‘Our handling of it has changed' – SFA chief Mike Mulraney on Rangers' dual ownership fears and Nico Raskin ‘ghost goal'

Scottish Sun

a day ago

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
LAST season ended in the way it started — with a VAR storm.
Rangers' 2-2 draw at Easter Road was overshadowed by claims Nico Raskin's effort had crossed the line.
4
Mike Mulraney and Ian Maxwell, SFA president and chief executive
Credit: Willie Vass
4
The 'ghost goal' from Nico Raskin which VAR couldn't prove was over the line
But refs chief Willie Collum later said the decision not to award the goal was correct because 'the VAR and AVAR can't categorically, 100 per cent, say the ball was over the line'.
SFA sources have told SunSport incidents like the Raskin ghost goal could actually benefit our game's future by convincing clubs to invest in goal-line technology.
President Mike Mulraney insists even having a better-placed camera wouldn't have solved the Easter Road flashpoint.
Mulraney said: 'The camera wouldn't eradicate the issue of the Hibs v Rangers game.
'It could still be blocked by a player on the line, so it needs to be goal-line technology because it can still be blocked.
'The SFA view on that is really simple. If the league wants it, we'll bring it in. It was on the agenda at the last meeting of the Professional Game Board.
'I chair that and we're saying, 'No problem whatsoever. You want goal-line technology, we'll support it'.
'But there are games in Scotland that use goal-line technology — ours! You play in the Scottish Cup semi-finals and final, you've got goal-line technology. We pay for it.
'For the Premiership to have goal-line technology would be around £1million a year amongst the clubs, so it would be the thick end of £100,000 each.
'I'm not saying that's right or wrong, it's just the reality.
Russell Martin says he can win trophies NOW as he's unveiled as new Rangers manager
'If you're club X, would you rather invest that £100,000 in a new facility for disabled fans, a new bit in the car park, fix the roof or whatever else?
'In general terms, I think our referees are doing better than OK, I really do. They make mistakes but if you sit ten referees down, they don't all agree on an incident.
'I listen to commentators on TV saying, 'How could he possibly have done that?'. You think, 'Well, because it's perfectly reasonable for him to have done it'.
'My responsibility, to a large extent, is to protect my refs. Clubs look after the players. Who's looking after our referees? Who's making sure we have the best?
'I think they're doing a good job and I'm not saying that because I'm protecting my refs. I genuinely believe they do a good job and I think Willie's doing a good job.
'I think we're comparable to any other country in Europe.'
Mulraney is also conscious that dual-ownership rules will become more relevant in Scotland, with Hibs and now Rangers being given dual interest dispensation under the SFA's Article 13 and Hearts set to receive the same approval.
Mulraney said: 'Article 13 has been under-noticed in a lot of ways. Our handling of it has changed. People now don't think it's a big deal.
'When Tony Bloom comes in or when the guys at Rangers come in, they think it's major for the club involved, but they forget the only other time the SFA has done that was when Mike Ashley came in and that was a huge debate.
'It was massively contentious and problematic. But I think now it's looked at as, 'What's the positive impact of it?', as opposed to, 'We can't allow that to happen'.
'There's two big aspects we look at. Does it increase the economy of Scottish football? And can we protect the integrity of Scottish football?
4
Paraag Marathe, President of 49ers Enterprises, at Leeds Utd
Credit: Alamy
'If we can do both of those things, then we should surely be able to clear all other hurdles.
'The SFA immediately respond to any potential investor by asking, 'Who are you? We want to meet you, we want to know about you, and this is who we are'.
'So far we've had willing investors, willing governance and administration and willing clubs.
'The one thing we make sure of is that if ever there is a contention about a dual-ownership model, the Scottish club can never be seen as subordinate.
'So as far as I'm concerned there will never be a situation where fans need to say, 'Uefa's changed some rule, if we're both in the same European competition, what happens to my club?'. The SFA has looked after that.
'I sit as vice-chair of Uefa's Legal Committee, so it gives us an opportunity to get a taste both of the direction things are going, and also to understand where they don't want them to go.'
Mulraney insists VAR is here to STAY — even though he's no fan of the technology.
Ahead of the SFA's AGM tomorrow, president Mulraney says there's NO chance of going down the Swedish route of bowing to fan pressure and ditching the system.
He says doing that would take Scottish football BACKWARDS — even though a series of howlers have led to repeated apologies from refs boss Willie Collum.
Mulraney told SunSport: 'Getting VAR in was a no-brainer, we HAD to do it. We couldn't be left behind.
'Listen, it's not been unanimously backed.
4
Brighton and Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom hopes Hearts can disrupt Scottish football
Credit: PA
'I was the last to the party with VAR. And if Uefa had a vote now asking if we wanted to continue with it, I'd be minded to vote no. But as long as anybody's got it we've got to have it and I'll tell you why.
'When our national team and top clubs are playing in Europe, if they've not played with VAR all season they'll give away penalties and make mistakes. Say you're a centre-half and you're tugging someone's shirt, or not approaching the ball with your hands tucked because you've not been conditioned towards that discipline.
'And we're going to ask these players to play with that discipline five or six times a season?
'Sorry, we CAN'T be the outlier.
'It'd be like entering a swimming competition where everybody else is allowed to wear flippers and you can't.'
Mulraney has also addressed the subject of crowd trouble which blighted games towards the end of the season, notably when Aberdeen's Jack MacKenzie was struck by a seat following the match against Dundee United last month.
Although the culprit has been charged with culpable and reckless conduct, Mulraney insists our courts need to do more.
He said: 'It's a worry. There is a difference between loving your club and expressing that with vigour and chucking a seat. That's criminal.
'And the problem for me at the moment with things like flares is there is no jeopardy to misbehaviour. Until there is jeopardy for action, you tend not to be able to change people's behaviour.
'We need banning orders, then people won't do it. I believe the Scottish Government and police are supportive of our view but we're football, we can't go and sort this out.
"We need the judiciary to do it.'
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page