Butland photos prove ‘no excessive force’ in Trusty’s tackle

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The Celtic Star

·6 de noviembre de 2025

Butland photos prove ‘no excessive force’ in Trusty’s tackle

Martin O’Neill expressed his delight at defeating theRangers again as Celtic manager in Sunday’s League Cup semi-final, brushing off any ‘excuses’ offered by the latest Ibrox club…

Jack Butland of theRangers is seen at full time during the Premier Sports Cup Semi Final match between Celtic and theRangers at Hampden Park on November 02, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Ironically, this week, Patrick Stewart met with Scottish FA refereeing chief Willie Collum to raise concerns over several controversial calls by Nick Walsh and the VAR officials at Hampden on Sunday, including Auston Trusty avoiding a red card for striking goalkeeper Jack Butland in the face and Anthony Ralston not receiving a second yellow despite conceding a late penalty.

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Jack Butland of theRangers is seen at full time during the Premier Sports Cup Semi Final match between Celtic and theRangers at Hampden Park on November 02, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Stewart failed to raise Derek Cornelius’ potential ankle breaker on Johnny Kenny in the first half. Nor did theRangers CEO bring up a missed penalty on Reo Hatate in the first half of extra-time. Or a handball penalty incident involving Cornelius late in the game. Or even Cornelius avoiding a second yellow after his clear block on Callum Osmand. Ironic, isn’t it?

O’Neill shared his perspective on the contentious decisions while arriving in Denmark for Celtic’s Europa League clash with FC Midtjylland this evening, noting that Trusty was lucky to avoid a sending-off, but insisting that Ralston’s handball should not have resulted in a penalty for theRangers.

The boot of Auston Trusty of Celtic catches Jack Butland of theRangers in the head, leading to a yellow card during the Premier Sports Cup Semi Final match between Celtic and theRangers at Hampden Park on November 02, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“Whatever sort of excuses they make, two things,” O’Neill said via The National. “I don’t think it was a penalty, and I think Trusty was lucky to stay on the field, having seen those things back. So, that’s my points. But it’s still one of the great fixtures in European football, if not the world. We won. Watching it back, sometimes there’s things you miss. We had awesome, really great chances.”

“(the)Rangers did great with 10 men in the second half of the game. But, we did create some chances. I’m delighted to be here and if you said to me, I’ve got one more win over (the)Rangers, well that’s the best news in the world.”

Following victories against Falkirk at Celtic Park and theRangers at the national stadium, speculation is swirling that O’Neill might stay in his familiar role a bit longer than expected, even though the 73-year-old remains uncertain about whether he could cope with the demands of managing Celtic permanently again.

O’Neill said: “That’s a very good question. And the answer is, genuinely, I don’t know. If you’re talking about, for instance, the fixture list coming up, there’s no respite between now and right through to virtually late February.”

“You might still be involved in Europe, you might not be…we might not get the points. So, you think, every week and midweek. That’s really challenging and it’s challenging for young men at the end of the day. So that I don’t know.”

The interim Celtic boss continued: “The consideration will come from the board in that sense. If you don’t win the football matches, then it’s an easier decision for the board to make. And I think even if you did win some football matches the board would still be thinking younger man stepping into the job. That would be my view.”

“I’m totally aware that the results dictate everything…everything. Just let’s turn the clock back and we’d lost to Rangers, then I think the hunt for the manager, which is on at this minute, becomes intensified. But if you get a result, it’s a bit of respite.”

“I don’t know if they made their minds up, I haven’t been involved in any of that conversation. But listen, we’re in the results business and we have to get results.”

Conor Spence

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