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FORMER Fifa referee Stuart Dougal today backed Willie Collum over the decision that Neil Lennon claimed cost Celtic the Treble.
The Hoops boss was incensed when Collum refused to award his side a penalty at the end of the Scottish Communities Cup Final at Hampden on Sunday.
But ex-official Dougal reckons the whistler was spot on to book Anthony Stokes for diving after the tackle by Michael Nelson of Kilmarnock.
He said: “It was excellent refereeing. It was a very good decision. The referee doesn’t just have to ascertain whether there has been contact, he has to work out if there has been illegal contact, enough contact to take the players’ legs away.
“The fact that Anthony Stokes takes another step with his right foot after the challenge suggests that was not the case.
“Was there contact on the back of his leg? Possibly. But I didn’t see enough contact to trip Stokes.
“He took another step after it. I would say he threw himself down to try and win a penalty.”
Dougal added: “The reaction of Victor Wanyama was interesting. He wasn’t too impressed with Stokes afterwards. He went up and nudged him as if to say: ‘Why didn’t you shoot?’
“If he thought it was a penalty he would have gone into the penalty to claim for it.
“The referee’s position was excellent and he showed great strength of character to call it. Giving the penalty would have been the easiest thing for him do. He is a very, very strong referee.
“I will be interested to see what the SFA think of Mr Lennon’s comments. It wasn’t the referee who stopped Celtic winning the Treble, it was Cammy Bell, or Joe Ledley and Gary Hooper who missed sitters.
“It is disrespectful to the referee to blame him. It also assumes that the penalty will actually be scored.”
Former referee Stuart Dougal says Willie Collum made the right call on Stokes incident - Evening Times | Sport
The Hoops boss was incensed when Collum refused to award his side a penalty at the end of the Scottish Communities Cup Final at Hampden on Sunday.
But ex-official Dougal reckons the whistler was spot on to book Anthony Stokes for diving after the tackle by Michael Nelson of Kilmarnock.
He said: “It was excellent refereeing. It was a very good decision. The referee doesn’t just have to ascertain whether there has been contact, he has to work out if there has been illegal contact, enough contact to take the players’ legs away.
“The fact that Anthony Stokes takes another step with his right foot after the challenge suggests that was not the case.
“Was there contact on the back of his leg? Possibly. But I didn’t see enough contact to trip Stokes.
“He took another step after it. I would say he threw himself down to try and win a penalty.”
Dougal added: “The reaction of Victor Wanyama was interesting. He wasn’t too impressed with Stokes afterwards. He went up and nudged him as if to say: ‘Why didn’t you shoot?’
“If he thought it was a penalty he would have gone into the penalty to claim for it.
“The referee’s position was excellent and he showed great strength of character to call it. Giving the penalty would have been the easiest thing for him do. He is a very, very strong referee.
“I will be interested to see what the SFA think of Mr Lennon’s comments. It wasn’t the referee who stopped Celtic winning the Treble, it was Cammy Bell, or Joe Ledley and Gary Hooper who missed sitters.
“It is disrespectful to the referee to blame him. It also assumes that the penalty will actually be scored.”
Former referee Stuart Dougal says Willie Collum made the right call on Stokes incident - Evening Times | Sport
