Mark Hateley insists Celtic talisman Odsonne Edouard should be nowhere near Saturday's derby showdown at Ibrox.
The Rangers hero is adamant the Frenchman should have received his marching orders for a meaty challenge on Peter Pawlett in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Dundee United.
But there's no chance of Edouard not being in the starting XI for Celtic as the fast track process can’t swing into action in time because the offices are closed for the next four days and it will be early next week if they decide to take any action.
Videos of the incident have been circulating on social media and the SFA could take retrospective action as they did with Ibrox star Alfredo Morelos earlier this month.
The Colombian landed a two-match ban for a fore-arm smash, coincidentally also in a game with Dundee United when he caught Mark Connolly.
Hateley reckons it’s a lucky escape for Celtic who are under massive pressure to win at Ibrox to cut into Rangers’ 16-point Premiership lead.
The Ibrox employee said: “It’s a lunge, it’s an out-of-control tackle, it’s over the top of the ball and there’s contact.
“Willie Collum is standing about 10 feet away looking straight at it.
“It’s a dangerous challenge and it’s a red card offence. So, he should be out of the Old Firm game.
“And he would be a huge miss for them in what is such an important game. He’s got that X-factor that any team would like to have
“You look at Alfredo Morelos’ challenge in the Dundee United game when he used his arm.
“I said straight away in our post-match reaction on Ten10 podcasts that it was a red card and he should have gone.
“He was subsequently offered a two-match ban and the club accepted it.
“This is what should happen with Edouard. I fully expect the same scenario to unfold.
“But it seems that the SFA’s fast track process isn’t fast enough – although Celtic would probably appeal it anyway.”
If the SFA feel there is merit in action against the French striker, they will firstly ask ref Collum to look at the incident again to find out if he would have issued a red.
They then convene a panel to decide if a fixed suspension should be offered.
