Crawford Allan will step down as Head of Refereeing at the SFA at the end of this season.
The former Grade 1 referee has been in charge of the introduction of VAR which has been widely condemned by almost every top flight manager, next Thursday Brendan Rodgers goes in front of the SFA to face a Notice of Complaint.
The Celtic boss was angered by decision making during the 2-0 defeat away to Hearts which had two of Scotland’s top officials in charge, Don Robertson on the park and John Beaton in the VAR room.
Announcing Allan’s decision, Ian Maxwell told the SFA website:
Firstly, I would like to thank Crawford for his four years as Head of Referee Operations and especially his efforts in implementing VAR within Scottish football and guiding refereeing through the Covid-19 pandemic.
In many ways, overseeing the introduction of VAR has been a thankless task. Yet it has been essential for Scottish football to remain at the forefront of on-field technology and in-step with the leading domestic competitions across Europe, as well as ensuring our match officials and VAR operators can continue to operate at FIFA and UEFA level.
Crawford has been integral to that process – from feasibility, to training, to roll-out – for much of his tenure and we are grateful that he will remain in place and provide continuity until the end of the season.
Allan has kept a low profile in the media with very little direct comment to explain the implementation on VAR which has added to the confusion of players, managers and supporters.
For most fixtures fans watching on television are better informed than punters who have paid money to attend matches.
Allan’s decision to stay on until the end of the season gives the SFA some breathing space but it will be a difficult job to fill with so much hostility to the decision making and failures to communicate and explain decisions.
“Yet it has been essential for Scottish football to remain at the forefront of on-field technology”. Aye right, pound shop technology operated by the brethren.
The forefront! The forefront! Aye right always the same maxwell taking punterfor mugs and getting well paid at it forefront my Arseum
I keep wondering why VAR continues to be insisted upon across Europe when it is clearly ruining the game. Managers everywhere hate VAR, not least because it adds substantial additional time to games due to hold ups in decision making, which is often wrong anyway. Tje only reason I can come up with for its continued use is that it aids favourable decision making for the larger teams with the greater wealth. I think it’s used to corrupt the game, not enhance it.
“Yet it has been essential for Scottish football to remain at the forefront of on-field technology and in-step with the leading domestic competitions across Europe”.
I assume he’s at the madam with this statement? They bought the cheapest, crappest version of VAR and it has taken the reputation of match officiating in Scotland from a position of being considered pretty bang-average to being the laughing stock of European football. He should be getting chased down Aitkenhead Road rather than given even faint praise.
Aye the nickel&dime version from Lidl and Aldi.
BR going up to defend himself next week no doubt armed to the teeth with stats and comparisons……coincidence?
“…as well as ensuring our match officials and VAR operators can continue to operate at FIFA and UEFA level…”
Someone should inform Maxwell that Scottish match officials are no longer
welcome at FIFA or UEFA Finals tournaments – and haven’t been for several years.
Why would that be…?! 🙁
And NOW is the time for our club to lobby loudly and relentlessly for a new
Head of Refereeing Operations to be recruited from OUTSIDE Scotland.
Otherwise, nothing will improve on the field – or with VAR.
Scottish referees are not operating at FIFA or uefa level. I wonder why not?
Give it a week then the SFA will announce that John ‘cheatin’ Beaton has been promoted to replace Allan after a Wurld wide selection process.
Brothers In Arms folk.
Tout ça change etc,etc,….
These peepul made this var failure all by themselves,,and backed up by their media lackies and pundits,, in 5he last cupla weeks we have been involved in so called pens,, Tyne castle one given against and a simular one sat past,, an sum nob head at sky says coman sense needs to be applied why does it need only applyed to us,
He will probably get a nice handshake as these clowns like to reward failure, and imposters who like to put a dent in Celtic FC,s season.
He will be fast tracked to the BBC studios, the Scottish Poundland version of that baldy English f**k who has a Monday morning gig with Sky.
That baldy English f**k as you call him is actually Irish.
the jota goal at motherwell proved we are at the fore front with the technology right enough. will any of the spineless mob bring him to account for what is a bare faced lie ?.
Crawford Allan will sit with his masonic brethren and promise, as his final act, to deliver CL riches to save the new huns at Ibrox for 23/24. Peter T Lawwell will do nothing, except to help or at least accommodate Allan in his pursuits.
Brendan Rodgers has to face the same SFA masonic cabal which regularly ignores the transgressions frequently committed by those at Ibrox and Peter T Lawwell, in the perfect position as Chairman of Celtic PLC to stand up for our club Celtic FC, will again do nothing or at best blow out some meaningless, inane hot air.
Does anyone else see the problem here?
They might troll us with Sonny Dallas so they might…
I bet some are thanking him
Good fkn riddance, take the rest of the corrupt MIB with you , VAR is and always will be used to sevcos advantage, get shot of both corrupt shitholes .