Rangers manager Michael Beale has risen above bashing VAR or the referees after Antonio Colak was penalised with a penalty call in the Scottish Cup victory over Partick Thistle.
Whilst an incident with Malik Tillman – and the subsequent goal Rangers allowed Partick Thistle to score – has grabbed all the headlines, that first half penalty was also the subject of a post-match inquest.
Rangers striker Antonio Colak didn’t appear to have done much wrong when the ball was headed off his arm from point blank range in the Ibrox side’s penalty box.
But after a VAR review referee David Munro was sent to the monitor and concluded that Partick Thistle should be awarded a penalty, which Kevin Holt duly dispatched.
It had Rangers in at half-time 1-0 down and whilst Colak would get his revenge with a headed equaliser, and Rangers would eventually run out 3-2 winners courtesy of a James Sands goal, VAR was once again the subject of questions aimed at Michael Beale after the game.
But far from take aim at the referees and the technology – as we’ve seen cantankerous counterpart Ange Postecoglou do routinely at Celtic – the Rangers boss expressed sympathy with the whistlers.
“He’s [Colak] so close to the ball and it’s not deliberate because it’s not going towards the goal but it is the rule,” said Beale [BBC].
“I feel for the officials because all they are doing as acting upon the rule. We keep pointing fingers at our referees and VAR as a process but they are applying what the rule is. We need to look at the rule. There’s a lot of uncertainty on it at the moment.”
Michael Beale VAR comments in stark contrast to Postecoglou
Contrast this with the comments of Ange Postecoglou, who benefitted from several dodgy VAR calls in Celtic’s eventual 5-1 Scottish Cup win over St Mirren.
When a journalist dared call the Australian out for comments he made about decisions evening themselves out over a season following the 2-2 draw with Rangers, the coach grunted.
Despite previously claiming that decisions against Celtic couldn’t possibly be evened up over the course of a season, the increasingly sour Parkhead boss claimed that he doesn’t know if there’s a “favour barometer”.
That’s despite this being exactly what he suggested after the draw with Rangers.
“That’s an interesting take,” said Postecoglou.
“I don’t know if there’s a favour barometer, I’m just thinking they’re making decisions. I had my say about VAR a few weeks ago and everyone came at me that I was fuelling conspiracies, so I’ll let the other managers now run the race. I had my say on it.
“I assume the result of the decisions today were correct. If they weren’t correct and as you say they were ‘favourable’ to us, whatever that means, let others judge.”
The contrast between both managers is glaring and whilst one has actively heaped the pressure on Scottish whistlers and fuelled the conspiracies around referees, the other has offered sense amid the chaos.
It takes class to respond like what Michael Beale has when VAR calls are going against you and perhaps Ange Postecoglou can learn a thing or two from the Rangers manager when it comes to having a little refereeing dignity.
As Michael Beale refused to take aim at VAR, the Rangers boss was also explaining the situation with Malik Tillman.
