Celtic manager Neil Lennon questions referee decision making
Celtic manager Neil Lennon defended his right to question the decisions of referee Willie Collum and to write to the Scottish Football Association.
Celtic have asked the association to clarify why a crucial penalty was given to Rangers in their 3-1 loss in the Old Firm derby.
Collum has received death threats after he made a number of controversial decisions in the game against Celtic in the Premier League match on Sunday 24 October.
This follows refereeing assistant Steven Craven decision to resign from his position after he was involved in referee Dougie McDonald’s decision to overturn a Celtic penalty against Dundee United.
The Celtic manager Lennon said, "I don't want to see them walking away from the game when they've worked hard to get to that position, but all we want is the big decisions to be called right."
Lennon condemned those who threatened referee Collum and added, "That's a desperate situation. It's absolutely nothing to do with the game.”
However, the manager refused to accept that by questioning the referee and writing to the association the manager had added fuel to the incident. "Until last weekend, I didn't have a problem with any referee and, all of a sudden, we seem to be the world's
worst because we are questioning a couple of controversial decisions that have gone against us,” said Lennon.
The Celtic boss stated that every manager in the game would question decisions before and after games.
"But I am not doing anything any other manager wouldn't do, so I think we are blowing this a little bit out of proportion," he added.
Lennon admitted that referees were under pressure, but that the players and managers were under as much pressure to achieve results.
The manager had questioned Collum’s lack of experience to referee the Old Firm prior to the game and Lennon will want to know why a more experienced referee was not given the responsibility of refereeing the game.
Tags: