Pot, Kettle, Black

 Daily Record - SFA Anger

I finish off the week with, surprise surprise, another story highlighting SFA hypocrisy. What is perhaps surprising about this story however is that it has not been greeted with the same media silence we have become accustomed to.

Daily Record - SFA Double Standards

For us as Rangers supporters there are striking similarities between the conduct of the SFA and our manager when he suggested the identities of the panel members imposing the transfer embargo on Rangers be revealed. Conduct I may add resulted in the latter finding himself on SFA charges, charges which were subsequently dismissed at his hearing.

Of course Ally was severely criticised by a considerable number of Scottish journalists for his conduct as it was felt he was merely doing the bidding on behalf of the the “internet lunatic fringe”. It will be interesting to see whether those same moral guardians in the press are equally as critical of the SFA and their demands that who ever is responsible be identified. Furthermore will we see SFA compliance officer Vince Lunny as resolute and tenacious on this case as he was in respect of McCoist ? At least in terms of cost cutting he will only have to nip along the corridor at Hampden to serve his papers.

However whilst the double-standards discussion rages it perhaps deflects from a more serious and fundamental issue at hand here. The Scottish Football Association are charged with the responsibility of governance of our game and the following is a verbatim quote from their website..

The Scottish FA is responsible for administering disciplinary procedures for its member clubs. This is essential in protecting the integrity and reputation of the game at all levels, while also providing guidelines of acceptable behaviour for clubs.

FIFA have informed the SFA that they are probing the conduct of one of Scotland's players. The SFA's response is to demand the identity of who “grassed” their player up and why it has taken FIFA so long to act. The words pot kettle and black spring to mind.

And whatever happened to protecting the reputation and integrity of the game ? Surely all people, but in particular those with a remit of governance of the game, should be concerned about ensuring that a player involved in a violent off the ball incident is brought to justice irrespective of the colour of top he is wearing ?

It would be a great pity if the double-standards issue, of which the SFA are clearly guilty, overshadowed sensible discussion over this matter because there is a more serious issue at play here. Once again those in charge at the SFA have made our country a laughing stock by their action only this time it is on a world rather than just a domestic stage.

Their conduct in this matter is quite simply an affront to any principle or notion that they uphold fair play.

I was going to finish by saying the only surprise in all of this is that someone has not tried to put the blame for this on the Rangers support. But then I was reminded from a scene from the film City Slickers and a conversation between Billy Crystal and bad guy Jack Palance.

“Killed anyone today Curly ?”

“Nope....................but the day's not over yet”