The Celtic Star this afternoon can confirm that Celtic have already met with the Scottish FA seeking clarity around the rules and the application of VAR that has been, if nothing else, entirely consistent in ensuring that every possible decision goes against the Scottish Champions and runaway Scottish Premiership leaders who after yesterday’s 2-2 draw at Ibrox remain nine points clear at the top of the league looking down on theRangers.
In fact it’s remarkable that yesterday was the first occasion where Celtic have actually dropped points since VAR was introduced in October at Celtic’s 4-3 win away to Hearts in a match where James Forrest was denied a stonewall penalty after Hearts had been awarded two. Had John Beaton been asked by yesterday’s VAR operator Willie Collum to take another look at the Connor Goldson handball then Celtic could well have left Ibrox with all three points.
This site also understands that the view from inside the club is that John Beaton had a fairly decent game yesterday but there is real concern surrounding the application of the rules by Willie Collum who failed at both penalty incidents to get the referee to take a second look via the VAR monitor. The real unhappiness though centres on the Goldson handball, especially after some the handball decisions that have been reached awarding Dundee United and Ross County incredibly soft penalty kicks at Celtic Park after incidents involving Alexandro Bernabei and Matt O’Riley.
Subsequently gaslighting by the mainstream media today to try to justify Collum’s decisions will not be allowed to muddy the water as the decision was for Beaton to make and not Collum as a second referee.
Now after yesterday’s controversial decisions taken by Willie Collum, Celtic will have a further meeting with the Scottish FA which is expected to be frank and forthright and focus on Collum’s decision-making that effectively denied Celtic the opportunity of what the club believe to have been a stonewall penalty kick.
Yesterday’s opponents remain the ONLY side in the Scottish Premiership yet to concede a penalty kick this season.
It’s worth remembering that when Willie Collum sent off a Rangers player against St Mirren a few years ago the latest Ibrox club launched a campaign against Collum who subsequently did not handle any of their games for many months.
Four very contentious handball decisions involving Celtic since VAR was introduced. In all four cases, the decision is given against Celtic. pic.twitter.com/19cTP6lcqW
— David 🍀 (@thedavidcurrie) January 3, 2023
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The conversation will go something like this:
SFA Official: VAR is working as intended.
PLC board official: No bother. See you next week.
That’s what happens when you have Ibrox loving cowards like Lawwell pulling the strings.
Hail Hail.
Why doesn’t the sfa appoint someone to check all CCTV and var cameras before any game if it’s not working no game simple