Jim Jefferies has confirmed the level of contempt that Willie Collum is felt with within football.
For a decade the former Hearts, Kilmarnock and Dunfermline manager suffered as the golden boy of refereeing applied his own unique take on the Laws of the Game.
In an interview in today’s Daily Record Jefferies highlights how incompetent Collum is and how his career is solely down to the influence of Hugh Dallas.
“When I first came across him I was impressed,” the former Hearts boss admitted. “He was a young man when he came along to Kilmarnock’s training ground to take charge of a youth game and he looked a decent referee.
“I told him that at the time as he was just starting to get some experience. I wasn’t often wrong as a manager but I called it badly wrong that day.
“The more games he’s had and the longer he has gone on, he hasn’t got any better.”
Looking at the current season mistakes Jefferies added: “It has been one thing after another since he was involved in a controversial match with Hearts at the start of the season. He hasn’t been covering himself in glory since.
“Having looked at some of the decisions made by referees this year, and Willie has been involved in a few, it has been poor.
“He’s somehow Scotland’s No.1 official but who has made him that? He hasn’t had a good year.
“I don’t see how he can be classed as our best as we have some good referees and there are more than a few I’d put before Collum.
“Willie hasn’t just struggled domestically, he has been involved in controversy on the continent.
“It’s not easy, there is a lot of diving about but you look at some of his decisions and ask how on earth did he get that wrong?
“There is no bias, I’m afraid it comes down to a competence issue.
“I have had run-ins with him in the past and it is frustrating for a manager as his decisions can cost teams massively but referees aren’t accountable, all you get from the powers that be is lip service.”
Turning to the Dallas Jefferies claimed: “Willie’s supposed to be our No.1 official and gets to take charge of big games in Europe but my own opinion is that he has benefited from being a prodigy of Hugh Dallas.
“Hugh then moved on to the European side of the game and he’s got Willie’s back. He has fought his corner.
“I watched the Inverness game on Monday night, the boy has played for the penalty as there was no contact. At the time I couldn’t believe he had given it but just how many times have you said that about a game involving Willie, especially in the last couple of seasons?
“He has taken his fair share of criticism recently but for someone who has represented us in European competitions and is about to represent us at Euro 2016, you shake your head sometimes and wonder why.”