Rangers renewed their call for the Scottish FA’s ‘flawed’ disciplinary system to be urgently overhauled after Allan McGregor lost his appeal against a two-match ban.

The Ibrox goalkeeper was hit with a retrospective notice of complaint after catching Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson on the shin as he gathered the ball during last week’s 4-2 win for Steven Gerrard’s side at Pittodrie.

The 36-year-old was offered a two-match ban and, after his appeal failed, he will now miss Saturday’s home league clash with St Johnstone and next Wednesday’s Scottish Cup replay with Kilmarnock at Ibrox.

Rangers have renewed their call for the Scottish FA’s disciplinary system to be overhauled after Allan McGregor lost his appeal against a two-match ban

In November, Rangers called for a ‘fundamental review’ into the SFA disciplinary process and expressed an ‘underlying concern’ with the performances of Willie Collum after the referee issued a controversial red card to winger Daniel Candeias against St Mirren.

And, after a series of baffling recent decisions by the SFA, the club insisted the issues with the disciplinary process must be quickly addressed.

An Ibrox spokesperson said: ‘Rangers has no option other than to accept this decision.

‘However, it is abundantly clear questions about the current disciplinary system, which we believe is flawed, must be posed.

‘Rangers has been in dialogue with the Scottish FA on this topic for some time and would urge that the system is now thoroughly reviewed as a matter of extreme urgency.’

McGregor’s failed appeal came 24 hours after Kilmarnock’s Alan Power escaped an SFA ban for a head-high challenge on Ryan Jack of Rangers.

McGregor’s failed appeal came 24 hours after Kilmarnock’s Alan Power escaped a ban for a head-high challenge on Rangers’ Ryan Jack

Power was booked by referee Alan Muir for a reckless challenge on the Ibrox midfielder during a goalless Scottish Cup tie at Rugby Park on Saturday evening.

Speaking following Saturday’s cup tie, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard said of the Power challenge: ‘I’ll be interested to see if there is a citing.’ But SFA compliance officer Clare Whyte reviewed the incident and decided no action was required, leaving the Irishman free to face Celtic in the Premiership on Sunday.

Rangers also lost an appeal against a red card for Alfredo Morelos in the 4-2 win over Aberdeen with the Colombian handed a three-game ban.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton said the SFA were right to ban McGregor but admitted he had sympathy for Rangers

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton said the SFA were right to ban McGregor but admitted he had sympathy for Rangers.

Sutton said on Twitter: ‘The correct decision on McGregor and fortunate for him it’s his first ban after some of his other antics this season… however Rangers management and fans will look at Power and McGinn cases and wonder like the rest of us how can one can be banned and the others not…SFA ‘ Barry Ferguson has revealed McGregor ‘looked him in the eye’ and insisted he did not mean to hurt his nephew Lewis. 

The former Rangers captain insisted the challenge was only worth a yellow card and speaking to PLZ Soccer, said: ‘I bumped into Allan on Sunday and I asked him. I looked in his eyes and asked: ‘Did you mean it?’ ‘And his words were: ‘Look Baz, I’m coming out to protect myself’.

‘Previous goalkeepers I’ve worked with would always come out and try and protect themselves. And I honestly believe that.

‘Was it high? Of course it was high. Could it have been worse than what it was? It could have been.

‘But thankfully Lewis never got hurt. It’s a booking for me.

‘I’m sure Rangers will be disappointed with him getting the two games.

‘But I know Allan and I know what type of guy he is. Do I think he’s gone out to hurt somebody? No I don’t.’ There was a further contentious decision from the SFA’s disciplinary system this week when St Mirren’s Paul McGinn escaped punishment for what looked a dangerous elbow on Dundee United’s Cammy Smith.

St Mirren manager Oran Kearney admitted he would have no complaints if Paul McGinn’s caution was upgraded to a red card

McGinn’s own manager, Oran Kearney, admitted he would have had no complains if the defender’s caution was upgraded to a red card, conceding the incident: ‘did not look good.’ United coach Neil Alexander insisted Smith was fortunate to escape serious injury following McGinn’s ‘horrendous challenge’.

