Michael Beale fears the abuse of referees, managers and players is reaching “unhealthy” levels as he slammed the threats directed at Kevin Clancy after last week’s Old Firm fallout.
Police Scotland are probing hate filled messages sent to the whistler in the wake of Rangers’ 3-2 defeat at Parkhead. Beale condemned the threats and insists it’s time to clamp down on abuse across the game. He said: “The abuse after the game, I can’t condone that. I think it is really poor, it is not something we want in our game. In general, the abuse that the managers get and the players get at certain times, it is not healthy.”
Rangers wrote to ref’s chief Crawford Allan asking for an explanation over Clancy’s decision to disallow Alfredo Morelos’ early strike at Parkhead. Beale, who distanced himself from that letter, still believes Clancy was wrong to penalise his striker but admitted he himself was mistaken when pointing the finger at the official for not awarding his side a spot kick for handball after the break.
He said: “I heard the thing about the letter and stuff like that. It wasn’t something that I was around. I have spoken to Crawford Allan at different times about various things and the communication from Crawford back to the managers, I think, is really strong.
“We have had Zoom meetings, for example, about VAR and things like that and it is always there for you to give your opinion. I think they have been very transparent.
“ I disagreed with one decision and I got it wrong on another because the angle I saw I thought it had hit the boy’s arm. It hadn’t. But I still think the first decision was wrong. It’s up for debate. But the game’s gone. We’re not going to be able to change the result.
“The referee whoever it is in whatever game, it is a difficult job. On the day if the referee blows for the decision he sees - I happen to think on the goal it was the wrong decision - but on the whole game you can’t count too many that were up for debate. That one had an impact. After every derby game it drags on for days and we have to be careful.”
Meanwhile Beale defended Todd Cantwell after the midfielder claimed Celtic “never won” last week’s derby but Rangers “lost it”. Cantwell came in for ridicule over his take on the 90 minutes that saw Celtic move 12 points clear and to within touching distance of the title.
But Beale, whose side are looking to bounce back against St Mirren on Saturday, said: “A lot’s been made of something young Todd said but that’s probably come from me because I said you cannot make errors like that in a game, you shoot yourself in the foot. I think maybe it’s been lost a little bit in the words.
“I thought Celtic performed well, I thought Rangers performed well. To go away from home and score two goals and maybe score three – we felt one goal was chalked off but we also had some big chances with Alfredo and maybe a Tavernier header at the far post – we thought we created enough in the game. It was our errors that ultimately cost us and they were ruthless in those moments.”
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