Rangers have shot themselves in the foot on too many occasions between the players and Philippe Clement bungling from one mistake to the next.
The manager is the one getting it in the neck, however, there isn’t anyone in the current squad that hasn’t been culpable of a drop in standards.
What also hasn’t helped, has been the officiating throughout a campaign that has seen a series of high-profile gaffes and Rangers being a monthly victim at the hands of ineptitude.
- READ MORE: Hooked by Philippe Clement three times at half-time, Nedim Bajrami has become £3.4m Rangers concern
Nick Walsh goes unpunished despite Willie Collum’s accountability claim
Only a week ago, referee’s chief Willie Collum was criticising Nick Walsh for his role in Mohamed Diomande’s bizarre red card at Tannadice, questioning why he ignored two fellow officials in the VAR suite and the video footage that he was urged to watch.
His reward for such a poor decision? Celtic v Dundee Utd at Parkhead.
What has happened to the accountability that Collum swore to uphold after the equally as scandalous penalty that never was in the Premier Sports Cup final?
With retrospect, how has Walsh been “dealt” with, after such a basic error?
“I spoke at the start of the season when I took up this role there would be accountability in refereeing,” Collum said after the cup final fall-out in December.
“I told the media and the managers that we would deal with things internally. There would be accountability.
“We’ve been consistent with that throughout the season. If match officials find themselves not involved in future matches or we need to change the profile of a match for somebody, we won’t come out and publicly say it.
“A manager doesn’t publicly talk about taking a player out.
“We’ve also got a responsibility to protect the wider group of the referees and the match officials involved in this as well.”
Accountability. Competence. Two words sadly lacking from the SFA’s main man when it comes to the standard of refereeing in Scotland this season.
Has Collum met any of his pre-season objectives?
When he first took the role, this is the promise that Collum made, via the SFA:
“I will outline my plan in detail when I start officially but I was emphatic throughout the interview process that I want to improve, with consultation and consensus, the operation and delivery of VAR for all concerned,” boasted Collum.
“I want to use my experience to alleviate the unsustainable burden on our match officials and improve relations and mutual respect between match officials, club officials, players, coaches and fans.”
The use of VAR has regressed this season, as seen by the two decisions already mentioned, and there is even less respect from clubs and fans alike.
If managers are judged on results, how should Collum and his cohort be judged?
By his own lofty standards, not one of his targets have been met.
