Neil McCann and Billy Dodds have told Philippe Clement that he was correct in his criticism of Mohamed Diomande’s red card against Dundee United.
However, former match officials have told the Rangers manager that the club is unlikely to win an appeal after the Belgian manager promised to take the dispute to the Scottish Football Association. The Belgian manager’s Light Blues victory ended on a bitter note as referee Nick Walsh sent Diomande a straight red card after the Rangers midfielder collided with Holt.
Before Diomande could raise his hands, the United man shoved the Ivorian. The man in the middle determined that the Ivorian had attempted to lift an arm to the face of the Tannadice star and delivered a smackdown. Don Robertson in the VAR room directed whistler Walsh to the pitchside monitor to evaluate the incident.
Clement seemed perplexed after the final whistle, and Dodds told BBC Sportscene: “I don’t believe there is much going on. Is he attempting to claw at him with a small shove? It is severe. Holt gives him a small nudge, and I believe he is attempting to grab him and react. You can understand why Nick Walsh believes he has thrown out a hand, but from the other angle, it is clear that he is attempting to regain his equilibrium.
Ex Ibrox star McCann added: “It’s not a red card. There is not even any conclusive proof that it makes contact at all. I don’t think it’s a haymaker by any stretch of the imagination. There is a little, kind of, flick out. If anything a yellow card – maybe – at worst, but certainly not a red. They are going to appeal it and I think they should appeal it.”
Former referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy felt that the Light Blues’ appeal would be wasted, writing on The Ref’s View X account: “While we don’t consider this to be worthy of a red card, we believe Nick will be supported by the SFA for violent conduct and the use of the wording ‘Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent’.” When pressed on the SFA’s position, the duo stated on X: “The SFA will back this decision by being pedantic.”
