Michael Stewart is generally viewed as a balanced and fair-minded pundit by most Celtic fans.
Through his appearances on BBC and Premier Sports, Stewart has built a reputation for offering impartial analysis, which has earned him considerable respect among the Celtic faithful.
However, during the Scottish Cup semi-final between St Johnstone and Celtic, there was a moment of controversy when a goal scored by the Perth side was ruled out.
In explaining what happened, Stewart revealed that VAR had questioned the referee about potential contact involving Celtic striker Adam Idah in the build-up. Surprisingly, Stewart also took a critical stance on Idah’s involvement in the incident.
According to Stewart, VAR asked the official if he had noticed two hands placed on Idah’s back before the goal. Speaking on Premier Sports, Stewart said, “Obviously Celtic are arguing there should be a foul on Idah. Still, you can’t take anything away from Kirk’s finish – no keeper is saving that. VAR just asked whether the referee saw the hands on Idah’s back. It’s a stunning strike by Mackenzie Kirk, but the goal won’t stand, which is understandably frustrating for St Johnstone and the player.”
Despite acknowledging the foul, Stewart then made a somewhat puzzling comment, suggesting Idah should have done more to prevent the situation.
He continued, “The foul will be given, and rightly so. But I do think Idah could have been stronger there. Yes, it’s a foul, but he still should have done better.”
The contradiction here is that if Idah was indeed fouled, it seems odd to blame him for the disallowed goal. Critics found Stewart’s comments uncharacteristically confusing, especially given his reputation for clarity and fairness. Nevertheless, with Celtic leading 4-0 and already assured of a place in the final, the incident had no bearing on the outcome.
