Source: Team_Talk
Dallas only asked for truth - Cryans
Referees' chief Hugh Dallas' integrity has been defended amid the ongoing fallout from the controversial Dundee United versus Celtic clash.[LNB] Two weeks on from the October 17 Scottish Premier League fixture at Tannadice, in which Celtic had a penalty rescinded by referee Dougie McDonald, referees' union chairman Martin Cryans was forced to defend Dallas, the Scottish Football Association's head of referee development, following suggestions of an attempted cover-up.[LNB]In the days immediately after the incident, Dallas explained that assistant referee Steven Craven had alerted McDonald to his error in pointing to the spot following United goalkeeper Dusan Pernis' challenge on Gary Hooper.[LNB]However, an SFA inquiry discovered that McDonald immediately realised he may have made a mistake and approached Craven unprompted. McDonald then changed his decision after Craven, who has since resigned, confirmed that Pernis had touched the ball first.[LNB]On Sunday, Craven claimed McDonald had asked him after the match to lie by saying he called the referee over to query the penalty decision.[LNB]And Craven suggested Dallas was slow in accepting the true version of events.[LNB]Craven told the Sunday Mail: "When Hugh phoned me to talk over the penalty, he said: 'So what happened after you called out for Dougie to come over?'[LNB]"I told him that was not the case. My reading of the situation was Hugh wanted to protect Dougie and leave me to take the flak.[LNB]"I was really upset after that conversation with Hugh."[LNB]But Scottish Senior Football Referees' Association chairman Cryans insisted Dallas called only for the truth.[LNB]"Hugh Dallas' involvement in that was clear," Cryans told the BBC.[LNB]"Dougie, on leaving Tannadice, immediately realised that's not the way he wanted it to be conducted.[LNB]"He informed Hugh Dallas of that fact. Hugh, quite rightly, was very upset at what he had heard and instructed and informed at that point that all of the match officials tell the truth."[LNB]Craven also accused Dallas and his assistant John Fleming of "harassment and bullying" - something Cryans rejected.[LNB]Cryans added: "I think referees in general and certainly the senior referees in the country will be aghast at some of the assertions that have been made against Hugh Dallas and John Fleming.[LNB]"The guy who was going has chosen to take a pop and there's not much more to it there."
