To their credit, the SFA are being very transparent on VAR decisions this season.
New referees’ chief Willie Collum has set off on the right foot by giving regular updates on decisions and their view on whether the men in the middle and VAR teams have handed them correctly.
Each time a VAR Review is published admitting mistakes and detailing any calls they feel they’ve got right, the former whistler sits down with Gordon Duncan to pore over them and give his take on behalf of the governing body.
That has now happened for a second time this season with episode two of ‘The VAR Review’ being broadcast.
Hibs thought Rangers’ John Souttar should’ve been sent off
Hibs were adamant Rangers’ John Souttar should have been sent off during their recent defeat at Ibrox. A handball blocked Mykola Kuharevic’s effort and a penalty was awarded, but the defender didn’t even get a yellow.
Collum has explained why that was the right call, saying: “It’s a correct decision for us. It’s very, very close, there’s no question about that. But we think that the Rangers defender throws himself in to save the shot or block the shot at all costs. Unfortunately for him here, he’s made his body bigger and it’s not natural.
“It can be easier to justify a natural position when you’re standing. But when you dive to block a shot, it makes it even more difficult to defend such an arm movement. There’s also a slight arm movement, albeit I don’t think it’s deliberate, but I agree with the on-field referee team and the VAR team that it’s not a deliberate handball, but certainly a punishable handball.”
Moving on to the card issue, he explained the fact that Jack Butland could have made a save was what rescued Souttar.
“Here, there’s every opportunity that the goalkeeper can save this shot,” he added. “The fact that no card was shown could be debated. If the referee had deemed John Souttar’s actions as deliberate, he probably would have received a yellow card for blocking a shot deliberately at such close range from the goal.
“But because the referee and the VAR team don’t deem this as a deliberate handball, there’s no need for a yellow card because that was removed from the laws of the game. We would not support a red card. this is not an obvious goalscoring opportunity because the goalkeeper has the opportunity to save this shot.”
Fans also accused Butland of being off his line before making the save from the big Ukrainian.
“We’re content,” said Collum. “It’s important when you analyse a clip like this that you get the accurate point when the kicker takes the penalty. You hear the VAR describing the goalkeeper’s back foot being on the line. He says it’s just on the line, which I would accept. On, behind or above the line.
“It’s absolutely correct in terms of law. They’ve used the correct criteria, taken their time to analyse if the kick point is correct and analysed where the goalkeeper is. You can see the foot is on the line and you can see that technically, this is a correct decision.”
Shaun Rooney St Mirren kick-out vs Kilmarnock
Killie boss Derek McInnes was absolutely furious that Shaun Rooney escaped punishment for a kick-out at Kyle Vassell, giving an explosing post-mach interview.
He was justified, as Collum explained: “This is the incorrect decision. We would prefer an onfield review and we also believe this is an act of violent conduct by the St Mirren player.
“The referee is quite a distance away and it’s important to consider that. But there’s not only one kick, there’s two kicks.
“Even if you consider the first kick, the referee describes it as the St Mirren player trying to kick the ball. I think that’s very debatable. For us, both kicks are acts of violent conduct and should have been punished for that.”
Hearts handballs frustration vs Celtic
Hearts were crestfallen when they had an initial penatly decision taken back off them at Celtic Park, and then conceded one later in the game. Both were handball issues.
On the first one, Collum said: “I think firstly it’s a difficult decision at speed. The view in particular from the main camera it probably looks like a penalty kick. But when you start to analyse it and the VAR looks at different angles, they quickly identify that it hits the defender above the T-shirt line. That’s really important because above the T-shirt line is not a punishable handball.
“People looking at this clip look at proximity. If you moved the ball 30cm down the arm it would have been a penalty, even though it’s very close, because the arm is too outstretched for us. We’d be a happy with a penalty. Proximity is considered when the arm is not as high as it is here. The arm is too much in an unnatural position.”
On the Celtic spot kick, he added: “Yeah, the cross is coming in and the Hearts defender has his arm raised, unnatural, and blocks the cross. We’ve had a few clips like this this season. On the opening day of the season, Hearts vs Rangers, we believe the Rangers defender’s arm is tucked into his body. But on this occasion the arm is out from the body.”
Dan Casey Motherwell red vs St Mirren
The centre-back got his marching orders for saving a shot on the line, backed up by Collum.
“In our opinion this is the correct call,” he said. “It’s a very good piece of teamwork between the assistant and the referee. The VAR again talk about criteria. There is nothing there for the VAR to tink the referee has been an error. We could certainly support this in terms of deliberate and a red card. Sometimes there’s a belief that a deflection negates a handball. That’s not true at all. If your arm is out from your body unnatural, even there is a deflection that doesn’t take it away from being a handball.