After witnessing Celtic’s VAR fiasco against Hearts last weekend, Peter Grant is certain that there is a serious problem with referees that needs to be addressed.
Given that Hyunjun Yang’s red card appeal was unsuccessful yesterday, Grant feels that the use of VAR has created a new issue that Scottish football needs to discuss with the referees.
Grant added, “There were so many bad decisions,” on The Go Radio Football Show. It was a horrible thing to watch. I am aware of the pressures the men are facing.
“But it’s worse pressure for them now because VAR has come in.
“Because now they’re getting caught out. But the problem we’ve got now is that they are not admitting they’ve got it wrong.
“That is the biggest problem.”
Well, that is a big problem but not as big as the officials’ use of the refereeing technology.
Managers are now loudly claiming that games are being re-refereed because they believe VAR is interfering in inappropriate situations.
The Tomoki Iwata handball, for instance, was clearly not a handball, as anyone could see. The midfielder did not try to get an edge by knocking the ball away with his arm; it was evident that he did not know where the ball was.
That was evident even from watching the replays, and it’s amazing that it was still awarded after two qualified referees watched how the incident transpired.
Grant does, however, seem to be a little off when he says that referees won’t acknowledge when they make incorrect major rulings. They never have. At any rate, not in public.
As for the Yang red card, I can see why it was given. Show anyone that still and the sequence of play that was used in the VAR replay then anyone would say it was an ordering off.
But the fact the referee called it correctly in real-time proves that a yellow was suffice and that there was no need for VAR to get involved.
I suspect we will have more of these incidents as the title race draws to its conclusion.
