SPL Managers Not Allowed An Opinion

Scottish football managers clearly aren't allowed to have an opinion about referees, otherwise they are made to suffer by the SFA.

This season several SPL managers have been fined for voicing their concerns about certain decisions - with Saint Mirren boss Gus MacPherson fined £500 the other day for his comments during the Dundee United Scottish Cup match on the 16th of January.

Although, MacPherson's comments weren't specifically aimed at one single decision made by the match referee, but at the attitude of one of the linesmen.

During his after-match interview, the Buddies manager went berserk and starting criticising assistant referee James Bee for what he called an "arrogant" response.

"I made a comment to the referee and he [James Bee] came back with an arrogant remark. His arrogance beggars belief," said MacPherson after the match.

Dundee United beat Saint Mirren with a late strike from David Robertson giving Craig Levein's side a 3-2 victory.

"I've been asked to clarify the remarks, and I've sent a response saying I stand by them," admitted MacPherson last month when asked to clarify his comments by the SFA.

"I said at the time, I felt the remarks were justified. It's a decision for the SFA's general purposes committee, whether they decide to take it a stage further, but they were also asking if the quotes attributed to myself were accurate."

"The quotes that were highlighted in the luminous pen that was highlighting them were accurate, but as I say, I stand by them."

It's no surprise that MacPherson is expected to appeal the decision, perhaps he should claim that not allowing him to have an opinion is an infringement of his human rights?

Ironically, Dundee United's Craig Levein is one of the few managers to apologise to a referee this season, after an incident in a goalless SPL clash with Dunfermline at the end of January.

Levein was sure that Jon Daly had been brought down in the penalty box, but referee Dougie McDonald had a better view of the incident and saw that it was infact Craig Conway that had knocked over his teammate Daly.

At the post-match interview Levein criticised the referee, but after watching a replay of the incident offered the Scottish whistler a full apology for getting the decision spot-on.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.