Honest Mistakes and the Amazing Raldo

Last night an ensemble of displaced persons escaped from Dingwall with three points.

That’s a starting XI  with four fullbacks.

It looked to be all over.

Another two points dropped, and Sevco had won at Ibrox.

Apparently, this caused some excitement among the press pack.

Hence the rather embarrassing premature publication.

I used to know a song about “the man from the Daily Mail.”

This Celtic side has acquired the manager’s determination to see things through to the end.

When the Wizard of Oz found the Brickie at the back post, it was time for the Amazing Raldo (© Ange)  to shine.

The featured image will undoubtedly adorn man walls in the years to come.

Was it the night that ten men saved the league?

Perhaps.

Before that winning goal, several game-changing decisions had gone against the men in Hoops.

Carl Starfelt has taken time to adjust to his new football environment.

He must learn that when he is the recipient of a forearm smash, then he must remain back of the bus silent as the blood pours from him.

Somewhere in a parallel universe Celtic have a chairman who speaks up for the club and discharges a duty of care to our players who are booted and battered every match.

Then there was the small matter of a blatant handball in the box that should have seen Celtic awarded a spot-kick.

Another inexplicable error…

I was at Hampden that day to see Mr Alan Muir’s contribution to a rather infamous Honest Mistake.

At the other end of the stadium sitting with John Fallon, the pair of us could see the Meekings handball.

Next up, Hampden and his dignified chap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has ever been thus.

It really has…

The fearless chaps in the Stenography Corps would have us believe that somehow the SFA have unearthed a uniquely incorruptible regiment of match officials.

Therefore, they see no need to scrutinise their affiliations or foibles.

For the avoidance of doubt, your humble correspondent is more Jeffersonian on these matters.

A hat tip to Joe McHugh of Video Celts for this spot.

Apparently, Dingwall is also part of the “West of Scotland problem”.

In other news, Big Mike just won big again on a procedural matter against Sevco.

The devil remains very much in the retail.

You can read the full judgement here.

This is a “ducks in a row” manoeuvre.

He hasn’t gone away, you know.

18 thoughts on “Honest Mistakes and the Amazing Raldo”

  1. Dear Mr Maxwell
    As you asked I have been studying that photo of Ralston’s dramatic winner and I have noticed a few things which should rule it out.
    1.He jumped too high, surely an offence of leaving the playing area’s height dimension.
    2. He seemed to be strangling number 22 from behind without touching him.
    3.He stuck his bahookie into the face of number 30, an offence in anybody language.
    4. He caught the goalie off-guard which was ungentlemanly to say the least.
    5. He completely ignored his teammate, number 20, who was telling him to leave it. “it’s not worth it”

    If you need anymore let me know and I’ll crank up the old Photoshop.

    Reply
    • Addendum;
      I live by the old adage which I have just made up that you should always praise yourself as no-one else will. When Lennon was in charge I would rant and rage to anyone who would listen, including this blog, about how great a player Ralston was. Romping up the wing, beating three players in the process and crossing to…no-one. He was too good for the tactics and formation and it made him look bad. I have to laugh when I hear people say he is the most improved player.
      Having said that big Ange has turned Rogic into a player I don’t think anyone could have imagined e’g’ still having the energy for “that” cross in the final minute.
      I would also like to point out Carter-Vickers reaction to the goal indicated how much he loves playing here. Get that job done asap.

      Reply
  2. To be absolutely fair, the goal came in the seventh minute of extra time. A biased referee plotting against us could have blown the whistle a minute feore we scored and no-one could have complained.

    Reply
  3. Another game with controversial refereeing decisions, so far, going unchallenged by the Club.
    Starfelt’s red card must be appealed…what a joke of a decision that is.
    It’s now perfectly clear what the agenda is in Scottish football.
    Will the Board man up and do what needs to be done ?
    I await with interest.

    Reply
    • It was a 2nd yellow (the 1st for complaining for being elbowed in the face) and I’m not sure that can be appealed.

      You can appeal certain yellows eg simulation and mistaken identity but this doesn’t fall into it.

      The question for me is whether he suffers a suspension for a red card or it simply adds 2 to his yellow card count.

