Robson quick to dismiss Mac's talk of conspiracy

Published on Monday 11 August 2008 10:53

CELTIC midfielder Barry Robson insisted he has no time for conspiracy theorists after his penalty winner against St Mirren at Parkhead outraged Love Street manager Gus MacPherson.

With the Clydesdale Bank Premier League champions toiling with an hour gone, referee Eddie Smith adjudged Will Haining to have fouled Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink inside the box and then sent the Saints defender off.

Robson scored from the spot although, in keeping with a untidy Celtic performance, he had to wait pensively as the ball just bounced over the line after striking goalkeeper Mark Howard.

In a somewhat bizarre post-match press conference, MacPherson accused referee Smith, who awarded a dubious free-kick to Celtic last season at Love Street which had ended with Shunsuke Nakamura firing in a late winner, of winking at him.

And amid his rant at Smith, MacPherson also claimed he had been one of several managers that had been singled out at the referees' summer summit at St Andrews. But Robson said: "I'm not into conspiracy theories. I was right beside Jan and I thought it was a penalty, but some people have said it wasn't.

"Jan was trying to set himself up and the guy was pulling at him. I would need to see it again, but we got the penalty and scored it and that's the main thing.

"It wasn't my best penalty, but it's only a bad penalty if you miss it and it was well over the line.

"I tried to drill it a bit higher, but I didn't quite catch it right, but these things happen when you take penalties and, as long as it goes in, that's the main thing."

Robson admitted the champions were rather fortunate to come out with all three points after a lacklustre 90 minutes.

He said: "I don't think we were at our best, but you have to give St Mirren credit, they did really well. They looked fit and fresh and passed the ball well. We played better against Kilmarnock on the first day last year and only drew.

"We had a good pre-season and worked hard, but we know it's a long season and we will get sharper. But the thing is we got the three points and now we can work on getting better."

MacPherson, who has been a regular critic of officials in recent seasons, struggled to contain his anger at Smith.

He said: "The referee was winking at me. He would need to explain why. I don't know whether he was trying to irritate me or not, I don't know. But he'll deny it.

"It's so, so difficult to say what you really feel. We've seen it go on a number of times now and you've just got to bite your tongue. It's not going to change anything. We lost the game 1-0 and it was out of our control, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan had no doubt that Smith had been correct in awarding the penalty – and insisted that the Hoops should have been given one minutes before when Saints keeper Howard clashed with Vennegoor of Hesselink.

He said: "I thought he (Smith] was terrific. I thought it was a penalty and I thought we could have had one before that. But there you go, some you get some you don't. The whole game was low-key and we only had four good players."

Before the championship flag was unfurled ahead of kick-off by Rosemary Burns, widow of former Celtic player, manager and coach Tommy Burns, who died of cancer in May, new signing Marc Crosas was introduced to the Celtic fans. The 20-year-old Spanish midfielder has signed on a four-year deal from Barcelona.