Last night’s incidents at Pittodrie confirmed the suspicion that the World Cup break was used to firm up the flexible interpretation of VAR in the Scottish game.
Michael Smith, Alexandro Bernabei and Matt O’Riley set the ground rules, with those precedents set the SFA can really ramp things up.
Leading 2-1 at Ibrox last week Hibs were denied a penalty at Ibrox using the Michael Smith precedent. It seems that only O’Riley and Bernabei fall victim of any handball resulting in a penalty.
Nick Walsh was in charge at Ibrox last week with Alan Tait on VAR. At Aberdeen last night Willie Collum and Greg Aitken follow followed that template with two crucial decisions.
When James Tavernier raised his right arm to prevent a deep cross reaching Duk no penalty and yellow card decision was taken. That incident was so blatant that Tavernier’s use of his arm resulted in the ball hitting the post.
Deep into stoppage time Connor Goldson realised that he wouldn’t be able to reach a ball falling in front of him. As he lent forward he pushed out his right arm, the ball was directed into the path of Scott Arfield who scored. Collum and Aitken allowed the goal to stand.
Reporting from the Celtic AGM on November 4, the Express reports Nicholson saying:
It’s easy to get caught up in individual decisions one way or the other. It seems that handball is applied in different ways in varying countries.
What we have as a club – and all clubs in Scotland have it – is an interest in having the best possible match officials and regulation of matches so we can focus on football. As we mentioned last year – and as Ian Bankier almost got into trouble with – we have for many years lobbied the SFA and the SPFL to make sure we got the best match officials possible.
The first step with that was pushing for VAR – which worked out well! The second stage was to raise our concerns about VAR with the SFA. In relation to the specific incident (at Hearts) we did ask questions about how the rules had been applied.
I think it is inevitable that with the early stages of VAR there are going to be some teething issues. But you can rest assured that we do continue to press that issue with the SFA and the SPFL. There is a working group that the SPFL have brought together of all the clubs.
Nicholson didn’t give any timeline for when the teething issues would be overcome, fortunately Celtic are pressing the issues with the SFA and SPFL, whatever that means.
Andrew Dallas will be on VAR duty at next week’s Hibs v Celtic match, Nicholson is unlikely to say a word in public until the 2023 Celtic AGM.
Should Celtic push SFA for transparency by publishing VAR reports?
Yes, VAR without explanations is pointless
No, let the teething troubles settle down
Aberdeen penalty shout for Tavernier handball.
???? pic.twitter.com/Fd2QDzMcbG— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 20, 2022
— Celtschmerz (@Celtschmerz) December 20, 2022
Nicholson’s a Tory B***rd same as Liewell, guys only there tae brag tae eez SNOTTY PALS at the Hunt Ball!! They are NOT Football Fans & only show up at the AGM out of Necessity!!
Straight honest answer, cheating and more seriously conspiring to stop celtic winning league at any cost, ps, no officials called to duty at world cup also points to the worse officials in world football, take the fifa badges off collum, his dad whom i knew very well (R,I,P, big wullie)would be red faced,
Editor: Celtic are very happy with the standard of match referees (levelling up tool).