McCoist ridicules SFA system and attacks ex-referee after Aluko ban upheld

McCoist reacted with fury to the outcome of a Fast Track Tribunal at Hampden yesterday which upheld SFA Compliance Officer Vincent Lunny’s charge that Aluko was guilty of simulation in earning a penalty kick in Rangers’ 2-1 SPL win over Dunfermline at Ibrox last Saturday.

Aluko will now miss Rangers’ next two games, against Hibs at Easter Road tomorrow and at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 17 December.

The three-man Judicial Panel, drawn from a pool of around 100 former referees, players, managers, club officials and legal representatives, dismissed Rangers’ appeal that Aluko was fouled by Dunfermline player Martin Hardie in the incident.

Former Fifa referee Jim McCluskey, a member of the SFA’s Referee Committee, chaired yesterday’s Panel and drew especially withering criticism from McCoist.

“I have to say that I am absolutely shocked and extremely angry at the fact this committee has upheld the decision to give Sone a two-game ban,” said the Rangers manager. “The meeting was chaired by a former referee and I have to say his decision making hasn’t improved any since he stopped refereeing.

“The three gentlemen on the panel have effectively called my player a cheat and a liar, neither of which he is. What they’ve effectively done is they have said the player has cheated to get the penalty.

“It’s an absolutely incredible decision given that the referee is literally five yards from the incident. He has a better view than anybody in the stadium and they have gone not only against the referee but the player as well. The thing that stuns me is that the panel agreed there was contact so for them to uphold the decision and go against their own referee, who had a particularly good game, is ridiculous.”

Rangers were optimistic of winning the case, having seen Hibs striker Garry O’Connor successfully foil a two-match ban in similar circumstances earlier in the season when he earned a penalty kick against St Johnstone and was subsequently issued with a notice of complaint by the Compliance Officer.

Aluko’s ban, which Rangers cannot appeal further under the Judicial Panel Protocol introduced by the SFA this season as part of chief executive Stewart Regan’s sweeping reform of the governing body, has persuaded McCoist that his players have been unfairly treated.

Back in August, Rangers forward Steven Naismith became the first player to be punished under the new disciplinary procedures when he accepted a two-match suspension for elbowing Dunfermline defender Austin McCann at East End Park.

But McCoist referred to several other incidents, including Hibs goalkeeper Graham Stack being cleared of violent conduct towards Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty and Celtic forward Gary Hooper escaping a notice of complaint for elbowing Motherwell midfielder Steve Jennings, as evidence of a flawed system.

“It seems to me that there are rules for some and rules for others,” added McCoist. “There is a complete lack of continuity and consistency, you have to look at the previous incident regarding Garry O’Connor, and we do not even know if it was the same individuals on the panel.

“We took it on the chin with Steven Naismith at Dunfermline but I can also remember off the top of my head someone having a fly kick at our goalkeeper last season. I can also remember a goalkeeper having a go at Kyle Lafferty this season and a Motherwell player getting elbowed this season. Nothing has been done about any of them and O’Connor has obviously been found not guilty.”

McCoist also took aim at Lunny, the 38-year-old former Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal lawyer who became the SFA’s first full-time Compliance Officer in October, and questioned his ability to properly assess whether a player is guilty of simulation.

“The other thing I would like to point out is the Compliance Officer is a thoroughly nice man but he is a lawyer, he comes from a legal background not a football one,” said McCoist.

“So effectively we’ve got someone who hasn’t played professional football telling me my player is a cheat. It’s staggering, absolutely staggering and to say I’m angry would be a massive understatement.”

Rangers defender Steven Whittaker also expressed his dismay at Aluko’s suspension and believes it would be unfair if the former Aberdeen winger now carries the burden of being branded a ‘diver’.

“I hope he doesn’t get a reputation now because he’s not that kind of player,” said Whittaker. “He didn’t have it at Aberdeen and that’s because he’s an honest lad. He is creative and the kind who will be kicked about.

“The new rules regarding simulation are part of the game and we have to adjust accordingly. We have to adapt to the decisions being made and be wary about what we are doing. Sometimes, your momentum will see you go down. I’ve been there myself, when you are expecting a challenge and maybe it doesn’t come. Every situation is different.”

SFA chief executive Stewart Regan defended the governing body’s decision to ban Aluko. Dismissing the suggestion that Aluko’s case was similar to that of O’Connor, Regan tweeted: “Important to stress our Compliance Officer simply presents the case to a panel. The panel then consider the evidence and decide if a sanction is warranted. In the case heard, the verdict was simulation.

“There will always be those who do not like the outcome. But the new process is there to deal swiftly with those who have offended.

“Separate panels sit for every case and consider the evidence. You cannot compare one case directly against another.

“If a referee makes a decision that has an impact on a game, because of simulation, then that is why it is not just a yellow card.”