Ex-Fifa official demands transparency after SFA confirm major Celtic v Rangers change
Keith Hackett has called on the Scottish FA to be more transparent and explain why the referee for next month’s clash between Celtic and Rangers has been changed.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee delivered his verdict after the “unusual” decision on Saturday (15 January) to replace Willie Collum with Bobby Madden for the clash at Celtic Park on 2 February.
Collum was scheduled to officiate the game was originally set to take place at the beginning of this month (2 January) before the winter break was brought forward.
Madden last took charge of an Old Firm league game since the Celtic’s 2-0 win over Ibrox in September 2019.
He was the referee for the clash between the two sides in the Scottish Cup last season as Rangers ran out 2-0 victors.
Collum’s last Glasgow derby was the 1-1 draw between the sides at Parkhead last March (2021).
“At the end of the day, it would be good for the referee who has been taken off for them to explain why he’s been taken off that game,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“People can read into it and think it’s due to a loss of form, does that mean he’s not doing this match?
“There are too many imponderables. If you take him off, is it a loss of form, is it health? Who knows? It’s unusual.”
After Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw with Aberdeen last night (18 January), Celtic are just four points behind them in the league.
The Gers are unbeaten in the last six games across all competitions against their bitter rivals.
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