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Scottish VAR review

DJIC

Well-Known Member
New YouTube VAR review from Willie Callum Head of Scottish Refereeing.

What I do think is apparent is the calm VAR operators compared to what we have heard in the past from EPL VAR communication.

 
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Really good show. Collum is an excellent communicator who appears willing to hold referees to account. That will please the public.
 
Some things that are noticeable too me:

1) Firstly it seems the referees in Scotland are struggling to get the best possible angle as the head of the referee has mentioned that quite a few times in the different clips, it will be interesting too see if this element improves or not.

2) It seems to me VAR intervention is alot lower in Scotland than it is in England. The example I can see is the simulation incident in the Kilmarnock v St Johnstone game, for me the referees description matched the pictures, I can't see much if any contact on the heel that the VAR can see and is it enough for an overturn? I don't think that would be overturned in England but it was outside the box so VAR couldn't of intervene but would of done if contact was in the box.

3) The most interesting one is of the referee in the Rangers v Ross County game of him shouting at a Rangers player not to foul the Ross County player, is that what referees usually do and why is he shouting advise like that? Nothing to do with him surely? The Rangers player ignored(or didn't hear) him and made a lunge with the referee saying he clearly got the ball but it was a clear contact with no touch on the ball but because there was a reset in the APP, when the goal eventually was scored it wasn't chalked off.
 
3) The most interesting one is of the referee in the Rangers v Ross County game of him shouting at a Rangers player not to foul the Ross County player, is that what referees usually do and why is he shouting advise like that? Nothing to do with him surely? The Rangers player ignored(or didn't hear) him and made a lunge with the referee saying he clearly got the ball but it was a clear contact with no touch on the ball but because there was a reset in the APP, when the goal eventually was scored it wasn't chalked off.
It is game management. He is saying "don't tackle there Tom", as the referee likely deems it SPA, and he is letting the Rangers 11 know that if he fouls there, he is getting a yellow. He does also shout it as the Rangers 11 is quite some distant behind the Ross County player. I personally wouldn't shout it, but I am not at their level.

The ref sees the tackle go in, and he sees the ball roll away at pace. So he incorrectly assumes the ball was knocked on from the tackle. Willie is quite good at explaining that the ref will get coaching on positioning for that one.

On terms of APP, there is 12+ passes, the ball is knocked from defence, to right wing, to left wing, then casually to the centre. All at a leisurely pace. I think going back all that time is 100% what no one wants VAR to be doing.
 
Willie Collum is brutal on his analysis, doesn’t sit on the fence AKA Dermot Gallagher, to support his match officials.

He consistently has a much lower threshold for SFP, which I don’t think his match officials are implementing.

 
Definately feels like he wants a more European style of threshold to decisions with as you say quite a low bar on certain situations.

From what I seen on those shows that have been posted, there has been alot of referees errors despite the seemingly lower bar.

I'm not sure that style of officiating would be popular in the EPL but mind you neither is the current officiating with the worst officials in the world often trotted out :rolleyes:
 
Willie might rue being so harsh on his referees, now Rangers feel they can express an opinion on his referee appointments to matches that don’t even involve Rangers?

 
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