The SFA will descend into murky, dangerous territory if Aberdeen do not win their appeal against Jim Goodwin’s eight-game ban.
As it stands the Dons boss has been hit with a harsher sentence than Aleksandar Tonev, who was found guilty of racially abusing Shaleum Logan in September 2014.
While on loan at Celtic, Tonev was banned for seven matches for using “offensive, insulting and abusive language of a racist nature” against then Aberdeen right-back Logan.
Seven matches for racist abuse.
Goodwin got eight, six immediate and two suspended until the end of the season, for accusing Ryan Porteous of “blatant cheating” in the aftermath of a 3-1 defeat at Hibs.
It is farcical the Dons manager has been hit with a harsher sentence than Tonev.
This grotesque imbalance of punishments must not be allowed to stand.
Racism is abhorrent and needs to be eradicated at every level of society.
I am not for a second suggesting anyone within the SFA is downplaying the severity or corrosive damage of racism.
Scottish football’s governing body are exemplary in their stance against racism in football.
However, the optics when comparing Tonev’s shorter ban with Goodwin’s are atrocious.
They will be compared, make no mistake about that.
And when they are what kind of message does it send out – that accusing a player of “blatant cheating” deserves a harsher punishment than racist abuse?
The SFA have the opportunity to put this right, to an extent, by scrapping Goodwin’s ban now.
Goodwin has already served a one-game ban and watched from the stands as his team crashed to a heavy 4-0 defeat at Dundee United.
Surely that is punishment enough.
By accusing Porteous of being a cheat and also warning referee David Dickinson before the game to watch out for the defender’s antics, Goodwin was deemed to have breached two different rules.
Goodwin was charged by the SFA for alleged breaches of disciplinary rules 73 and 77, which cover offensive, improper and/or insulting statements and conduct.
However, the SFA’s unfathomable hardline stance also holds no water when taken in context with Hearts’ boss Robbie Neilson’s comments about Lewis Ferguson.
In March this year, Neilson accused then Aberdeen midfielder Ferguson of “blatant cheating” after a 2-0 win at Tynecastle – yet there was no sanction from the SFA and precedent appeared to have been set.
Clearly not though, as just six months later they hammered Goodwin for identical comments.
Surely the inaction of the SFA and the compliance officer at Neilson’s comments must be at the heart of Aberdeen’s appeal?
Any argument to maintain the severity of the ban must also collapse when taken in context with the inaction against Neilson.
Although Goodwin was sanctioned with an immediate six-game ban, there is also a further two games, suspended until the end of the season.
It basically means Goodwin cannot say anything deemed contentious for the rest of the season as he faces that suspended ban being activated.
Do we really want our managers and footballers effectively gagged? I don’t.
I want honest answers to questions. Real, raw, opinions that do not toe the party line.
It is ridiculous that a headbutt or reckless two-footed lunge carries a far lesser sanction than an opinion.
The SFA have now set a dangerous precedent.
Any manager making comments deemed similar to Goodwin’s must be hit with a similarly hefty ban… unless common sense prevails within Hampden and Goodwin’s ban is wiped out.
Time for balanced perspective
The absence of banned boss Jim Goodwin from the dugout is no excuse for Aberdeen’s humiliating 4-0 loss to Dundee United at Tannadice.
Aberdeen lost that game because too many players were posted missing and underperformed.
It was the perfect storm where the defence were concerningly vulnerable, the midfield struggled to gain control and the attack were toothless.
The defending for Dundee United’s first two goals was shocking.
Aberdeen were woeful against Dundee United and they cannot afford a repeat of those levels against Hearts on Sunday.
However, let’s not forget just seven days before that defeat the Reds were rightly receiving plaudits for blowing away Kilmarnock 4-1 at Pittodrie.
Perspective is needed.
Aberdeen are not world beaters when they sweep aside teams in the top flight. Nor are they potential relegation fodder when losing to the Premiership’s bottom team.
They are a team in transition after a major rebuild in the bid to secure success.
What is clear, though, is Aberdeen, with just two wins in 23 away Premiership games, must fix their away day woes.
If they continue to struggle so badly on the road it will seriously damage the campaign.
As bad as the Dons were at Tannadice, a pivotal spell in the second half cannot be overlooked.
Aberdeen should have had a penalty when Jayden Richardson’s shot hit Ryan Edwards’ hand.
That could have been 2-1 with Aberdeen looking like a stronger prospect following the half-time introduction of Connor Barron.
It could have been a lifeline to get something from the game.
Yet, within minutes, it was 3-0 when referee Willie Collum awarded a soft spot-kick when Craig Sibbald went down under challenge from Ross McCrorie.
It was not a penalty.
Daunting Euro 2024 draw for Scots – but they must relish it
Scotland must relish the challenge of a daunting Euro 2024 qualifying draw which has left them in a group with Spain, Norway, Georgia and Cyprus.
After earning promotion to the elite UEFA Nations League A, the Scots are a nation on the rise under Steve Clarke.
Now they must continue that momentum in a tough group where even the pot three team in the draw, Norway, have goal machine Erling Haaland.
However, if the Scots do fail to qualify there is at least the safety net of the Euro 2024 play-offs earned by topping their Nation League group.
Conversation