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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Christopher Jack

Rangers boss Michael Beale condemns Kevin Clancy abuse after Celtic derby defeat

MICHAEL BEALE has condemned the abuse directed at referee Kevin Clancy following Rangers' Old Firm defeat last weekend.

Rangers wrote to the Scottish FA seeking clarification following Clancy's decision to rule out an Alfredo Morelos strike in the first half of the 3-2 loss.

It was later revealed that police had been called in after a 'significant volume of threatening and abusive emails' were sent to the whistler.

Beale said: "I heard the thing about the letter [to the SFA] 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.

"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."

Beale claimed that the second goal from Kyogo Furuhashi should not have stood after an alleged handball from Jota in the build-up.

But the Ibrox boss admits he was in the wrong on that occasion as he called for calm almost a week after the derby defeat.

Beale said: "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. I don’t know the actual facts about what Kevin has been getting but it’s not something we accept in football.

"It’s something as a club we condemn and are not happy with. 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.”

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