Alex Gogic condemns ‘disgraceful’ tweets following St Mirren’s defeat to Celtic

St Mirren FC defender Alex Gogic has come out strongly in support of his teammate Ryan Mullen following criticism that emerged after their Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic FC.

Mullen found himself under scrutiny after making an early mistake that allowed Daizen Maeda to score within the opening minute of the match at Hampden. The difficult start was compounded when the goalkeeper later had to leave the field due to injury, resulting in a debut for 17-year-old Grant Tamosevicius.

Daizen Maeda opens the scoring during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

Dramatic Match Ends in Disappointment

Despite the setback, St Mirren showed resilience by overturning a two-goal deficit and forcing the game into extra time. However, their efforts ultimately fell short as they conceded four goals in a rapid six-minute spell during the additional period, bringing their cup run to an end.

Criticism and Accusations After the Match

In the aftermath of the defeat, Mullen became the subject of negative reactions from some supporters. Certain individuals accused him of overstating the severity of his injury, while others pointed to his past as a product of Celtic’s academy as a reason for suspicion.

These claims sparked frustration within the St Mirren camp, particularly for Gogic, who took to social media platform X to voice his displeasure.

Ryan Mullen is injured during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

Gogic Condemns “Disgraceful” Comments

Gogic did not hold back in his response, describing the criticism directed at Mullen as unacceptable. He emphasised that Mullen is a committed professional who gives his all both on and off the pitch and made it clear that the goalkeeper had no desire to leave the game prematurely.

He acknowledged that mistakes are part of football, noting that every player experiences them—including himself. In Mullen’s case, Gogic explained that the goalkeeper initially tried to continue playing but was ultimately unable to do so because of his injury.

Disappointment With Fan Reaction

What particularly disappointed Gogic was that much of the negativity appeared to come from within the club’s own fanbase. He expressed frustration that supporters would turn on one of their own players in such circumstances.

Reinforcing the importance of unity, Gogic stressed that football is a collective effort, where both victories and defeats are shared. He insisted that Mullen does not deserve the criticism or accusations being directed at him and described the situation as deeply unpleasant.

Grant Tamosevicius comes on after Ryan Mullen is injured uring Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

A Difficult Moment for Mullen

For Mullen, the situation is especially challenging given his background. Having previously come through Celtic’s academy system, making a costly error against his former club on such a big stage adds an extra layer of difficulty.

However, such incidents are not uncommon in football. Even elite goalkeepers can make similar mistakes, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the position.

Perspective on Goalkeeping Errors

Modern goalkeepers are often expected to play a more active role in possession, which involves taking risks when building from the back. While this approach can be effective, it also increases the likelihood of errors.

St Mirren celebrations during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

Recent matches have shown that even experienced players can have uncertain moments in these situations. These occurrences underline the importance of maintaining perspective when evaluating individual mistakes.

I have seen some disgraceful tweets about Ryan Mullen after the game yesterday. Ryan is a top goalkeeper and gives everything on and off the pitch and by no means did he want to leave the pitch yesterday. Every player makes mistakes it comes with the job and I’ve made plenty.… pic.twitter.com/LzEJ6TPfWT

— Alexander Gogić (@Gogic13) April 20, 2026

Looking Ahead

Ultimately, the focus for Mullen will be on moving forward and regaining confidence. With support from teammates like Gogic, he will hope to put the incident behind him and continue contributing to the team.

In football, setbacks are inevitable, but how players respond to them often defines their resilience. For Mullen, the next challenge will be to bounce back stronger and prove his value once again.