There is no evidence, why didn’t the line come up? John Hartson calls out McLean and SFA over Abada decision

John Hartson has called on the SFA to show the evidence for Saturday’s VAR decisions at the Hearts v Celtic match at Tynecastle.

Two decisions particularly angered/frustrated Celtic supporters as they watched the action on Sky Sports.

In the 20th minute Nick Walsh blew early for a foul by Giorgos Giakoumakis just before Tony Ralston headed into the net. Fans were led to believe that there would be no whistle until incidents concluded, contact from the Celtic striker was 50-50 and no more than normal at a set-piece. That set the tone for bigger incidents later in the match.

Just before half-time Nick Walsh and VAR Steven McLean both watched Michael Smith raise his arm to intercept a cross by James Forrest and decided against awarding Celtic a penalty.

The second half was full of incident with puzzling decisions continuing to the final whistle.

In stoppage time Liel Abada had a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside with Hartson still waiting on the evidence that McLean used to make his decision.

Speaking to Paul Cooney on Go Radio (-1 hour 28 minutes) last night the Welshman said:

Abada goes through in the second half, apparently, they chalked it off because he was offside. There is no evidence to show he was offside. Why doesn’t the line come up?

The line came up in the first half with the Shankland penalty, that was right. He was very close but he was just onside.

The line proves it. The line is brilliant Paul because it’s black or white, so even today, there is no evidence.

Barry Ferguson agreed with Hatson’s take, picking up on how the VAR lines had been used to back up the decision on Shankland’s second goal.

After the media charm offensive led by Crawford Allan last week there hasn’t been a word out of the SFA since Saturday.

The match at Tynecastle was effectively the flagship launch of VAR in Scotland, having refused to show the evidence that McLean used to disallow Abada’s effort a dangerous precedent has been set.

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— The Go Radio Football Show (@GoFootballShow) October 24, 2022

CLICK HERE to listen to the Go Radio podcast with Hartson giving his views in response to the first caller to the show at -1hour 28 minutes.