Danny Rohl refused to criticise referee Nick Walsh after Rangers’ dramatic 3–1 extra-time defeat to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup semi-final, choosing instead to praise the spirit and progress of his players despite the disappointment of elimination.
The Ibrox manager watched his side battle valiantly for more than an hour with 10 men following the first-half dismissal of Thelo Aasgaard.
The midfielder was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Anthony Ralston, a decision that infuriated Rangers supporters inside Hampden Park.
Moments later, further anger spread through the stands when Celtic’s Auston Trusty escaped with only a yellow card after catching goalkeeper Jack Butland in the head while challenging for the ball.
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There were even grievances for Celtic when Ralston, already booked, conceded a penalty after handling a shot from Djedi Gassama, allowing James Tavernier to level the tie from the spot.
Despite the mounting controversy, Rohl declined to join the chorus of criticism aimed at the officials.
“I haven’t watched the red card back yet but that’s the referee’s decision,” he said afterwards.
Rangers had hope against Celtic when James Tavernier found the net
|REUTERS
“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.
“I saw a team today which has made huge steps forward in the last eight days. But we also have things we need to improve and that’s my job.”
On the penalty incident, Rohl acknowledged the complexity of the handball laws but again refrained from direct criticism.
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Celtic scored twice in extra-time to consign Rangers to defeat in the Scottish League Cup
|PA
“I think there’s a rule. If it’s a handball, a block and a penalty, it could be a yellow card. But there are so many rules about handball in the box and I don’t know everything,” he admitted.
“For me, it’s about what we did today. We showed big character which was outstanding.
“We should never speak again about the mentality of this team because they showed how strong that part of our game is.”
The German coach also addressed the Trusty challenge that left Butland briefly dazed but maintained his focus on his own players rather than officiating decisions.
“We can speak about all the single individual decisions during the game,” he said. “But that’s not my part. I won’t speak about this. Consistency is the next step for us.”
Despite the defeat, Rohl took encouragement from his team’s display, highlighting their resilience and attacking intent even when a man down.
Rangers boss Danny Rohl is maintaining an optimistic approach despite his side's defeat to Rangers
|PA
“After 90 minutes, I really felt we could win this game even with ten men,” he said.
“Our supporters were there for us and created a great atmosphere. I’ve said there will be a few setbacks on our journey.
“This wasn’t a nice defeat but I saw a huge step forward from a team who didn’t care if they had 11 or ten men. They believed in what they were doing.”
Although the scoreline ended 3–1 and Rangers’ cup hopes were dashed, Rohl remains optimistic.
“There’s disappointment in the dressing room, and that’s a good signal,” he stated.
“We’ll take the positives, improve the details, and carry on in this direction. If we keep progressing like this, there will be a lot of wins in the future.”