Rangers’ Michael Stewart and Bobby Madden clash live on BBC Sportsound over the Ibrox incident.
Michael Stewart was incensed by Bobby Madden’s interpretation of the Rangers-Motherwell affair, which wounded Ross McCausland.
The BBC Sport analyst challenged the former SPFL referee’s perspective on Dan Casey’s challenge at Ibrox on March 2, which was not classified as a foul but resulted in the Gers winger being replaced and leaving the pitch on crutches, during a debate regarding VAR on March 9.
Madden stated it was a red card infraction by the Well defender because of the pace he went into it “endangering the safety” of McCausland, which an irritated Stewart claimed was aiming to eliminate any risk from the game, which isn’t “football as any of us know it”.
Stewart responded: “it’s an intriguing one since I haven’t heard anyone else say it. I have some compassion for John Lundstram in this situation. I see why the penalty was awarded since his arm is catapulted up in a single second and appears to be away from his body, so I agree with Bobby on that.”
Madden stated (25m 25s): “I’ve seen this so many times and have switched between yellow and red. I eventually went with red for significant foul play because of the speed with which he approached that challenge.”
As Stewart was alleged to be making a grimace and shaking his head in the background, the ex-referee added, “Playing the ball is not an excuse. For me, entering a challenge at that speed endangers safety.”
Stewart said, “Essentially, you’re saying football will be a non-contact sport…” What else is Dan Casey supposed to do?
Madden explained, “When Casey makes the challenge, the foot, that extension of the sole of his boot, comes up. For me, that is not a natural action. I understand that doesn’t create contact. That would have been a clear red card.”
“So if we deal with what actually happened, then,” Stewart responded.
He went on to say: “The pace on the left foot in that challenge, contacting the shin of the opponent, is dangerous.”
Stewart answered angrily, “Ross McCausland was wounded there for everything you’re instructed as a footballer. ‘Do not dangle your leg. If you dangle a leg, you’ll injure yourself. If you get a still image of the occurrence, Ross McCausland’s leg is always higher than Dan Casey’s.
“McCausland should not be punished for this either. He’s nervous about the challenge. Dan Casey’s tackle ratio is 70-30. Casey could only do what he did. He’s sprinting into a tackle, and it’s his natural momentum; he doesn’t hurry up or elevate his leg; instead, he kicks the ball.
“His leg comes into contact with Ross McCausland.” If you play football, you must realize that there is a chance of making contact with your opponent. If you want to remove danger, it is not a football game as we know it, and I doubt any of us want to know that. That is hardly a red card, in my opinion.
“I could be persuaded that potentially it’s a foul and maybe a yellow card, but even then I would think it’s a bit harsh because I’m saying to myself, ‘what else can Dan Casey do there?'”
Madden admitted: “There are many folks who are all or nothing. It’s either no foul or a straight red card. That is the dilemma. I actually did alternate between the two.”
Ross McCausland’s injury in Rangers’ defeat to Motherwell is contested.
Philippe Clement was upset that his teenage winger was “kicked off the pitch” during the 2-1 defeat, with the fact that Casey scored the winner likely exacerbating the situation.
Some analysts said that the tackle was a terrible one, but others argued that it was simply robust play in Scotland. This highlights the difficulties that officials face in satisfying everyone.
They don’t help themselves by making choices that almost no one understands, but even Madden and Stewart recognized that their positions were subject to change if the former flipped between cards and the latter was persuaded it was still worth a booking.
It is possible that if McCausland had not been injured, the incident would have gone unnoticed, but the fact that he was potentially demonstrates that Casey had put his opponent in risk.
Not every injury requires someone to be penalized, but he obviously flew into the challenge in a way that would have been celebrated in the past but is now considered out of control.
Fortunately, McCausland appears to have escaped serious injury, as he was able to come off the bench late in Rangers’ 2-2 draw in Benfica in midweek, and the league home loss was a frustrating day all around, with the Light Blues second best, but they could have escaped with a point if the incident had been penalised.
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