Celtic’s win over Hibs last night was fairly comprehensive. Brendan Rodgers’ team steamrollered the Edinburgh side as they waltzed to a 4-1.
However, what is it that made the Hibs manager, Nick Montgomery mad? The fact that after promising to go to Celtic Park to ‘do everything‘ and get a result his team only managed three shots on goal?
Or was it that despite that promise his side just didn’t defend well enough and conceded four goals? Nope, it was the decision to award Celtic what looked like a stonewall penalty that infuriated him.
Especially after what Alistair Johnston said to his players about it.
Montgomery said [Daily Record], “The player who actually went down didn’t even think it was a penalty. He didn’t think he got touched. He said that to the boys afterwards.
“He’s not going to get the ball, it hasn’t affected where the ball is going to go, he is already falling down and Lewis Stevenson comes down the side of him not through the back of him. If he had gone through the back of him, no problem, give a penalty.
“But, yeah, when you are talking about a crowd like this in big places when they all shout . . . Maybe I will get the Hibs fans to shout every time somebody goes down.”
For me, there was no doubt about the decision but if what Montgomery is saying is true then I’m pulling out the old adage of these things evening themselves over the course of a season out.
How often have Celtic been penalised by dodgy VAR calls over the past two seasons? How many times were penalties given against their players when the technology was just brought in last season?
Off the top of my head, I can think of at least three. There are probably more.
So instead of trying to deflect from his team’s inept performance, maybe, just maybe the Hibs manager should be asking his players why they didn’t turn up at Celtic Park last night instead of focusing on a decision that, ultimately, had no bearing on the result.
In other news, Celtic manager delivers a Cameron Carter-Vickers injury update
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