Tony Mowbray ducks referee debate, saying decisions made 'with integrity'

Published on Friday 11 December 2009 14:16

CELTIC boss Tony Mowbray moved to defuse the continuing antagonism towards referees by claiming officials in Scotland act with "total integrity".

• Tony Mowbray offered his tacit approval of refereeing in Scotland

This week has brought a fresh wave of attacks on referees and their assistants from Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo and Motherwell manager Jim Gannon.

Ironically, ahead of the visit of Celtic to Fir Park tomorrow, Gannon ingratiated himself with many Hoops fans by saying that the poor performance of referee Craig Thomson in the Old Firm game at Ibrox in October, which the visitors lost 2-1, might ultimately cost the Parkhead club the Clydesdale Bank Premier League championship.

Mowbray refused to add his voice to the condemnation, claiming that Scottish officials are perhaps under more scrutiny than their English counterparts, who are full-time professionals.

The former West Brom boss said: "Professional refs mean what?

"Greater time to stay fitter and with greater accountability, you would think, but it is still one guy making a decision at any one time.

"We all want to improve. I want to improve my team, I want to improve myself as an individual and referees should want to improve for the good of the game.

"The more right decisions we get the less controversy there is, and there have been one or two very high-profile incidents highlighted by video evidence recently.

"But I'm sure all decision are made with total integrity.

"Sometimes it is a bad angle, a bad view, or sometimes they just don't see it."

Mowbray said the intimacy of the Scottish game meant officials were liable to more criticism.

"I think it is a totally different environment that they work in," he added.

"At times in the Scottish game there is an extra intensity about every decision made and they are under a lot of scrutiny.

"Scottish football has been called a goldfish bowl and there are only 12 teams in the top division with six referees taking those games every week.

"It is a different bowl down in England. I am sure the officials make the same kind of decisions down there but it gets a lot more scrutinised up here."

On Gannon's comments about Thomson, Mowbray said: "I think Mr Thomson came out and said he made a mistake which is quite unusual.

"Let's hope it doesn't cost us the title. Let's hope we have enough games to make sure we can stay top of the league."

Amid the weekly cat-and-mouse game with the media with regards possible new signings Mowbray claimed he is not considering a high-profile loan deal which could boost the club in their bid to regain the SPL title back from Rangers.

The rumour that Celtic are set to move for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane refuses to go away but restricting his answer to a more general inquiry about bringing players in wages of 50,000-plus per week, Mowbray said: "I would suggest that is out of my hands.

"Within the structure we have currently, there is no scope for that.

"Every football club has its own policies and at this moment I don't envisage that happening – unless certain individuals want to make that commitment themselves.

"But at this moment, no, I don't think so."

Mowbray remains relaxed about the future of defender Gary Caldwell, who is out of contract at the end of the season and who appears no closer to signing a new deal.

He said: "Am I concerned? No.

"He will either sign a pre-contract somewhere or he won't; he will either move on if we get a bid acceptable to us or he will stay and do what he is doing now.

"But we don't have to make that decision now because he is under contract at the moment."

The Celtic boss, however, bristled when asked about the possibility of bids coming in for on-form Aiden McGeady.

He said: "I am not expecting any (bids), I am not anticipating any and I am not wanting any.

"Aiden is very settled, he is enjoying his football and he is looking forward to hopefully helping us win the title this year.

"His technical ability, his speed of feet and his ball manipulation are almost a God-given gift.

"He has to use them to the benefit of the team.

"He brings a different dimension to our team, particularly for this club when you are playing against teams who put a lot of men behind the ball and sometimes that individuality can help unlock the door for us.

"We are delighted that he is performing at such a high level."