Reports this morning have suggested that Sky Sports pundit Andy Walker has been banned from Ibrox.
The ex-Celtic striker was absent from coverage of yesterday's Old Firm derby and it has now been claimed that there has been a row over comments he made regarding the Gers' finances.
The Daily Mail say the Light Blues are demanding an apology from Walker before allowing him back into Ibrox.
Commentator Ian Crocker was yesterday joined by Ally McCoist and James McFadden, while former Gers striker Kris Boyd was in the studio alongside Eilidh Barbour and Stiliyan Petrov.
Meanwhile, John Kennedy has hit out at Old Firm novice Nick Welsh as he laid responsibility for Celtic’s heaviest derby defeat in 13 years at the feet of the debutant referee.
The Hoops crashed to a 4-1 loss at Ibrox after having Callum McGregor sent off just 26 minutes into the game.
The Scotland midfielder had only collected his first caution for a trip on Ryan Kent three minutes before.
Welsh waved play on as McGregor then crunched into Glen Kamara in the build up to Kemar Roofe’s opener but returned to show the Hoops ace his second yellow as Gers celebrated.
It was a devastating double blow and while they did briefly level through Odsonne Edouard, Celtic were powerless to prevent Rangers racking up their biggest derby win since October 2007 as Alfredo Morelos, Roofe and Jermain Defoe piled on the misery.
After watching the fallen champions fail to register a single win over their bitter rivals a top-flight campaign for the first time in 21 years, interim boss Kennedy took aim at Welsh.
“Callum being sent off at the same time as Rangers score obviously swings the game in their favour,” he said. “We got ourselves back into it but in key moments we weren’t strong enough in defending our box.
“When we did have our chances, which are always going to be hard to come by with 10 men, we just couldn’t get the ball in the net.
“It was a bit of what we have been (all season) again – but made all the harder because of the decision to send Callum off.
“I think it’s a bad decision. Not the second one because he’s on a yellow and makes a tackle on the ground.
“I asked the referee for clarity at half-time on why he booked him for the first one. His words to me exactly were ‘it was a reckless challenge’. It wasn’t reckless, I’ve seen it. There was no malice, no intent in terms of any power behind the tackle.
“It was a big game for a young official who doesn’t have a lot of experience. He makes a very harsh call which costs us.
“Callum is gutted. He is the most disappointed man at Ibrox today.
“I feel for him because I don’t think he deserved it. Okay, he makes a decision to go to ground (for the second one) which he’ll learn from. But he shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place, he shouldn’t have had a yellow card earlier.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel