Chris Sutton - SFA's decision to overturn Rob Kiernan's 'punch' ban is ridiculous

[ian1964 10,590]

I don't blame Rangers for appealing but the SFA's decision to overturn Rob Kiernan's 'punch' ban is ridiculous - Chris Sutton

 

Our columnist and former Celtic striker Chris Sutton lambasts the governing body after the Ibrox defender had his appeal on a two-game suspension accepted.

 

There's only one way to describe the SFA’s decision to overturn Rob Kiernan’s ban after the Rangers appeal.Astonishing. The SFA seem to go out of their way to come up with new ways to make themselves look like a laughing stock.

 

Before I go on, let’s get one thing straight. I don’t blame Rangers or the player for appealing. Good luck to them. They argued their case and the SFA have deemed it as not proven.

 

Well done to them. The were within their rights to have a go and they got their rewards.They must have a great lawyer. In fact, the fella looks like the best defender they've got. But, frankly, the decision is just ridiculous.

 

And not only that, the SFA have now opened a huge can of worms. It’s going to be really interesting going forward, as by overturning the Kiernan decision they are basically saying that type of behaviour is acceptable.

 

Let’s look at the facts. Kiernan blatantly threw a punch at Steven Anderson. The St Johnstone captain said as much after the match and the pictures on television were conclusive.

 

No one is saying Kiernan threw a haymaker, but it was clear as day he hit out and caught Anderson in the stomach.I don’t know what the SFA panel were looking at on their screen but maybe the contrast wasn’t working.

 

What on earth were they thinking? I can’t fathom it, that’s for sure. For me it was similar to the Deli Alli one against West Brom last season.

 

The Spurs player hardly threw a knock-out blow but the fact of the matter was he raised his hands and he was hit with a three game ban.

 

I thought three games was perhaps a bit much but you can’t say two is not fair enough and the same should apply to Kiernan.The SFA have made a rod for their own back with this one. Are they saying this type of behaviour is perfectly okay?

 

It’s going to be mayhem in penalty boxes from now on. It could be open season. There will no doubt be another similar incident and someone else will get done.They just need to point to the Kiernan case as an example now, but what happens it someone has a sneaky punch in an Old Firm game?

 

Good luck dealing with that one. It was an incredible decision but I’ve got to say there wasn’t half some nonsense spouted about it from some people at Rangers.

 

Bringing my BT Sport colleague Stephen Craigan in to it was a load of rubbish. Mark Warburton hinted that he felt there was a conflict of interest as the two game ban offered originally meant the defender would miss matches against Stephen’s Motherwell in the league and cup.

 

Do me a favour. Are you trying to tell me Craigan knew Kiernan would miss the games with his club when he was simply doing his job and talking about a contentious incident in a match?

 

Do Rangers think Stephen walks around with the SPFL fixture list in his pocket? He wouldn’t even have known at that point if or when any hearing might have been, or if there would even be a hearing, never mind what games he could miss.

 

It was nonsense to insinuate otherwise. Stephen had his opinion - as did Terry Butcher and myself on the night, as well as everyone else in the country who were watching.

 

It is television’s job to scrutinise and highlight contentious incidents.If it wasn’t for television replays Luis Suarez would have got off with sinking his teeth in to a rival.

 

The cameras are there to spot these kinds of things. It was television that caught Kiernan in the act and what prompted the compliance officer to get involved in the first place. To decide a few weeks later that it was not proven is preposterous.

 

And as for Rangers making thinly-veiled accusations at Craigan? You could call it disingenuous, but I’ve got another word for it.Pathetic. I don’t even think you could find a die hard Rangers fan who would say it wasn’t a punch that night at McDiarmid Park.

 

They said at the time it was a moment of madness and he was lucky to get off with it during the game.People can beat around the bush all they want but let’s call it what it was. It was a punch and he deserved to face punishment.

 

But the SFA’s ludicrous handling of the situation has turned a simple solution in to a dangerous precedent - while making them look even more foolish than usual.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/dont-blame-rangers-appealing-sfas-9617874

[Uilleam 5,664]

It was a shove, applied with force insufficient to propel one's maternal grandmother from the platform of a public conveyance.

 

The 'Not Proven' is interesting. Presumably an 'Innocent', or 'No Charge to Answer' verdict would have meant proffering a charge of 'Simulation' against the

St Johnstone Jessie.

 

Sutton is a trumpet, played loudly, but only occasionally in the appropriate key.

[StuGers 477]

Haha Sutton you cretin.

 

It is plain and simple: yes, there is a good chance that Keirnan gave him a dig in the stomach. What these hate filled idiots fail to see or accept though is that there is no evidence of this. The point of impact is NOT shown on any clip, therefore if he was to be found guilty it would have been based on guesswork.

I think they are actually just raging as, like myself, they probably though because it was Rangers then the guilty verdict would be automatic.

[der Berliner 3,451]

No press accreditation for that chap again, no matter whom he works for. Likewise, no other entrance to our ground, paid or not. (In essence, even if he pays, he should not get access to the press area.)

 

We simply do not have to cope with his biased stuff any longer. What goes for Scrote goes for others too. And no, it is not us who have to adapt, it is them having a responsibility to work unbiased and impartially and not solely blathering anything that filters from their 3.5 brain cells to their mouths.

[boabie 230]

Sutton, cretin and cheat that he is, is now simply trying to be controversial to keep himself in the limelight and in employment.

Nothing he says has any credibility or worth.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Sutton should watch himself that lawyer he rates has won one case on this.

 

 

[cooponthewing 1,139]

Sutton, cretin and cheat that he is, is now simply trying to be controversial to keep himself in the limelight and in employment.

Nothing he says has any credibility or worth.

 

Bang on the money Boabie. He is now making money from Rangers hating and Rangers haters. Going out his way to make life difficult for our club and fans. BT sport are complicit in this too and imo along with Sutton should be banned from Ibrox. At the very least Sutton should never be allowed through the doors again. Under any circumstances.

[RANGERRAB 3,396]

The SFA have brought all of this on themselves by employing a Compliance Officer who is anything but impartial.

[craig 5,199]

Stopped reading after he said the lawyer we used is our best defender. Can't help the snidely digs. Not a pundit but a sensationalist opportunist. Shock jock tactics looking to make money. Nothing more.

[Scott7 5,552]

Sutton is a buffoon on this one. Some dangerous creature is prompting him, though, and writing up the story.

 

As for "mayhem in the penalty area" that's already happening with all the girly pushing and shirt tugging. The answer lies with the referee not the Compliance spalpeen. Penalty kicks are the solution. Half a dozen or more in every match should sort the problem fairly quickly.