Don Robertson and Steven McLean called out over scandalous VAR decision against Celtic- Willie Collum update

Don Robertson and Steven McLean have been called out by Willie Collum for refusing to award Celtic a penalty in their recent 2-0 win at Motherwell.

As is usual with the monthly VAR Review (The Willie Show) the main talking points are left out as the Head of Refereeing at the SFA justifies the most ridiculous of decisions.

Collum is in his third season as Head of Refereeing with Alan Muir as a VAR official the only apparent demotion.

Collum’s old mates, many from the Lanarkshire Referee Association remain on the lucrative circuit of being appointed for top matches.

Alongside Nick Walsh and John Beaton, Robertson and McLean took charge of last season’s Glasgow Derbies, the unofficial acknowledgment of Scotland’s leading officials.

Robertson and McLean have track records of over a decade of dubious decisions being awarded against Celtic. Cynics might suggest that those decisions retain their positions at the top in Scotland.

Back in 2015 McLean decided that Josh Meekings of Inverness Caley Thistle hadn’t used his hand to stop a goal-bound header from Leigh Griffiths.

In 2017 Robertson awarded Ross County a penalty despite there being one metre of fresh air between Erik Sviatchenko and the diving Alex Schalk.

MOTHERWELL V CELTIC, OCTOBER 11

Waffling around towards admitting that two leading officials denied Celtic a penalty, in his trademark style Collum said:

Again, I’ve got great sympathy for the Motherwell player because I think he is trying to avoid the contact.

A referee’s job is to apply the Laws of the Game, not to offer great sympathy to players.

As the shot comes in, he’s turning his body away, he’s bringing his leg up to block the ball.

There’s definitely discussion between the referee and the VAR about the arm tucked in. I think the elbow’s tucked in, but the Motherwell player takes a real risk by his arm out from the body here.

A risk that he got away with because McLean and Robertson decided not to apply the Laws of the Game. A risk worth taking.

And in our opinion, after reviewing this incident, our coaching going forward is that this should be a penalty kick, should be awarded in this incident.

Going forward? There was no change to the Law, two leading SFA officials decided not to apply the Laws of the Game. Celtic were denied a penalty.

Perhaps if McGregor hits this shot here and the Motherwell player is trying to pull his arm back, and he’s only maybe one yard away, it’s back to your previous comments. You could maybe make an argument there.

But here the ball travels a fair distance, clear shot at goal, and ultimately, when you pause the still image, when the ball strikes the arm, the arm is out and unnatural from the body.

Which should result in a penalty being awarded.

Funnily enough the same combination of officials also got things wrong when St Mirren visited Ibrox on September 9. This time Robertson was the referee with his mate McLean on VAR duty.

With the match goal-less Ismeal Kabia of St Mirren was fouled by Manny Fernandez inside the penalty box. The former Peterborough starlet has benefitted from a number of baffling decisions since arriving at Ibrox.

Robertson refused to award a penalty to St Mirren. McLean’s VAR Review was over in less than 20 seconds. St Mirren lost the match 1-0.

During the VAR Review show neither of the officials were named. The ‘coincidence’ of Robertson and McLean wasn’t highlighted.

Under Michael Nicholson Celtic haven’t made a public criticism of Scotland’s abysmal refereeing.