Video: Kris Boyd’s Weird Defence of Shocking Celtic Decision

In the aftermath of Celtic’s emphatic 4-0 win over Kilmarnock, the post-match analysis on Sky Sports took a bizarre turn when former Rangers player Kris Boyd tried to justify a baffling decision from referee Don Robertson.

The penalty for the aforementioned incident was as explicit as you’re likely to see: The custodian for Kilmarnock, Robby McCrorie, raced out and collided with Kyogo following a masterful chipped free-kick by Matt O’Riley that put the striker through on goal. Robertson signalled play to continue despite the blatant foul, and VAR said nothing.
Charlie Mulgrew and James McFadden both concurred that the incident should have resulted in a penalty when it was discussed in the studio. But Boyd was able to turn an easy decision into a complicated justification for the officials. “People will say just because it’s Celtic,” he said in an odd way to start his reply before cutting himself off and admitting, “I think it’s a penalty kick.”

🗣️ "It's not good enough, it's a penalty"
🗣️ "They think it's a natural coming together"

The studio discuss Celtic's claim for a spot kick and how VAR will operate this season ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/E3SY6Jdvpd

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 4, 2024

Boyd didn’t stop there, though, as he went on to provide an odd justification for the referee’s mistake. He implied that McCrorie had nowhere to go and that his only choice was to storm into Kyogo. This explanation causes some people to scratch their heads, especially since the source is a former professional football player who is aware that a keeper who rushes out to challenge and loses the ball still has to pay for that decision.

Boyd has previously experienced difficulty being clear-eyed when making decisions pertaining to Celtic. The vagueness of his analysis was further compounded by his initial hesitation and the way he appeared to be on the verge of hinting at conspiracy theories from Celtics fans. The truth was straightforward: it was a penalty that ought to have been imposed. It was an error made by the referee and VAR, and that is all that has to be said.

However, Boyd’s unwillingness to say this outright, choosing instead to cloud the situation with flimsy justifications, makes fans wonder if expecting objectivity from the former Rangers player is too much to ask. Ultimately, the incident raises important questions about officiating standards and the difficulty of objectivity for certain individuals when making Celtic-related decisions.