Celtic ended the day stretching the lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership on goal difference thanks to the Daizen Maeda goal that was allowed to stand against Hibs at Easter Road in a controversial VAR assisted defeat…
That result created renewed hope of a title challenge being reignited at Ibrox later in the day but St Mirren had other ideas and by half past four, the rush at started at the Copeland Road subway station. That game ended in a 2-0 win for St Mirren, sort of negating the controversy through in Leith, where the Scottish FA released their reasoning behind Alan Muir’s decision.
“The VAR check was from the 18 yard line camera and showed that the ball had crossed the byline.”
This of course was the same image the pundits and viewers of the game were shown on TV and no-one could say for sure if the ball was fully over the line. Remember neither the linesman with the best view of all, or the referee thought that the ball was out of play but using this image Alan Muir reckoned that his ‘view’ should override the two officials on the pitch. It was an absolute disgrace of decision that had the usually mild-mannered Celtic manager fuming.
Brendan Rodgers had this to say about the incident: “My take is that the official Alan Muir has had a guess at it. The linesman arguably has the best view in the stadium and he doesn’t give it.
“So for that to get overturned I am assuming there is an absolute clear image of the ball being out of play. In my experience up here with VAR, you don’t have all the angles and they don’t have the equipment to say it was conclusively out. So you are actually viewing it from a secondary position and at that point you are then having a guess. That is the huge disappointment,” the Celtic manager said.
“I can’t deny that if we get the equaliser we are really pushing (for a winner) as in the second half we were much better. But I also have to be honest as well. We made an awful start to the game and in the first half our level was not good enough.
“This team don’t have many days like that but we were certainly like that in the first half. But if we got that goal it would been a great end to the game for us.”
And the pundits in the Premier Sports studios tended to agree.
Neil Lennon said: “If I was Brendan I’d be raging. Because when I saw it again on the action replay, for me it was inconclusive whether the whole of the ball had gone over the line. For me, the linesman’s right there, he’s got the best view of it. The referee has given it.
“So VAR has interfered and I’m still not convinced the whole of the ball has gone over the line. So I can imagine the frustration. Engels checks back, he does overhit the pass a little bit. But Johnstone does brilliant, you think he’s not going to make it but he does. He does, and I’m not convinced the whole of the ball has gone out.”
“If I was Brendan [Rodgers], I’d be raging… I’m still not convinced that the whole of the ball has gone over the line.” 🗣️
Neil Lennon, @dothebartman1, Alan Hutton and @Sports_EmmaD discuss Celtic’s controversially disallowed goal today#HIBCEL pic.twitter.com/Ku9ibDe4un
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) February 22, 2025
Alan Hutton gave his view on the VAR call: “It’s so tight, it’s very difficult for anyone to look at that in one shot and decide. Johnston does ever so well to get there but how many times have we watched this and it’s still hard to see.”
Alan Muir on VAR again.
Same Alan Muir who denied Kyogo a Penalty early season and was wrong.
Same Alan Muir that denied Maeda a penalty and was wrong.
Same Alan Muir who doesn't have a conclusive clip that this full ball is out, but still overruled the ref.
Get him gone! pic.twitter.com/nbJrFWUVWH
— The Celtic Way (@TheCelticWay3) February 22, 2025
Marvin Bartley said: “Well I’m with Neil because when it first happened I thought the ball must’ve been out. And then when I saw the replay, it’s so difficult. If VAR have overturned it, it must be factual. They must have an image that shows that the ball’s clearly out. Personally, watching the replays at full speed, it’s very very difficult which means they wouldn’t have been able to turn it over. We had that in the World Cup where the ball looked like it was out but it was actually overhanging the line. Someone’s made a big call.”
Brendan Rodgers is “hugely disappointed” with the decision to disallow Celtic’s goal today that would have made it 2-2 against Hibernian 🍀
“My experience here with VAR is that they don’t have all the angles or equipment to say it’s conclusively out.” 🗣️#HIBCEL pic.twitter.com/P4SIiTEcm9
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) February 22, 2025
That someone was of course Alan Muir. And guess what Alan, your day must have been as wasted when you later heard the score from Ibrox.
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