Rangers assistant manager Gary McAllister has leapt to the defence of under-fire Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos after calls to see the player banned.
Morelos was sent off at the end of the 2-1 victory over Celtic at Parkhead and allegedly gestured to Celtic fans as he made his way off the field.
For hurting Hoops supporters, Morelos was apparently threatening to kill them all – for Gary McAllister that couldn’t be any further from the truth.
“Prior to the two red cards in recent games, Alfredo’s discipline had been very good. He has certainly, certainly improved,” said McAllister [Herald].
“It was visible. I think there is a lot of provocation towards Alfredo and when you watch games back and get the opportunity to watch them more closely there is quite a provocation.
“He’s a physical player and takes it as much as he gives it, he’s one of those players – it’s him and the centre backs and it is always going to be physical.
“The reaction with the sign? I’ve seen him make the sign two or three times before.
“Even when we come to the end of games in training sessions, he’ll make that sign. It’s something he feels is ‘game over’ as in, it’s the end of the game.
“He did it against Midtjylland and we were six minutes over at Celtic and it was the end of the game – and some.
“I thought the referee put four minutes up and Alfredo was sent off at six-and-a-half minutes, so the game was over.”
Despite Morelos seeing red and being banned for the next three matches, a witch hunt remains over the gesture as he leaves the field.
Is that more to do with an attempt to ban one of Rangers’ best players for a longer period of time than it is to do with the faux moral outrage?
