Michael Stewart has revealed he is ready to hold peace talks with referees chief Willie Collum, but insists he will not be bullied into silence by an ongoing SFA ban. The broadcast pundit has been blackballed by the top brass inside Hampden after highlighting a catalogue of discrepancies in officiating last season, both on the pitch and in the VAR studio at Clydesdale House.
Row over 'cover up' comment
The row began last October when Stewart claimed the authorities had attempted to conduct a 'cover up' after chopping off a goal for St Mirren in a top flight clash with Hibernian. It led to the former Hibs and Hearts man being refused access to the national stadium for the climax to last season's Scottish Cup and blocked from joining his Premier Sports colleagues inside the ground.
Stewart was banished to a TV truck for the first semi-final between Dunfermline and Falkirk before being kicked out of the car park the following day when Celtic took on St Mirren. He was subsequently locked out of the end-of-season showpiece as Martin O'Neill wrapped up a fairytale double. The row appears to have spilled over to the new campaign after Stewart was blocked from attending Collum's most recent media briefing ahead of last week's big kick-off.
Stewart seeks to bury the hatchet
Stewart, who is also a BBC Scotland mainstay, hopes to be given the chance to bury the hatchet with Collum and bring an end to a feud which has been simmering for almost 12 months. He said: "It's not beneficial for me, it's not beneficial for the authorities, it doesn't really benefit anybody to just have this sort of impasse and loggerheads. You need to be able to actually discuss it. Right from the get-go I was happy and willing and hoping to sit down and speak to anyone."
"Even when it first sort of happened, I've had contact from people that are connected within saying, 'Let's try and organise a meeting,'. And I was, like, Absolutely. That's what we're trying to do. And I think that that's what it's sort of moving towards. But I've got nothing definitive like we're meeting up at such and such a time."
Concerns over earnings but no backing down
Although he admits to concerns over the collateral damage the long-running dispute could have on his potential earnings, the outspoken analyst is adamant he will not be browbeaten into toeing the party line. Stewart went on: "I'm not looking to get into some war of words here because I don't think that's beneficial for anybody. But equally, I think there needs to be an understanding of - I'm just doing my job and I'm not alone in it. There are many others that are doing their job and saying similar things and going about it in this fashion, I don't think is beneficial to anybody."
"You need to be able to have open and frank discussions with everybody to try to rectify it. I can't be in a position where I'm not going to say something that I genuinely believe or think."
Apology over 'Wee Willie' comment
Stewart suspects he has been singled out for heavy-handed treatment after referring to Collum as 'Wee Willie'. He said: "Look, I apologise if that was in any way offensive. I've got no issue with that. So what? It's water off a duck's back to me. It's not as if it's something that I demand that I need to be able to call somebody. I didn't see the problem with it but if it was a problem then fine. Apology. Move on. But is that the level of the debate here? There's bigger things I think to discuss because you've got managers that are getting lengthy bans, you've got clubs that are being fined."
Rangers boss Derek McInnes was hammered with a four-game ban for hitting out at the decision to award Celtic with a controversial penalty at Fir Park as last season's league campaign reached a crescendo. Motherwell's Elliot Watt was hit with a similar suspension for describing that injury-time spot kick award as 'the worst VAR decision in history'. Stewart believes that ban may have convinced Watt to accept a summer move to Turkey.
Impact on careers
He said: "What was Elliot Watt's ban? Four games? Now did that in any way shape or form solidify his thoughts of, 'I need to get out?' I honestly don't know but if there's an offer domestically or there's an offer abroad, and you are staring at a four game ban, it may well have a bearing. I don't know, but I'm just saying I don't think that's healthy, I think, trying to squeeze down on it rather than just having a frank discussion. I'm not wanting to get into a war of words, but equally at the same time I think people need to be able to meet and discuss."
Stewart says he has been wrestling with fears over his own career off the pitch - and believes others may feel less inclined to speak out as a result. He said: "That is the argument you have inside your head all the time about certain things. Some people are doing it subconsciously, other people are doing it consciously. A lot of the time people are not comfortable being openly critical. Everyone is different. But it does create a lot of stress personally and extended to people around me. For people you are working with at Premier or BBC there are elements of stress for them as well having to deal with a situation which shouldn't really be a situation. And family, mostly, is where the stress comes in."
"But I'm not the first and I won't be the last in any walk of life. For anyone who does that type of thing it is frustrating and disappointing. But it is the world we are living in where a lot of the time organisations and authorities do tend to throw their weight about."
Michael Stewart was promoting Premier Sports' coverage of Scottish football including over 80 matches from the Scottish Premiership, Premier Sports Cup and Scottish Cup. Fans can watch an entire season of football for only £99 using promo code FITBA26.
