearly.
What did Celtic fans make of Dermot Gallagher’s comments regarding Cole’s challenge on Frimpong?
Another weekend, another Celtic player allowed to be kicked off the park, meanwhile the new club across the city are breaking records for penalties received.
Operation stop 10 in a row is in full swing now.
— Barrhead Bhoy* (@Barrhead_Bhoy67) November 9, 2020
This is the second time he’s nearly been done,eventually some player will give him a serious injury and they’ll still get away with it.
— Kev (@K0V1NN) November 9, 2020
The first point of contact was allowing that official to be in charge of a Celtic game.whatever he can do to penalise our team he will. He should never be allowed to officiate at one of our games again.
— ONTO THE 10? (@Celtic67Champs) November 9, 2020
Oh dear @ScottishFA ref Dallas called out in England for his corrupt practices. Add this disgrace to the 10 penalties hes already given sevco and his cheating is materially influencing the league title race.
— Ronnie O’Connor (@_lippylipez_) November 9, 2020
Neil Lennon believes that the challenge was ‘high and late’ and had left Frimpong in a lot of discomfort, expressing concerns that the young Dutchman might have suffered ligament damage (as per Herald Scotland).
Some other Celtic fans were also unhappy with Cole’s challenge and they too made their opinions clear about it in response to Gallagher’s comments.
We need to get foreign referees. The refs have always had in for Celtic. Time to start pressurising the SFA to force change.
— concernedScot (@ScotConcerned) November 9, 2020
Shame the match day official didn’t treat it as seriously. It was a straight red
— greenhoops (@Greenhoops) November 9, 2020
Pundit Marvin Bartley also believes that the challenge deserved a red card and it was ‘far too dangerous’ from Cole (as per the Daily Record).
Judging by the reaction of various pundits and Gallagher, Cole deserved a sending off for the challenge and it seems as if the Motherwell forward was very fortunate not to have received a red card for serious foul play as well as a lengthy ban.