As I had reported here last year a scout based in England was sent north to look at several players.
One of them was Sevco’s Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos.
The blunt assessment of the scout was along the lines of “well, now I know why he was playing in Finland!”
I suspect that there is not a well-trodden path from Colombia and Helsinki.
South American players usually make landfall in southern Europe, usually Iberia and then see where their careers take them.
The scout was amazed that the Sevco striker remained on the pitch for the entire game.
His view was that the South American’s temperament and penchant for off the ball incidents would make him a red card liability for any club.
I suspect that even an experienced manager might struggle to reduce Alfredo’s prodigious red mist output.
For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Gerrard is a beginner at the managerial lark.
Consequently, the striker’s behaviour appears unchecked from the dugout.
Now, a cynic might conclude that because of where he currently plies his trade there has been an element of official toleration within the referring community for his performance art involving the testicles of opponents.
Of course, I couldn’t possibly comment.
However, it would now appear, that the Compliance Officer has called time on his antics.
She has done the state some service.
When I was young, there was a team that enjoyed the moniker “the animals”. That was for a good reason. They appeared to indulge in violent “animal” behaviour on the field that was often replicated off field by their fans. In fact, so many of them were at it that you’d be forgiven for thinking that they were coached to play in a rough style, while their main rivals in the city had a reputation for slick play, accurate passing and sportsmanship that culminated in the Lisbon Lions.
Now another team that plays in blue is following the tradition of “the animals”. We’ve seen it with players like Morelos and McGregor so frequently now that you think that rough play is condoned or encouraged by coaches and management. The are actively looking for opportunities for “a wee fly kick”, a deliberate stamp and studs-up tackles..
Maybe I’m being a bit cynical but have you looked at the fixtures he’ll miss? After all the furore of the past week the panel might have thought now would be a good time to at least look as if justice is being done, leaving sevco with opponents they should be expected to beat even with one animal less.
I suppose those time stamped photos of the bruising to McKenna that the Dons are alleged to have would have made any other decision look a little bit silly.
The Rangers fans are going nuts because their club has still to issue a statement on the SFA action against Morelos and McGregor.
Almost without exception they fail to see the mayhem that the Colombian man child brings to the game.
Playing on the edge is completely different to what Morelos does on the park.
He’s just avoided 3 red card actions in the Celtic game, been disciplined by his manager, all to no avail.
That’s why not even the EPL teams fighting relegation put any bids in for him in the window because they can’t afford to have him sitting in the stands because of his on field behaviour.
Looks like a perfect time for the usual suspects to release another Chinese squirrel along the lines of that Scottish football is in danger of losing a talent because of those nasty football authorities and the press spotlight on Alfredo!
Now that McGregor has finally been brought to account for his assaults on opposing players, his appeal should be binned and an additional game ban added to the tariff for wasting the SFA’s time.
As the season moves into the nitty gritty of the league run in and the final rounds of the cup, things on the park are likely to become more tense at the top and bottom of the table.
Strong refereeing will be required. Do Fleming’s lovechilds have what it takes to get through the games without any more serious lapses in applying the laws of the game, or will it be same old, same old?
I fear it’ll be the latter Joe,why break the habit of a lifetime?
She’s merely doing her job Phil….and not before feckin ‘ time.
Glad there’s been justice in this case but my suspicion is that the sfa have felt the ‘mood’ of the footballing nation and taken a little heat off themselves temporarily.
Hopefully Killie will smell an opportunity for tomorrow and do the rest of us a favour.
Mr Defoe is going to be a bit stressed.
Can he manage 90 minutes?
He can certainly manage another dive….what a rectum this guy is…but BBC Sportscene managed to avoid it….how convenient.
For all the talk of the ex-Liverpool under-18’s coach trying to get More-or-less to reduce his tantrums , the facts are that the Columbian man/child’s disciplinary record is far worse under Slippy G than under more experienced coaches last season .
Being cynical , I am of the opinion that , despite the talk to the contrary , the under-18’s coach is encouraging this more aggressive approach in the belief that many ‘unbiased ‘ referees will ignore his antics – a la Beaton !
Hallelujah for the compliance officer,I wonder what woke her from her slumber,for this isn’t exactly new news,he has been at it all season.
Three games v the Dons=3 sending offs,he’s consistent,consistently bad,I’ll give him that.
Three feel good Friday stories,many thanks PMGB,appreciated.
I must be getting old coz that’s made my Friday night😊 C’mon MASH.
The compliance officer just reviews and refers incidents i think.,,
These are then reviewed by a panel of three former ‘exoerienced’ (Hmmn) referees . All three must be in agreement on a decision whether upholding or rescinding for it to stand.
Interesting use of the word state. Things are getting heated. Scottish football in general tolerates too much thuggery on the field, and then wonders why its club and national teams struggle. Anyone who witnessed the sending off of the Celtic player in the Rosenberg tie must have realized that the strictness of interpretation around any physical contact far exceeds that of Scotland. Rapid Vienna players called Morelos the dirtiest player they encountered. If you stand out in Scotland then you really do have anger management issues. Commit 20 or more fouls in a European game and you will struggle to finish with 9 men
Absolutely right. The way the game is coached and refereed here is still in the dark ages. We wonder why our teams mostly can’t get by the first preliminary round of the Europa league against teams from minnow leagues in comparison. This is a big part if it. Our own progress is often hampered by weekly training in the interpretation of rules everyone else abandoned long ago. The last home game in the champions league against Anderlecht was a very frustrating classic example.
Absolutely J Mather. If i can also say something in defence of referees; no human being can see everything all the time. When football was invented in the 19th century it was rightfully decided that the referee’s decision was final. It’s now the 21st century and we have unbelievable technology which should be used. Look at the six nations rugby tournament- the fourth official immediately reviews any ‘incident’ on the TV (like the millions of viewers at home) and then gives clear guidance. How easy is that? Thugs like more or less would soon be found out and (I hope) dealt with severely.