The SFA are facing a perfect storm with their VAR secrets in danger of unravelling ahead of a run of three Glasgow Derbies over the next five weekends.
Dundee United and Kilmarnock have both made official complaints about how the technology is being implemented with no transparency and decisions that vary from week to week, from referee to referee.
Ahead of the introduction of VAR most media outlets were shown around the Clydesdale House HQ, shown how the system would operate and told how the SFA had learned lessons from elsewhere to ensure that mistakes and errors would be at a minimum.
What wasn’t explained was that Sky Sports commentary teams would be able to listen in to one side of the VAR conversations, allowing them to prompt viewers over what is happening while fans in the stadium, players and managers are left in the dark.
This has been the case since implementation in October but was only brought to light by Andy Walker during a podcast.
VAR officials are furious that their secret conversations are being leaked with Ian Maxwell left holding the baby a couple of days before what could be a decisive Glasgow Derby that will be shown live by Sky Sports:
Last night the Daily Record reported:
The SFA are threatening to pull the plug on Sky’s VAR access after pundit Andy Walker’s bombshell claims ahead of the Old Firm showdown.
Record Sport understands Hampden chief Ian Maxwell is set for talks with the broadcasters following explosive accusations of a VAR carve-up by officials from the former Celtic striker. Sky pundits are allowed to listen into discussions from the VAR centre at Clydesdale House when assistants hit the big red button to alert whistlers in a bid to give viewers a clearer picture of how decisions are reached with the on-field officials.
Walker refused to name names or reveal the match involved, but he claimed to have heard a video assistant telling a referee ‘the easiest way out’ of a complicated call was ‘it if was offside’. The pundit admitted huge concerns and blasted the language used – which has angered the Scottish Football Referees Association, who are now pushing to have Sky’s VAR privileges revoked.
It is understood the SFA have no issue with the wording from the VAR camp – as offside calls are no longer open to interpretation due to the use of Hawkeye technology. Walker lit the fuse when – speaking to NewsSlotsKlosh – he said: “Working with Sky I have the option of listening to VAR.
“To be absolutely clear I hear the video assistant referee – not the referee on the pitch. I have a concern. I won’t mention any names and I won’t name the teams involved but there was an instance where a couple of things happened in the space of a second or two.
“And I heard the VAR say ‘the easiest way out of this, is if it’s offside’. That to me is really poor language. There should be no idea that we get an easy way out. You have to look at what’s happening on the pitch and apply the laws of the game – don’t look for the easy way out.”
All five of Celtic’s away SPFL matches this year have been shown live on Sky Sports, the most recent being at Ross County on Saturday with Walker very unhappy about the first half penalty awarded to Celtic.
Kevin Clancy will referee Saturday’s Glasgow Derby with Nick Walsh on VAR duty.
Walker was interviewed by Sky Sports News on Wednesday morning but made no reference to being able to head part of the VAR conversations. No Scottish referee has made any comment on any VAR decision this season.
At Sky Sports fixtures VAR is boosted by having upto 20 camera angles to view rather than the standard six that will be on offer at the four other SPFL Premiership fixtures on Saturday.
If the SFA want to cut Sky Sports out of the communication loop they could find themselves providing VAR coverage of Glasgow Derbies with just six cameras. As Celtic discovered at Motherwell in November a VAR camera can malfunction.
The SFA threaten to pull Sky access for listening to VAR after Walker ‘misinterpreted’ VAR comms.
Meanwhile the mature MLS has the manager of VAR explain the most controversial incidents releasing all the VAR comms & footage, and showing how they arrive at the decisions. https://t.co/QPK4fC9f5x pic.twitter.com/pnOAZKhQ8X
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) April 6, 2023
Why are these conversations with officials secret in the first place?
It’s almost as if they’re trying to hide something.
Men predominantly from Lanarkshire discussing things in secret?
Makes you think of………………………………..
…….goats?
The most definitive way to clarify any or all contentious decisions is to make the discussions between referee and VAR officials absolutely heard aloud and ‘live’ to the fans in the ground and audiences in tv land ! The discussions have to be clear and concise on everything …. Where is the difficulty in that ? Otherwise we will be subjected to the old ‘nod and a wink ‘ routine for ever .