Journalist Craig Swan has talked about the controversial call involving Odsonne Edouard in the recent Old Firm derby.
This came after Swan appeared as a guest on the latest episode of the Record Celtic podcast and the panel talked about numerous issues involving the Parkhead-based outfit.
One topic of conversation was the weekend’s Old Firm derby. Swan gave his opinion about the fact that Celtic weren’t given a penalty for an apparent foul on Edouard in the first half. The journalist believes that it is impossible for us to tell whether it was a penalty or not.
Edouard was brought down by Borna Barisic in the box but the Frenchman was given a yellow card for simulation. After the game, Scott Brown said that the Hoops were denied a stonewall penalty and contact was certainly made (as per BBC Sport).
Was it right to yellow card Odsonne Edouard?
Yes
No
Swan was asked about this incident and he believes that if a penalty would’ve been given, it’d have been a soft call from the referee.
He claimed: “Listen, the only two people who are going to know how much contact there was, was Odsonne Edouard and Borna Barisic – that’s it. It’s impossible for us to tell, it doesn’t matter how many TV angles you look at.
“In typical form, Celtic were adamant there was [contact], Rangers were adamant there wasn’t. I would say, had it been given, it would have been soft.”
TIF Thoughts on the penalty call in the Old Firm…
After the game, even interim manager John Kennedy said that while there was contact from Barisic, it was minimal – but it was enough to bring Edouard down. Martin O’Neill also said that Celtic should’ve had a penalty and the same applies for ex-Celt Paul Lambert as well.
Meanwhile, Gordon Strachan said that Barisic had indeed made contact with Edouard. This suggests that the Rangers left-back had perhaps made contact with the French forward and on the basis of that, it is easy to see why Brown and Kennedy believe that Celtic should’ve had a spot-kick – though it is hardly surprising for each of these ex-favourites siding with their former club.