Derek McInnes has been left exasperated again by the standard of officiating in Scottish football after Kilmarnock suffered yet another red card against Hibs.
Danny Armstrong received what appeared to be a harsh second yellow card midway through the second-half for a challenge on Hibs midfielder Nectar Triantis.
Armstrong did not appear to make any contact with the Aussie, but referee Dan McFarlane felt it was enough to send the Killie winger off for two bookable offences.
Hibs won the game 1-0 in the end as McInnes spoke to BBC Scotland after the game to vent his frustrations and suggest a rule change concerning VAR.
McInnes stunned by Kilmarnock second yellow card vs Hibs
McInnes said: “I know the fingers will get pointed again but for me, the second one isn’t a yellow card and I’m extremely disappointed that that’s where we’re at at the minute in Scottish football, that that is deemed as a red card offence.
BBC reporter Brian McLaughlin then said that the VAR can’t look at the incident because it is a second yellow card offence, to which McInnes replied: “Seriously, how stupid is that? I’m not the only manager it’s happened to.
“Referees have to take ownership of their decisions and he obviously thought that it was a second yellow card. I don’t think it is and I think if he gets the chance to have a look at it again, I don’t think he arrives at that decision.”
McInnes calls for ‘protocols’ change
The Kilmarnock boss continued: “I just think with VAR, procedures and protocols should be seen to.
“We’ve had instances recently with Brad Lyons when we should get a penalty against Motherwell, the referee should be made to go and see it. That’s not the case today because of the rules, I get that.
“But the whole thing about referees being subjective and making a decision, the refereeing department should make procedures and protocols that when it comes to penalty kick decisions, they should be made to go over and see it.
“The referees should actually be encouraging themselves to go and have another look at it because that’s what it’s there for, that’s what we’re paying the money for. Go and have another look to make sure.
“How we actually arrive at decisions, we’re still falling way short. That wasn’t the case today because the rules state that second yellow card, VAR can’t get involved.
“But the referee has made the wrong on-field decision today with that.”