Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson has slammed the VAR officials involved in the controversial decision at Hampden, even making a cheeky Christmas party joke to express his frustration.
Ferguson criticized the handling of the penalty incident during the six-goal thriller, claiming the VAR duo, Alan Muir and Frank Connor, were “pulling each other’s crackers” instead of doing their job properly. The fallout centers on the decision not to award a penalty for Liam Scales’ challenge on Vaclav Cerny, a call that head of refereeing Willie Collum has since labeled “unacceptable.” Rangers have also condemned the decision in a strongly worded statement, calling it “damaging to the credibility of Scottish football.”
The controversial moment overshadowed the Premier Sports Cup final, which ended 3-3 after extra time before Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side triumphed over Philippe Clement’s Rangers in a penalty shootout. Kasper Schmeichel emerged as the hero, saving Ridvan Yilmaz’s spot-kick to seal the victory.
Despite the match being decided, the penalty debate continues to rage, with Ferguson adding his voice to the chorus of criticism on Open Goal. Calling the situation “embarrassing,” he questioned what the VAR team was doing during the incident.
“Come on, what were they doing? If you look at John Beaton, he’s unsure, and that’s what VAR is there for. They’re supposed to check any incidents in the box immediately. It’s a clear foul, inside the box—it’s a penalty. Were they having a Christmas party and pulling each other’s crackers? It’s embarrassing,” Ferguson said.
