Source: FOOTYMAD
Mowbray: We need to pester refs like Keano does
Tony Mowbray is looking forward to having a chat with Hugh Dallas, the SFA's head of refereeing, soon. Contrary to comments printed by the Scottish media recently the manager insists that the officials are incompetent rather than dishonest - but he's still instructed his team to complain more. Chirp at the ref like Keano says boss MowbrayCeltic will travel to Ibrox for tomorrow's Clydesdale Bank Premier League match hoping that the game will be played on a level playing field following outrageous 'honest mistakes' in the previous two Glasgow derbies this season. Referee Craig Thomson apologised publicly after failing to award a penalty to Celtic in the last Ibrox meeting between the teams - in fact he could have awarded three to the Hoops - and Steve Conroy disallowed a perfectly good Marc-Antoine Fortuné goal during the 1-1 draw at Celtic Park in January. These and many other curious decisions will be discussed at a meeting between Tony Mowbray and Hugh Dallas."I am merely meeting him to get some clarification," said the Celtic boss. "Hugh has come out publicly and said he was disappointed with some decisions and I am sure some will have involved Celtic. Celtic have traditionally been an attacking team, going back to Jock Stein in 1967. We are in the opposition box a lot and those are the areas of influence in matches. We were in the opposition box 35 times against Hearts and they were in ours twice. "We had one shot on target against us in last two home games, by Dundee United." said the boss. "We are in their penalty box a lot more, so if there is a penalty not given. Well, that is how I sell it to myself and not, as you suggest, any sort of paranoia. Maybe referees need to train their eye. It's too big to get wrong. Let's get all the big decisions right. How do they practice that? I am not sure.""Maybe they should go round the teams and go to training." suggested Mowbray. "Come to Celtic on a Monday, Rangers on a Tuesday and get to know the players and the players can build a relationship with the referee. It might work but no one has ever tried. You trust the referee to get it right, especially the big decisions and the last one at Ibrox I do not think anyone could say it was not a penalty and that he did not make contact" (David Weir on Shaun Maloney)."I am sure the referee is a strong individual and will referee the game as he sees it." said the Celtic manager when questioned about tomorrows official. "I do not think he is going to sit there and think, 'There has been a lot of publicity this week, which way am I going to fall on this decision?' He is going to give what he sees."Having said that, however, Mowbray revealed that he's also wants his team to not meekly accept any bad decisions given against the side. The captain, Scott Brown, has been specifically instructed to question the officials - as referee Dougie McDonald will find out tomorrow. "I've actually told him to be more vocal with the officials in some decisions that don't go our way because, if anything, we are quite a passive team," said the manager. "Robbie Keane has already picked up a booking because of his chirping and for me it's part of the professional game. There's nothing wrong with asking a question of a referee and I don't think we've done that enough."
