Michael Stewart ends debate over St Johnstone’s disallowed Celtic goal after sharing what VAR asked the referee

Michael Stewart is widely regarded as a fair pundit by the majority of Celtic supporters.

In his work on the BBC and Premier Sports, Stewart is generally objective and fair and has earned a lot of respect from the Celtic support for that.

However, there was an incident in the St Johnstone vs Celtic Scottish Cup semi-final where the Perth club had a goal disallowed.

And as Stewart shares what VAR asked the referee about the goal, it seems that the popular pundit also reserved some criticism for Celtic striker Adam Idah.

Michael Stewart reveals VAR asked the referee about arms on Celtic striker Adam Idah
There won’t be many who will disagree that the goal from Kirk should have been disallowed. There was a clear foul on Idah.

However, Stewart shares what exactly that foul was as VAR asked the match referee a question on what he saw of the infringement.

Stewart told Premier Sports, “Obviously Celtic complaining thinking there should be a foul on Adam Idah.

“Regardless, you cannot take anything away from that strike. It doesn’t matter how concentrated the goalkeeper is. He’s not getting anywhere near that.

“VAR just asking the referee if he saw the two hands on his back. Now, that is an absolutely sensational strike from Mackenzie Kirk. But the goal is going to be disallowed which is bitterly disappointing for St Johnstone and Kirk.”

Stewart bizarrely criticises Adam Idah for his part in St Johnstone’s disallowed Celtic goal
However, the Premier Sports pundit saw fit to criticise Idah for his part in the goal being disallowed with this strange verdict.

Stewart continued, “I mean, look at the foul will probably be given. It’ll be given. And you know, I think probably the right decision. It probably is.

“But I do you think Adam Idah should be a little bit tighter with that, though. It’s a free kick, yes, but I still think Idah should have done better.”

So it was a foul but Idah should do better? How does that work? If Idah was fouled then surely the Celtic striker cannot be criticised for his role in the goal being written off by VAR?

It was a strange comment that doesn’t normally come from Stewart but at least in
the bigger picture, the decision was moot as Celtic were 4-0 up and already in the final.

That’s now back-to-back starts for Celtic striker Adam Idah.

The 24-year-old hasn’t been able to cement a regular starting place, whether Kyogo Furuhashi has been at the club and then left, or Daizen Maeda is causing havoc up top.

Over the weekend, Idah netted a much-needed goal and helped Celtic reach the Scottish Cup final by seeing off St Johnstone at Hampden.

But, in the build-up to the match, the headlines around Idah were negative after he had a night out, just like any young person in the world, including claims that he was ‘sick inside a taxi’.

Thankfully, the 24-year-old did his talking on the field of play, by putting the ball in the back of the net, with Rodgers also defending Idah’s actions.

And now, St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson has come to the aid of the Republic of Ireland international.

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson defends Celtic striker Adam Idah
Amid that negative noise around Idah leading up to the St Johnstone game, all he could do was do his talking on the field of play, and he has done just that.

As Stephen Robinson stated, the players are ‘ultimately paid to produce on the football pitch’, as he told PLZ Soccer.

The St Mirren boss also highlighted how Idah is just a young man and he is allowed to enjoy himself by ‘going out’.

“Ultimately, they are paid to produce on the football pitch,” said Robinson. “They are young men, they are allowed to go out. You don’t control them 24 hours a day.

“It’s not a regime where you have to be in bed by 10pm. You have to trust people and treat them like adults.”

Idah pushing Celtic towards the Treble

Effectively, one team stands in Celtic’s way of winning the Treble, with the Premiership title almost wrapped up and expected to be delivered against Dundee United.

S/N      Team    MP   W   D    L   GD   Pts
1          Celtic     33   26   3    4    75    81

2        Rangers   33   20   6    7    33    66

3       Hibernian  33   14  11  8   13    53

4   Dundee Utd   33  14   8   11   1    50

Idah hasn’t scored the volume of goals he would have liked since his big-money transfer from Norwich City – with 15 to his name in all competitions.

But, one thing everyone knows from his loan spell at Celtic Park, Idah does score big goals, and in those big moments.

So, time for the Irishman to step up once again when Celtic face Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final on May 24.