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Levein lashes ref as Rangers escape
(match was on 10th May 2008)
Dundee United manager Craig Levein launched a scathing attack on referee Mike McCurry following his team's 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox — claiming he "bottled" crucial decisions.
Nacho Novo's two goals and an injury-time strike from Jean Claude Darcheville allowed Rangers to maintain the pressure on Celtic but ended United's hopes of a third-place finish and a UEFA Cup slot for next season.
Levein argued that his side should have had a penalty, David Weir should have been shown a red card as a result of his foul in the incident, and a perfectly good goal by Danny Swanson was incorrectly disallowed for offside.
Levein confronted referee McCurry in a touchline exchange, and revealed afterwards: "I said to him that we were as well not turning up. What was the point? We were as well going home.
"Mike could have phoned me this morning and said: 'Look, Rangers are going to get the three points today — just tell your lads to stay in the house.'
"It's impossible to win here in important games. The referee has bottled it at the penalty — that was my thoughts if you want to know the truth. He knew, if he had given the penalty, he would have had to send Davie Weir off.
"In this game, who gives a toss about Dundee United? Who cares? Swanson's goal was a good goal. It hit Davie Weir and went in.
"Important decisions are what referees are judged on. The players are furious. We played well today.
"If we had got a penalty, and got back to 2-1 and with them down to 10 men, I would have fancied us strongly to win the game because I thought we were the better side.
"That guy today knew it was a penalty kick but knew the game was so important to Rangers that he couldn't give it. The linesman has probably had an even better view than the referee but he's not going to put his head above the parapet.
"It's Rangers, at Ibrox, so you can't win. An important game going for a title decider? You can't have Dundee United winning that game."
Levein also accused Kirk Broadfoot of punching Noel Hunt in the face and Daniel Cousin of headbutting Lee Wilkie.
"I tell you what will happen now, I'll get my wrists slapped for having a go at the referee," added the United boss.
"I'll be sitting in front of six or eight guys at some disciplinary committee in two or three weeks' time, getting a fine."
Asked if there were any positives he could take from the game, Levein replied: "Mike McCurry is not going to referee another one of our games this season.
"This is my livelihood, this is what I do for a living. Over the season is how you end up in third, fourth or fifth place but these decisions add up."
© 2008 Independent Newspapers Ireland Ltd
Irish Independent
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List of controversial games of alleged bias towards Rangers
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2000/11/15/sfnabe15.xml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/2438919.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee/4088257.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/6226555.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jan/06/match.dundeeunited
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7215941.stm