Why Clement didn't confront ref over Rangers red as boss avoids angry Hibs repeat
01/27/2025 04:30 AM
Philippe Clement confirmed post-match that Rangers will appeal the red card dished out to Mohamed Diomande against Dundee United.
Gers were furious the midfielder was given his marching orders deep into stoppage time after an innocuous clash with Kevin Holt, with the latter seeming to be the main instigator.
But Nick Walsh thought he saw something regarding Diomande, so much so that he opted not to change his mind when invited to do so by VAR Don Robertson.
Kris Boyd was first to hit out at Walsh, branding him stubborn over his refusal to be swayed from his first assessment.
Gers legend Ally McCoist joined in this morning, branding it the worst decision ever and ‘inexcusable’ from the whistler not to spot his mistake.
Two former refs agreed Rangers were wronged but reckon any appeal will fail anyway because the SFA will back their man.
That came after the governing body issued a briefing after the game yesterday to state that Walsh believed he had seen “a deliberate swing of the arm towards the face of an opponent, which was not negligible.”
Clement was raging too and said Rangers will appeal, but despite that he did not confront the referee post-match.
Clement didn’t speak to ref after Rangers red
At the beginning of this month, Clement marched into the referee’s room to ask questions after a penalty awarded against Ianis Hagi at Hibs away.
He has possibly learned that’s not the best way to go about things judging by further comments made yesterday.
The Belgian says he opted not to do that because they both would have been emotional and that meant it wasn’t the best time to have a conversation.
But he will be opening lines of communication with the refereeing department at the SFA.
“No, I didn’t do, because I know how these things go,” he said.
“He’s in the emotions, I’m in the emotions, so that’s not a good moment.
“It’s a good thing we have the open communication with the referee department, and we’re going to appeal that, and then we’re going to see what they think about it, and also to ask what the VAR said.
“It’s clear they bring him to the screen, so they don’t agree with the decision. That’s clear.”
What Clement said after Hibs draw
"I'm very disappointed also about conceding a penalty like that," Clement told Sky Sports.
"Not about the way, but about the decision. It's just a collision of two players with their hips against each other.
"You cannot say that one makes a foul and the other one not a foul in that moment.
"It's just a collision of two players and Ianis was been the one a little bit in front maybe and the other player his legs go around him.
"So it's a game decisive moment and it's really sore to have that again against you.
"(I went to see the referee) just to hear what the thoughts were of the referee to hear why this penalty is given.
"Because it's not clear for me or for me it's never a penalty. It's from both sides a collision and nothing more, you can give it two ways so you don't give a penalty in that situation.
"The referee had a different view on it and that's it.
"So it's important also to ask an explanation because I need to explain also my players why this is a penalty and if these things happen in the future, why it would be a penalty.
"I don't see the explanation. Ianis was on the wrong side, it's not enough in this situation, they both glide into each other.
"(The VAR) is not my job and (the VAR's decision) probably will be about a clear and obvious error, so in that moment it's also better not to decide as a referee.
"But the referee was clearly very confident about it.
"I'm curious what the panel will say about this because if these are penalties every time then I need to ask my players with every contact and collision to go down in the box, what I don't want, because that's now football should be played."
