Source: Team_Talk
Smith laments Lafferty indiscipline
Rangers boss Walter Smith wants Kyle Lafferty to demonstrate more discipline after picking up a red card in only the second game of the season.[LNB] Both Lafferty and Hibernian's Kevin McBride were dismissed by referee Iain Brines following a melee sparked by Lafferty's challenge on Liam Miller.[LNB]The Rangers player has been no stranger to controversy in the past - most notably when he was retrospectively punished for feigning a headbutt resulting in a red card for then Aberdeen player Charlie Mulgrew in 2009.[LNB]The Scottish champions went on to triumph 3-0 thanks to a Kenny Miller hat-trick in the Scottish Premier League clash on Sunday despite the dismissal of Lafferty.[LNB]Smith said: "I suppose this is the best time to get red and yellow cards when they are all fit but we don't want him to get sent off at any time of the season.[LNB]"Kyle has had a couple of things happen to him now and he is going to have to adjust and discipline himself a little better than he has done in the past.[LNB]"I didn't think there was that much in the incident, I think he was sent off for his reaction after the ball was kicked against him.[LNB]"I suppose in many ways that's natural but you couldn't blame the referee either. It was unfortunate but these things happen.[LNB]"It was a competitive game, it was a game that we actually needed to kick start our season and that was an unfortunate happening within the game."[LNB]Lafferty reacted to McBride kicking the ball against him after the initial challenge and Smith believes this was the reason for the red card rather than the tackle.[LNB]He added: "There was no challenge, he missed the boy, he stepped over the top of him. It was his reaction after the ball was kicked, that's why he was sent off.[LNB]"He didn't make contact with the boy at all. When he fell down afterwards, the lad kicked the ball against him.[LNB]"It was his over-reaction to being hit with the ball, that was why he was sent off and I can't blame the referee for that.[LNB]"That's what he's got to watch more than anything else but you've also got to look at the situation where the ball was blasted right at him.[LNB]"If you're going to criticise Lafferty, you've got to criticise the other lad for kicking the ball at him.[LNB]"But it was a competitive game, it was a good game. What do you want? For us all to run about with slippers on every week? An incident happens in the game."[LNB]Hibs boss John Hughes claims neither player should have been dismissed.[LNB]He said: "Truthfully? I don't think Lafferty's was a sending-off and certainly Kevin McBride's wasn't a sending-off.[LNB]"If he wants to pick out McBride for his part, he actually got rag-dolled more than being the aggressor.[LNB]"It's a little bit disappointing the players got involved in that, I know emotions run high and you're asking your boys to go and play but the game is hard enough without getting involved in all that and making the referee's job hard.[LNB]"But I still don't think McBride's was a sending-off."[LNB]Hughes appeared to suggest the referee changed his story regarding the reason for McBride's red card.[LNB]He added: "I asked him at half-time and he said it was for running into him and barging him and that's not the case.[LNB]"When I went in to speak to him after the match he said it was because he kicked the ball at him so that's a little disappointing.[LNB]"It still doesn't merit a red card. But that's football."[LNB]Another flash-point in the game was an altercation between Allan McGregor and Derek Riordan, when TV pictures showed the Rangers goalkeeper went to ground clutching his head despite no contact from the Hibs man.[LNB]Unlike the Lafferty-Mulgrew case, McGregor cannot be retrospectively punished for the incident because he did not cause the referee to make an incorrect decision on this occasion.[LNB]When asked about the incident afterwards, Hughes said: "That's why we all love it, there is plenty there to talk about.[LNB]"Derek and Allan are the best of mates. That's football, it's an emotional game, there are plenty of incidents and we talk about them. That's why we all love it."