      Reply
      • Hi…
        I do know and understand the yellow card rule…but.
        I really feel that his first card was totally and utterly unacceptable…and so the Club should set a precedent and ask for it to be over-ruled.
        Oh and as I understand it…It’s up to the member Clubs to “change” rules like this…??
        Over to you Celtic.

        Reply
  4. Yes, last night’s result had that feeling of a SIGNIFICANT win on the way to securing the league title.

    IF Ange can deliver the title – against all expectations when he was appointed in the post-Howe shambles at CFC:

    – he will have created a team of winners despite a shambolic pre-season
    – he will have overcome numerous ‘honest’ mistakes against CFC
    – he will have overcome numerous ‘honest’ mistakes in favour of The Rangers,

    But most significantly, Ange will have overcome the incompetence and subservience of his own Board.

    Our own Board members continue to hold our club back on numerous fronts… 🙁

    Reply
  5. Do it understand the rules correctly, we’re ELEVEN man Ross County not also allowed to try and score and win the game in added on time.

    Reply
  6. Recently one of the “newspapers” ran an article about the number of penalties awarded to each club and surprisingly Celtic were just behind Sevco. However there was no mention of the timing and state of play when awarded and therein lies the crux of the matter. Celtic 3-0 to the good, award a penalty for the statistics but not if they are losing 1 nil or drawing as we saw last night. Conversely, if Sevco are denied a penalty you can be sure they are three or more in the lead when it matters not.
    The board have to come out and make a statement that the officials are biased against Celtic for the world press even if it is to protect their workforce and ” let the dice fall where they may”.

    Reply
  7. You could see a lot of the rangers scarves in the crowd shots last night so the video isn’t that surprising, really.
    As for Scottish referees, their decisions are so arbitrary now that I am not sure what constitutes foul play anymore. I might have missed it, but did Starfelt get booked for a nasty challenge on an opponent’s elbow with his face?
    We only seem now to play to familiar rules of football when playing in Europe.

    Reply
    • Joe they were RCFC colours… but don’t take my word for it, what follows is taken from sportsfancovers.com

      Ross County F.C. Colors
      Scottish Premiership Team Colors
      The official colors of the Ross County F.C. team are Navy Blue, Red, and White.

      Weirdly, fleetingly the same thing crossed my mind too. Then realised that RCFC had same colours, though it’s dark navy blue. Didn’t stop some of their fans coming out with similar nasty sayings to ‘that lot’ though, I’m sure it was knee jerk reactions all the same. I’d be saying regrettable things too, losing a fitba game in the dying seconds.

      HH🇮🇪

      Reply
      • Surely the question is why is a referee like Muir still involved at the highest level in our game after the infamous Meekings incident?
        His eyesight was called into question at the very least and the ramifications if his call, non call, was of the selective variety, are much more serious.
        If the two Glasgow teams go into the new year neck and neck then one bad call by the officials could hand Champions League millions to the beneficiary.

        Reply
        • Refereeing in Scotland is the worst of any that I know of and as someone pointed out elsewhere, it’ll not be improved by ex-ibrox players turned referees who will then be running VAR.

          The sfa are also without equal, the whole governance and refereeing needs totally renewed, I used to say overhauled but that won’t fix it.
          Our club should be leading the smaller clubs, and with or without the ibrox team, it is 100% ESSENTIAL that they do ensure these changes happen ASAP.

          Let’s not kid ourselves here though, I’ve more chance of sprouting feathers and flying myself into Glasgow for this weekends final than we have of seeing Celtic FC lead that charge for change. It’s baffling to me why they don’t, for it’s in no-ones best interest (apart fae sevco) that we leave the status quo and do nothing.

          There might not be as many of these ‘honest mistakes’ if they did.

          Reply
  8. I watched on the tv stream where Craigan was commentating and his despair was almost Michelin starred to me, it was absolutely deeeelicious.

    Comments regarding the fans pitch invasion should take into account the situation, fans very close to pitch, the importance of keeping the pressure on a certain klub, the timing of the goal and its overall significance.

    That certain klub invaded the pitch so many times in recent years I’ve lost count, and never once did I read of any consequences. So, let’s see what happens when Celtic fans do the very same thing.

    Malky MacKay has made it known that a RCFC steward has a broken wrist and that’s never nice to hear about any steward getting injured whilst doing their duties.
    But will that be the straw they grasp at to get prosecutions?
    I’d bet they will and enjoy doing so in the process.

    Reply

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