And he said: ‘It looked a naughty one to me straight away. Our reaction was – that’s horrendous and there could have been serious damage to the boy.

‘I saw it clearly and the bench saw it clearly. We do feel sympathetic towards referees, I do think they’ve got a really tough job and they need help but you need to get big decisions like that correct.’ 

Hibernian’s Darnell Johnson, meanwhile, saw his appeal against a suspension for a challenge on Celtic’s Emilio Izaguirre thrown out.

Johnson had initially been cautioned by Craig Thomson for the tackle but was retrospectively handed a two game ban and will miss his side’s next two fixtures against Hamilton and Dundee. 

Dare to dream: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers won’t give up hope of winning the Europa League

• Celtic face Valencia in first leg of their Europa League last-32 clash on Thursday
• They are 80/1 outsiders to lift the trophy in the Baku Olympic Stadium in May 
• Brendan Rodgers insists club should never give up hope of winning competition

By

Stephen Mcgowan For The Scottish Daily Mail

Published:
19:15 EST, 13 February 2019

|
Updated:
19:15 EST, 13 February 2019

Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic should never give up hope of winning the Europa League.

The Scottish champions go into the first leg of their last-32 clash against Valencia on Thursday night as 80/1 outsiders to lift the trophy in the Baku Olympic Stadium in May.

And Rodgers admits the financial climate has changed massively since Celtic last reached a European final 16 years ago.

Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic should never give up hope of winning the Europa League

Asked if it’s a trophy the Parkhead side can ever harbour hopes of lifting, however, Rodgers said: ‘You always have to believe you can.

‘I think if you look at the teams in it, there’s a real array of top teams. The competition gets stronger each year because now there is a real onus on it where you can qualify for the Champions League.

‘Because of that there is a real hunger there for teams to do well in it. But you always have to go in and do the very best you possibly can, that’s the idea. And that’s what we’ll always believe.’ Celtic lost to Porto in the 2003 UEFA Cup final in Seville, with Rangers also reaching the final in 2008.

Despite France Football naming the Parkhead side the 21st biggest club on the planet, however, Rodgers believes the financial gulf between clubs from the large leagues and the rest makes it harder than ever before to overcome teams like Valencia.

Confirming for the first time that the Spanish club outmuscled Celtic for £7million right back Cristiano Piccini last summer, Rodgers admitted: ‘Yeah. It didn’t happen and he went away. But he’s an outstanding player, which I’m sure you’ll see. But listen, it happens. We targeted a player who we thought we could get, but for whatever reason it didn’t happen. But that’s okay, we move on.

‘This is a challenge for us. I said to the players this morning: “Listen, we are playing against a good team, everyone recognises that – but let’s not forget we’re a good team as well”.

Scottish champions face Valencia in first leg of their Europa League last-32 clash on Thursday

‘That’s why we are at this stage of the competition. We are through on merit. We had good teams in our group and we qualified. We deserve it. So let’s go and attack the game and enjoy it.’ Valencia are currently eighth in La Liga and have lost just four league games all season.

‘Valencia is a club I know well,’ added Rodgers. ‘They have a great history and there is always a demand to do well.

‘They have very good players and some of their recent results tell you everything about the level they are at. But it’s an opportunity for us. I never see a good team as an obstacle.’ Rodgers refused to a rule out a return for Kieran Tierney in next week’s second leg in Spain – but confirmed the left back will not play on Thursday night despite a return to training.

Rodgers’ side are 80/1 outsiders to lift the trophy in the Baku Olympic Stadium in May

Sportsmail understands the home league game with Motherwell on February 24 is the likeliest date pencilled in for the left back to return to action.

‘He’s looked very good in the last couple of days in training but he’s literally just re-joined the squad, but there will be a point over the next couple of weeks when we can bring him in,’ said Rodgers.

‘He looks really strong but it would be unfair to bring him into a game of this magnitude after a week or so training.

‘He’s desperate to play and that’s where he’s gaining experience because he also knows he has to look after his body as well. We’re desperate to have him back, but it’s just timing.

‘The second leg is maybe a possibility but we’ll just test him over the next week or so.’

 

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