Steven Gerrard’s ridiculous charge of implying bias against a referee has been found ‘not proven’ after remarks that he made to Rangers TV following his side’s clash against Dundee United a few weeks ago, as reported by the BBC.
During the game, the Ibrox side had to cope with four players being injured including Alfredo Morelos having to leave the pitch with a gash in his thigh caused by a reckless tackle from Ryan Edwards.
Speaking at the time, the Gers gaffer said of the tackle that saw the Colombian international stretchered off:
“I don’t want to make any headlines and say the kid should have got this, or should have got that. I don’t want to be that type of manager. But what I would say is I’d be very interested to see what the decision would have been from the officials if the shoe was on the other foot and it was Alfredo who’s made that tackle.”
It is these comments that encouraged Clare Whyte, the compliance officer, to concoct the charge and as Rangers statement from today reveals, they are less than happy at the time and money being wasted for such a nonsensical matter:
“Rangers FC are unsurprised at the outcome of today’s hearing but remain bemused that the charge was brought against our manager Steven Gerrard in the first place.
“We now look forward to focusing on more important matters on the field of play.”
Of course the club is correct, the fact that the tackle that caused the injury didn’t warrant further attention from the compliance officer says it all really and Gerrard is correct, you could bet your last pound on Morelos getting charged if he had been the one with his studs up, puncturing an opponents leg.
Was Gerrard targeted by the Compliance Offiecer?
Yes
No
It won’t be the last time that this happens in a season where a referee has already claimed that “they know what is at stake”, all Rangers can do is continue frustrate by picking up three points every week – starting where they left off at Parkhead.
