Latest news with #Mulraney
The National
2 days ago
- Sport
- The National
SFA's 'view' on goal-line technology after contentious Rangers moment
The Belgian midfielder thought he had put his side two in front at Easter Road on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season, although referee Nick Walsh didn't give a goal. Read more: After a VAR review, it was found that there was no conclusive evidence that proved the ball was over the line. "The camera wouldn't eradicate the issue of the Hibs v Rangers game," said Mulraney [SunSport]. "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 £1 million 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. "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."
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘Our handling of it has changed' – SFA chief Mike Mulraney on Rangers' dual ownership fears and Nico Raskin ‘ghost goal'
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
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
SFA president demands football banning orders for yobs as he reveals rule changes to help thugs crackdown
Mike Mulraney has spoken out after a spate of ugly incidents during last season SFA chairman Mike Mulraney has called for a crackdown on Scottish football 's yobs with more banning orders dished out by the courts. The football supremo is furious after a series of flashpoints last season and believes the only way to tackle the menace is more football banning orders - which can see thugs barred from all UK stadiums for up to ten years. Mulraney said: 'What I'd say there is that there is a difference between loving your club and expressing that with vigour and exhilarating fashion and so forth, and chucking a seat. 'It's straight forward. It's criminal. The problem for me at the moment with the flares and so forth is there is no jeopardy to doing that. 'Until there is jeopardy for action you tend not to be able to change people's behaviour. So if we want to change behaviour we need banning orders. When you get banning orders, people won't do it because they don't want to be banned.' Our national game saw a meteoric rise in unwanted flashpoints last season. Former Aberdeen defender Jack MacKenzie was whacked in the face by a seat thrown by his own fans on the final day of the league campaign at Tannadice. While missiles and other objects were thrown on to the pitch during three Old Firm league matches in succession. And before last December's Premier Sports Cup final, fans of both Celtic and Rangers ran riot in Glasgow city centre. At the Edinburgh derby on Boxing Day, a Hearts supporter was ejected from Tynecastle and arrested in relation to an alleged incident of racism. And the continuing use of pyro by fans all over the country continues to give authorities a major headache. But the latest figures for the season just finished show that just five fans were hit with FBOs. This is a marked drop from 37 in the 2023/24 season and 59 in 2022/23. In the last decade across Scotland, a total of 504 FBOs have been issued with Rangers and Hibernian supporters topping the table - much of which related to the pitch invasion after the 2016 Scottish Cup Final. There is now support at government level for enforcing more FBOs and Mulraney believes it has to happen. He stated: 'Right now there is no jeopardy. I believe the Scottish Government is supportive of our view on this now. I believe the police are supportive of our view on this now. 'We're football, we can't go and sort that out. We need the judiciary to sort that out and if they need to tweak the wording on the legislation, tweak the wording on the legislation, that's their game. 'For me, it's really simple. At this point in time, misbehaviour seldom carries jeopardy. 'There is almost no jeopardy for misbehaviour. It's about protecting those who are not guilty of anything. Everyone's forgetting about them, the 99.8 percent of fans who wouldn't dream of doing it. Who's looking after them? 'Instead of everybody asking us to focus on the 0.2 percent, the real question should be 'what are you doing to protect all these people who are not breaking the law?' At the last Old Firm game in April at Ibrox, a bottle was thrown at Celtic keeper Viljami Sinisalo with Rangers substitute Neraysho Kasanwirjo - who had been warming up nearby - entering the pitch to remove it. Sinisalo said other items were directed towards him. 'First of all, I was hit with something in my lower leg,' said the Finn. 'It wasn't just a bottle, there was lighters, vapes, coins, mugs, all sorts. 'Let's say that glass bottle hits me or hits someone else, what happens next? What if it hits you in the eye and you can't play football after that. Those are the questions that we need answers for.' When Rangers and Celtic met at Ibrox in January, an object was thrown from the crowd and struck visiting midfielder Arne Engels, who required treatment. 'It's not the first time it's happened,' added Sinisalo. 'I was there when Arne was hit, [team-mate] Greg [Taylor] has been hit, [former Celtic keeper] Joe Hart's been hit, staff members have been hit. 'It's up to the authorities and the club there. I'm just glad I never got hit because things could be bad if you get hit.' During the same game a Celtic fan was also filmed mocking Ibrox disaster victims. There has been a huge debate over the use of pyrotechnics and smoke bombs. A lot of the ultras' scene want to be given the green light but Mulraney said that won't happen because they are illegal within stadiums. He stated: 'They've made the law. They've said it's illegal. On you go. I'm not the police nor should I be and I think that's important as well. 'People have got to remember that. Those who say we need football to do more outside the stadiums. 'We cannot ever be allowed to be the police of society, for there is the road to damnation for a society. "My job is to protect the fans who don't want it to happen. 'My job is to protect the fan with asthma who's standing three seats away from the guy who's smoking him out and he's leaving the game. 'It's for the government and the judiciary to instil jeopardy and it's for me to put pressure on them. 'I can ask for a banning order but if they don't do it there's not a lot I can do about that other than keep and put pressure on to make it happen. 'So we're changing our rules to improve the position that we can and we will support the police, the government and anyone else who's interested in installing some form of jeopardy behind the law of the land that they've already made.'
BBC News
16-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Celtic, Rangers & Glasgow City could groundshare at new 'hub'
SWPL rivals Celtic, Rangers and Glasgow City could groundshare under an ambitious proposal from the president of the Scottish Mulraney wants the SFA to build a new stadium to be a ''hub'' for the women's game in this country, serving as a home ground for Celtic, Rangers and president Mulraney hopes the new stadium would help grow the women's game in Scotland before the 2035 Women's World Cup, which is set to be held across the United Kingdom."It's at an embryonic stage," Mulraney says. "We think it's an avenue that can be successful. We are trying to build the women's game from the bottom up."Improving the footballing infrastructure in Scotland is one of the SFA's main priorities and its 'Pitching In' project has already raised more than £13m of its £50m target, but it is hoped the new stadium can be raised from other currently play their home matches at council-owned Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, while Celtic rent Hamilton's New Douglas Park. City play at council-owned Petershill have signalled their approval for the idea of a new stadium to be considered. A club spokesperson told BBC Scotland: ''It's no secret we continue to be committed to finding a home for our club in Glasgow, a place where women and girls who love football can thrive. "We will continue to explore every opportunity to make that happen."While the prospect of Rangers and Celtic ground-sharing might be a shock to the system of Old Firm fans, Mulraney says fresh thinking is required to accelerate the growth of women's football.''We can't just replicate the men's game, we have to do things differently," he adds. "It's about us stepping up to build the sport and think bigger.''It would be fantastic to have a stadium that would be a hub for the women's game in Scotland."Mulraney isn't ruling out an existing stadium being redeveloped to house the women's football hub."Nothing is off the table," he says. "We want to build an infrastructure for the sport without being harnessed to the past."
