Former Rangers star blasts 'laughable' key decision against Celtic while labelling Old Firm officials 'embarrassing'
The former Middlesbrough and Hearts ace didn't hold back in his assessment of Nick Walsh.
Danny Rohl’s first Old Firm game in charge of Rangers wasn’t without its controversy as the new Ibrox boss got a taster, and more for the fixture.
Rangers were defeated 3-1 by Celtic after extra time in a match they can take some positives from. Johnny Kenny put the Hoops in front before James Tavernier equalised from the spot. Extra time goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand ensured it would be the green and white half of Glasgow that will face St Mirren in the League Cup final next month.
However, not for the first time in a Glasgow grudge match, it is not the players on the pitch who are grabbing the headlines, but the referee. In a frantic affair, three key decisions were made by Nick Walsh, a Thelo Aasgaard sending off, a Rangers penalty for handball and an Auston Trusty yellow card.
The latter has perhaps caused the biggest stir, as the Celtic defender appeared to kick Jack Butland in the head while the Rangers stopper had the ball firmly in his grip. Motherwell midfielder and well-documented Rangers fan, Andy Halliday watched the match on an Open Goal live stream, alongside Paul Slane. It’s fair to say the 34-year old was baffled by Walsh’s decision to keep Trusty on the pitch.
‘Red card all day long’
With it being within such close proximity time-wise to the Aasgaard sending off, the moment Trusty’s right boot caught the face of Butland, Halliday called for a red card, however was left flabbergasted when Walsh brandished a yellow instead.
He claimed, “there we go, ten men each, the game’s back on, red card all day long” however when realising that Trusty would remain on the pitch, his reaction went from one of hope to one of shock: “if that’s not a red card... There’s no way he’s played on, he can’t have. He’s (Trusty) booted him in the end!
“Oh my god, that is laughable. That is embarrassing and now watch people try and defend that. Butland has actually got his hands on the ball then Trusty boots him in the head and gets a yellow card. Scottish football man. That is mad."
A Hampden weekend to forget
Halliday was speaking after his Motherwell side were hammered 4-1 against St Mirren in the other semi-final as goals from Dan Nlundulu, Richard King and a Mikael Mandron brace took The Buddies to their first League Cup final in 12 years. The former Ger was an unused sub for the Hampden showdown.
The Motherwell man wasn’t the only former player to criticise Nick Walsh’s performance, as Rangers legend Ally McCoist described the incident as ‘one of the worst decisions’ he’s ever seen. Also former Everton striker, James McFadden said he was ‘amazed’ Trusty never seen red.
Danny Rohl refused to blame the referee for the defeat and ensure the Ibrox side are only focussing on themselves. After 120 minutes of non-stop running with the 10 men his team have little recovery time, as they welcome Italian giants Roma to Ibrox on Thursday night.