The VAR Review is a brand new monthly show that gives Scottish football fans a behind the scenes look at some of the big decisions made across the game – whether they are right or whether they are wrong – and how those decisions are reached…
The intention is to provide a unique insight through the use of VAR and referee audio.
Host Gordon Duncan is joined by Head of Refereeing, Willie Collum, for the first show, which looks back at the opening of the 2024 season, up until the September international break but does NOT cover the Kyogo ‘offside’ goal in the 3-0 victory over theRangers.
Talking of theRangers we get shown two incidents that went their way against Hearts and St Johnstone and are told that both are correct decisions, although the handball on the opening day would have been a penalty last season. Not like them to catch a break from the referees is it?
Celtic had two penalty incidents reviewed, neither of which was given. The James Forrest one against Hibs, Collum reckons was a correct call not to give it but he believes that the Kilmarnock goalkeeper clearing out Kyogo after Matt O’Riley chipped the ball over the wall should have been a penalty.
Not surprisingly the most controversial decision of the lot – the offside call in the Glasgow Derby match at Celtic Park – was NOT featured, so we didn’t get to hear Andrew Dallas’ assessment on how Kyogo was offside and how he got to draw those lines in the manner that he did.
Nor did we hear Gordon Duncan question Willie Collum on this call and ask what happened to giving the benefit of the doubt to the attacker?
The more the Scottish FA come clean the more it looks like they are still hiding their dirty little secrets.