Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers hit with SFA charge after match officials criticism

The compliance officer has issued a citation to the Northern Irishman, who will appear in court on March 28.

The Scottish Football Association has reprimanded Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers for his remarks regarding the referees during his team’s 2-0 loss to Hearts on Sunday.

Following a confrontation at Tynecastle, the Northern Irishman said, “the game was decided by the officials, on the field and outside of the field.” He was cited by the compliance officer and is scheduled for a hearing on March 28.

The decision to send Yang Hyun-jun off the field in the 16th minute for high-booting Hearts’ Alex Cochrane and the call to give the home team the penalty from which they scored the first goal after the ball landed on Tomoki Iwata’s arm as he attempted to win an aerial duel infuriated Rodgers the most.

Rodgers was especially critical of John Beaton, the VAR, for becoming involved in the red-card incident.

On Sunday, Rodgers stated, “I find it incredible that John Beaton could actually look at that in VAR, supposedly under no pressure, and say that was a sending off.”

Rodgers continued by calling the match’s officials “incompetent.”

“During my tenure here, I’ve never tried to get even with referees because I know how tough their job is,” he remarked.

“I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and respect their judgments. However, I believe that when I witness that degree of—well, incompetence, if you will—that’s what worries me about the game.

“That can make a difference in such a close title race, which it is and is wonderful and great to be involved in. And for us, that was the difference today.

Rodgers is accused of “criticizing the decision(s) and/or performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official,” which is a violation of SFA rule 72.

The complaint against Rodgers was made 24 hours after it became apparent that Celtic had been unable to overturn Yang’s red card.

In the event that Rodgers is found guilty at his trial later this month, he may be prohibited from entering the technical area of the April 7 game at Ibrox between the Rangers and the champion team.

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