Gallagher Tears Into Referee Over Missed Penalties Dermot Gallagher has never been afraid to call it as he sees it. And on this occasion, the former Premier League referee did not hold back.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, Gallagher launched a scathing critique of referee Nenad Minakovic’s handling of Scotland’s 3-0 Nations League defeat to Switzerland, specifically targeting three massive decisions that he believes should have gone the Tartan Army’s way.
“How was that not a penalty?” Gallagher asked, visibly frustrated as he reviewed the footage. “I’ve watched it back multiple times and I’m still struggling to understand how the referee hasn’t given it.”
Decision One: McGinn Denied a Stonewall Penalty
The flashpoint came in the 21st minute. Scotland won a corner, and as the ball was curled into the box, John McGinn made his run toward the near post
What happened next left Gallagher bewildered.
McGinn was grabbed from behind by a Swiss defender. The hold was clear. The contact was obvious. McGinn went down. The Hampden crowd erupted in unison, demanding the referee point to the spot.
Minakovic waved play on.
“I don’t know what the referee is looking at there,” Gallagher said. “The defender has both arms around McGinn. That’s a penalty all day long. In the Premier League, that’s given nine times out of ten. I’m astounded it wasn’t given here.”
Gallagher continued: “You can talk about European refereeing tolerance all you like, but that’s not a marginal call. That’s a clear and obvious error. The VAR should have intervened. The referee should have been sent to the monitor. And Scotland should have had a penalty.
The decision proved costly. Scotland were already a man down after Jack Hendry’s eighth-minute red card, and a penalty at that moment could have changed the entire complexion of the match.
Decision Two: McBurnie Fouled in the Box, No Penalty Given
If the McGinn incident was baffling, the treatment of Oli McBurnie left Gallagher genuinely angry.
In the second half, with Scotland desperately chasing the game, McBurnie battled for a ball into the box. As he attempted to bring it under control, a Swiss defender clattered into him from behind, making contact with both legs.
McBurnie went down. Nothing given.
“Watch this,” Gallagher said, pointing at the replay. “The defender comes right through the back of him. He doesn’t get anywhere near the ball. He takes McBurnie’s legs out from under him. That’s a penalty. That is a stonewall penalty.”
He continued: “What makes it worse is that McBurnie had been getting fouled all night. Every time he challenged for the ball, the referee gave a foul against him. And then when he’s genuinely taken out in the box, nothing. I don’t understand the consistency.”
Gallagher was particularly critical of the referee’s positioning.
“The referee is ten yards away. He has a perfect view. There’s no excuse for missing that. None. You can talk about the pace of the game, you can talk about bodies in the way, but that’s right in front of him. That’s a penalty.
He added: “I’ve seen McBurnie’s reaction. He’s exasperated. And I don’t blame him. He’s been penalised for the mildest infringements all night, and when he’s genuinely fouled in the box, the referee waves play on. It’s baffling.
Decision Three: The Hendry Double Jeopardy Debacle
But it was the Hendry incident that truly baffled Gallagher.
The Scotland defender was sent off after pulling down Dan Ndoye as the Swiss striker raced through on goal. Referee Minakovic initially awarded a penalty and showed a yellow card. VAR intervened, corrected the location to a free-kick outside the box, and upgraded the card to red.
Gallagher shook his head as he analysed the sequence.
“I’ve got a real problem with this one,” he admitted. “Yes, Hendry pulls him back. Yes, it’s a foul. But the referee initially gave a penalty and a yellow card. So he’s seen it as a foul worthy of a spot-kick but not a red card offence. Then VAR gets involved and suddenly it’s a red card?”
He continued: “The double jeopardy rule exists for a reason. If the referee deemed it a penalty and a yellow card, that’s his on-field decision. For VAR to then upgrade it to a red card based on a freeze-frame… that’s not what VAR is for. That’s re-refereeing the game.”
Gallagher argued that the original decision penalty and yellow card should have stood.
“The referee was in a perfectly good position. He made his call. Scotland would have been a man down for the penalty, yes, but they’d still have eleven men on the pitch. Instead, they’re down to ten for eighty minutes. That’s a massive difference.”
When asked directly whether he believed the red card was wrong, Gallagher was unequivocal: “I think Scotland have every right to feel aggrieved. The punishment didn’t fit the crime, and VAR overstepped its remit.”
The Fallout
Gallagher’s verdict has ignited a firestorm among Scottish supporters, who have long felt that major decisions go against them on the international stage.
One fan wrote on social media: “Finally someone in the English media says it. That’s three decisions we should have had. Three. And instead we get a red card and a free-kick against us. It’s a joke.”
Another added: “Gallagher is spot on. The McGinn one is a scandal. The McBurnie one is even worse. How can you not give those?”
Captain Andy Robertson had already voiced his own frustration after the match. “As soon as the referee said it was outside the box I thought we would have been better taking the penalty and the yellow card,” he said. “Football is about split second decisions. Jack has tried to nick the ball… but the red card killed us.”
Manager Sebastien Pocognoli called it “the worst scenario.”
Gallagher’s assessment only added fuel to the fire.
What Happens Now
Gallagher stopped short of calling for Minakovic to be removed from future matches, but his message was clear: the standard of refereeing in this match was not good enough.
“Referees have a difficult job. I understand that. But when you have VAR, when you have the technology, there’s no excuse for getting the big calls wrong. And Scotland were on the wrong end of three massive ones tonight.”
For the Tartan Army, Gallagher’s words offered cold comfort. The points were already lost. The damage was already done.
But at least someone finally had said what they were all thinking.
