Steven Gerrard: Rangers boss has 'no personal issue' with referee Willie Collum
Last updated on .From the section Rangers
Manager Steven Gerrard has "no personal issue" with Willie Collum, a day after Rangers said they would make a formal complaint about the referee.
The Ibrox boss called Collum "a good referee in general" and called for "common sense" to prevail following the fallout from Daniel Candeias' sending off against St Mirren last weekend.
Rangers failed in a bid to overturn Candeias's second booking for an exchange with Anton Ferdinand.
"We are all human," said Gerrard.
"It is a clear mistake and we are trying to get it resurrected and see how it pans out."
Rangers said the second booking - which came after winger Candeias was cautioned by Collum for celebrating his opening goal with fans - was "inexplicable".
However, with clubs only able to appeal yellow cards in cases of mistaken identity or simulation, the Ibrox club chose to appeal on the grounds of the former.
A club statement read: "This is by no means the first time errors of judgement have been made in matches involving this official and clearly there is an underlying issue which requires to be addressed."
Collum had been due to take charge of Friday's Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Hibernian but has been replaced with Alan Muir.
The Scottish FA says Collum picked up a groin injury on Champions League duty on Tuesday and withdrew from the appointment before Rangers released their statement.
"I think he is a good referee in general, he has been picked by Uefa to be a referee," said Gerrard, who described Candeias' second booking as "embarrassing" on Saturday.
"It is my responsibility to support the referees and officials in this country. It is not a big talking matter.
"I just think we need common sense in the game and, if mistakes occur, we should have a panel in place to resurrect them, not just from a Rangers point of view - from a football point of view."
Asked if he had received an explanation as to why Candeias was punished for his exchange with Ferdinand, Gerrard said: "No, that's an on-going matter.
"You have seen the statement that the club have released. I haven't got any more to add, only that I am disappointed with the outcome.
"We carry on pursuing it as a club. I don't expect anything, I will wait and see what happens."
