Ex-Hibs and Rangers star on 'ridiculous' Willie Collum decision and what laws of the game say

Former Hibs and Rangers triker Kenny Miller described Willie Collum’s decision to send off John Lundstram in the match between his former clubs as “ridiculous”.
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Collum awarded Rangers a penalty, while also sending off two players from the visiting team. There were also disputes over Martin Boyle’s goal for Hibs and a possible penalty to the home side.

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Lundstram's red card for bringing down Boyle, however, was arguably the most controversial with Miller suggesting everyone in the ground and another 100,000 watching knew it was a challenge which warranted a yellow.

"Everybody knows what foul this is, it’s a yellow card all day long,” he said on BBC.

“It's a transition moment where John Lundstram, fully in control of what he does, is sliding in to clip Martin Boyle’s heels to stop the counter. That is it, a yellow card. That is it.

"Willie cannot wait to get the red card out of his pocket. He's rushed it and got it wrong. It’s a ridiculous decision.”

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Lundstram's challenge was not too dissimilar to one made by Jake Doyle-Hayes in the first-half when he brought down the Rangers midfielder.

Willie Collum sent off two Rangers players in their draw with Hibs. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Willie Collum sent off two Rangers players in their draw with Hibs. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Willie Collum sent off two Rangers players in their draw with Hibs. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Miller argued it was actually more dangerous but still felt it was a yellow card tackle.

"Jake Doyle-Hayes does go in with more force," he said. “It is definitely more dangerous because he is absolutely wiping him out, he’s coming from a different angle. But it is with the same thought, ‘I’m going to take him down, stop the counter and I will take a yellow’. That was a yellow, not a red.”

What do the rules state?

As per the rules set out by IFAB serious foul play warrants a red card. Serious foul play is determined as:

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“A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.

"Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”

What did the managers say?

Hibs boss Lee Johnson: “Lundstram's sending off is probably a yellow, a tactical foul in my eyes, but I didn't think it was a penalty for Rangers and [Rocky] Bushiri should have had a penalty in the first half for us.”

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst: “I have said it before. Of course VAR will help the ref make the right decisions, especially with the red cards and you can have time to think about it.”

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