Caley Thistle Gary Warren laments "stupid" decision which leaves him close to more yellow card agony
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GARY Warren is perilously close to further cup agony after picking up a yellow card in Caley Thistle’s 1-1 draw with Hibernian.
Referee Crawford Allan bizarrely booked Warren for diving in the second half – a decision the captain branded “stupid” – which means he is a booking away from missing out on a potential semi-final date with Dundee United.
Having missed out on both League Cup and Scottish Cup finals through suspension from soft bookings, Warren now has fresh concerns over his availability ahead of the replay against Alan Stubbs’ side a week tomorrow.
The Caley Jags will be without Greg Tansey for that game after he picked up his second booking of the competition while Ross Draper, Liam Polworth, Jordan Roberts, Iain Vigurs, Danny Devine, Danny Williams and Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo are also a card away from missing a potential Hampden date.
Warren’s booking came on 63 minutes when he appeared to be blocked off by Hibernian midfielder John McGinn. The Caley Thistle defender went to ground and it was Warren’s name that went into the book.
“I got booked for diving, which is a decision that does my head in to be honest. It’s a stupid decision,” said Warren, who added it was the second time in his career he had been booked for diving.
“If a player is in front of you how are you supposed to get round him? I’m frustrated with it because it’s a silly booking that’s given me another chance of walking a tightrope going into the next game.Referees just have to use a bit of common sense and use their heads. That’s what’s frustrated me.
"He did fine overall but I don’t want to go into that because it will frustrate me even more. It’s part and parcel of football and it doesn’t affect my game. I’m captain at the moment so I have to remain calm and keep my discipline. It’s difficult when decisions go against you and it’s taken out of your hands.”
Warren missed the 2014 League Cup final against Aberdeen after being sent off in the semi-final win over Hearts, where his second booking came from a foul that could easily have been given against Marley Watkins.
He was booked for his first foul of the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic last year, just 16 minutes into the game, and after some confusion, it emerged he had also been carded for protesting Partick Thistle’s goal in the previous round, thus ruling him out of the final against Falkirk.
Inverness boss John Hughes slammed the two-card rule at the time as “terrible”, adding that it could deny Warren the only opportunity of his career to play in a cup final. There are sure to be similar complaints if one of the seven players on yellow cards are ruled out of the semi-final, should Caley Thistle get there.
Aside from his complaints over his booking, Warren was pleased with the way the Caley Jags battled to stay in the Scottish Cup on Saturday. James Keatings had given the Hibees the lead at the start of the second half but Mbuyi-Mutombo, on as a late substitute, earned Hughes’ men a replay in the Highlands.
The last few games have seen a change of tack from Inverness, adding a grittier side of their game to the attractive passing style they have become renowned for.
“That’s more of the Caley Thistle we’re used to – hunting in packs, working as a team and grinding out a result. If the game had gone on another 10 minutes we would have snatched it,” said Warren.
“We know we can play teams off the park but maybe that bite has been missing the last few games. You’ve got to have a fine balance. We were unfortunate to concede but the way we bounced back and scored, we’re more than capable of fighting to the death.”
Caley Thistle head to St Johnstone tomorrow in a bid to keep their top-six hopes alive.
“We have to go there and get a result. We’ve set standards and we need to keep hitting that until the end of the season,” added Warren. “It’s not about how other sides perform.”
Richie Foran and Nat Wedderburn returned to the bench on Sunday but James Vincent and Josh Meekings continue their battle for fitness. Carl Tremarco is available but will sit out the game against Hamilton on Saturday through suspension.
