According to reports, Willie Collum will infuriate Rangers fans by supporting Nick Walsh and Andrew Dallas in their choice to keep Auston Trusty on the field during the team’s loss to Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final.
Despite the Key Match Incident (KMI) Panel confirming that Trusty should have been sent off for catching Jack Butland in the head with his boot before halftime, former referee Des Roache has harshly criticized Collum, calling the Head of Referee Operations “a mockery” of the Scottish FA for supporting the on-field referee and VAR operator.
Collum concurred with Walsh and Dallas that a yellow card was adequate because the event lacked intent or malice, according to the Daily Record. At Ibrox, where Collum already has a tense relationship with the team and its supporters, the decision has not gone over well.
Speaking on Hotline Live, Roache claimed that VAR had sufficient evidence to award a red card and that the call “makes a mockery of the whole SFA setup.” Collum’s unwillingness to accept the KMI panel’s decision, he continued, “demonstrates that they’ll always support their own officials.”
After Old Firm-related scandals, Collum had previously removed Alan Muir from VAR duties; nevertheless, his most recent position is likely to further harm his standing with Rangers supporters.
After the loss, Rangers manager Danny Rohl told BBC Sport Scotland that he is still more concerned with the team’s performance than with officiating arguments and declined to comment on the officiating.
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