Steven Gerrard: Support Scottish referees, or else what's the point? asks Rangers manager

Steven Gerrard has backed Scotland’s referees – and wants to give officials more support with the introduction of VAR, goal-line technology and believes full-time status would improve standards.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard (right) speaks to referee Kevin Clancy

The Rangers manager was clearly frustrated in addressing the Kemar Roofe suspension situation where the striker was cautioned for a challenge on St Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson – but retrospectively banned for two games – despite the incident being dealt with at the time.

Gerrard believes referees decisions are due backing from the SFA – otherwise their position on the field is undermined by post-match analysis and retrospective action.

“You can’t change your mind, days or hours after a game or have three guys come and re-referee the games. If so, what’s the point? Why don’t we just have no referees and we’ll make all the decision days and hours after the games and go from there? It’s not right. It doesn’t happen anywhere else.

“We have to trust and support the referees - they’re going to make mistakes, they’re human beings and we have to give them support in whatever ways we can.

"Otherwise you’re going to continue to get inconsistencies, certain clubs will be treated differently from others because they’re on TV more and are more high profile.

“The situation is not going to change unless we all collectively support the SFA and officials and give them the support to be better and more consistent.”

The manager supported suggestions of technology being introduced to Scottish football – and full-time status for officials. He added: “Referees do a terrific job considering they have other jobs and are part-time but if we can give them more support financially to become full-time and introduce goal-line technology it will help improve the game for everyone.

Rangers' Kemar Roofe (L) is booked for a challenge on St Johnstone's Murray Davidson during the Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and St Johnstone at Ibrox Stadium, on February 03, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

"If we can let the referees be themselves and make the big calls. If we can tweak and change the current situation I believe it can get a lot better for everyone up here.”

Gerrard also believed that Celtic and Rangers’ prominence and profile has led to some scenarios being analysed more than others – and highlighted Albian Ajeti’s simulation charge and Roofe’s challenge as examples - while other situations are missed.

"We’ll try to be as big a support as we can to improve things – not just for Rangers – but for Scottish football.

"There are challenges worse than Kemar’s, situations worse than the Ajeti one that don’t even get looked upon – that’s not right.

"We have to find a better level of consistency.”

Rangers expressed ‘confusion within the game regarding which incidents are cited and those that are not’ following the verdict and ban given to Roofe during the week, which backed up previous calls from the manager on more consistency in the process.

Gerrard added: “I support the statement the club put out but I think my view is shared by a lot of managers, players, fans and the media, that the compliance and SFA way they go about things does need guidance and support."

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