Qudus SalihuRangers manager Danny Rohl delivered a masterclass in diplomatic deflection following his side’s dramatic extra-time loss to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup semi-final, despite a series of decisions that left Rangers supporters furious. While the atmosphere at Hampden Park was charged, with his team reduced to ten men for the majority of the contest, Rohl consciously avoided publicly criticizing referee Nick Walsh or his team.
The match turned on several pivotal moments. Thelo Aasgaard’s first-half straight red card for a high challenge was accepted by Rohl in principle, though it proved costly. However, the subsequent lack of action against Celtic players, notably Auston Trusty for a challenge on Jack Butland and Anthony Ralston for a handball that conceded a penalty, fueled intense debate. James Tavernier converted the resulting spot-kick to send the game to extra time, yet Ralston remained on the pitch despite being on a yellow card.
Rohl’s stance was clear: “It’s not my part to speak about this. My focus is always on myself… I said before the game I won’t speak about other managers, other teams or refs.”
Instead of dwelling on perceived injustices, Rohl chose to focus solely on the positive strides his team has made. He praised the spirit and resilience shown by his players to fight back to 1-1 despite being a man down for so long. He emphasized that his job is to work on areas his own team needs to improve, not to engage in public criticism of officiating. While Rangers captain Tavernier hinted at a desire for consistency in decisions, Rohl maintained his ‘savage’ discipline by keeping his comments entirely player-focused, channeling the team’s energy away from grievance and toward future performance.
Mustapha Sheidu
Qudus Salihu
