Derek McInnes slams ‘ironic’ Shay Logan red card

ABERDEEN full-back Shay Logan was sent off for foul and abusive language after his side’s last-gasp 2-1 defeat by Celtic.

Logan was under the spotlight before the game after Celtic appealed against winger Aleksandar Tonev’s seven-match Scottish Football Association ban for using offensive language of a “racist nature” towards the Dons defender during the teams’ last meeting.

Tonev was left out of the Celtic squad amid the controversy but Logan came through the 90 minutes well despite being on the end of some jeers from the visiting fans.

However, he was shown a straight red card after the match for a comment towards a match official, after the Dons were disappointed with the award of the corner which led to Virgil van Dijk’s last-minute winner.

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Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes said: “I haven’t spoken to Shay but I went into see the referee (Alan Muir) after the game.

“I think there were a lot of disappointed players walking past the assistant referee and he took offence to something Shay has said to him.

“They red-carded him in the referee’s room, which really is quite ironic after everything that boy has gone through. There’s a sensitivity there from the officials.

“I know he hasn’t sworn but he has been red-carded for foul and abusive language.

“The fourth official has deemed it serious enough to inform the referee and they have red-carded him.”

• Ronny Deila hits out at fans who disrupted silence

McInnes has praised Logan for dealing with the fallout of the Tonev row, and revealed the player was merely upset with some decisions that went against his team.

Aberdeen felt Charlie Mulgrew fouled Niall McGinn in the build-up to Stefan Johansen’s first-half equaliser, which cancelled out Adam Rooney’s goal, and that they should have been awarded a goal-kick when Mulgrew’s shot fizzed wide before van Dijk netted from close range from Johansen’s corner.

McInnes said: “Shay was fine. I have got to know him personally now and he’s a good kid, he really is.

“He has been through a lot, I don’t think anyone can imagine what he has been through.

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“But the whole time he has tried to stay focused on the game and I think he is just disappointed that we have lost the game.”

Deila said he left Tonev out of his squad partly because of the furore but also because of competition from the likes of the returning James Forrest, who lasted more than an hour on his comeback from a hamstring problem.

The Norwegian refused to respond to pre-match criticism from McInnes over his protestation of the Bulgarian’s innocence, but revealed he had enjoyed “orgasmic” celebrations after his side bounced back from skipper Scott Brown’s 81st-minute red card to snatch a win that sent them to the top of the Scottish Premiership for the first time this season.

“I think we have to talk with our feet,” Deila said. “That’s the most important thing. There was too much talking and I like to talk on the pitch.

“We knew it was going to be a hard game because Aberdeen are a good team and it’s a hard place to come and we didn’t get back from Romania until Friday.

“The pitch wasn’t perfect either but we fought all the way and got the goal in the end, which was orgasmic, if I can say that. Even better.

“The fans supported us all the way and to celebrate with the players and fans was fantastic.”

McInnes was left frustrated after his side failed to capitalise on their second-half pressure, which saw McGinn come close on numerous occasions, including a shot against the post.

McInnes said: “Any time you lose a game late on, especially from a set play, the disappointment is worse.

“It was a missed opportunity and I don’t want to throw out the ‘we must take positives’ lines.

“We have to take responsibility for a few things that happened but a couple of things went against us in the build-up to both goals.

“We still need to win the header even though the corner shouldn’t have been given, and for van Dijk, who is 6ft 3in, to score with the ball at his feet is really disappointing.”

Meanwhile, Deila expects goalkeeper Craig Gordon to join up with the Scotland squad despite missing the Pittodrie trip with a stiff neck.

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