VAR one year on. It’s still as confusing as ever and still not fit for purpose…
Today is the one year anniversary of the use of VAR in the top flight of Scottish football. Ironically our first game under the technology was at Tynecastle were we play today. That day we won 4-3 in a dramatic game that had its fair share of talking points.
We conceded TWO penalties, one intervened by VAR, and admittedly they were marginal but correct calls, but we were on the end of a baffling decision just minutes after hearts had scored to equalised with a spot kick. And we had a perfectly good goal from an Anthony Ralston header which was blown quickly for offside whereas had the referee Nick Walsh waited – as he was supposed to do – then presumably VAR would have confirmed that there was no offside.
Michael Smith of Hearts clearly handled in the box and it was up there with the biggest stonewaller you’ll ever see. Even the expression on the Hearts man’s face told you so – yet where was VAR on that one? Nowhere to be seen!
Smith was expecting a penalty against him. Even the commentators said it was a cert to be awarded when VAR had a look, but lo and behold they didn’t even deem it worthy of a second glance. Very strange. Anyhow we won the game, but still it was baffling, frustrating and so typical of the kind of refereeing we have all been used to before the introduction of VAR.
Those who thought that VAR would mean an end to the ‘Honest Mistake’ era had that idea shot down in flames on the very first day.
Even a year on it’s still as baffling as it was on this day in 2022 and it was just a taste of things to com. We’ve been on the end of numerous strange inconsistent decisions. Matt O’Riley was deemed to have handled the ball in the box at Celtic park against Ross County, it wasn’t even similar to the one we were refused against Hearts, but still it was given.
Then there was Connor Goldson blatantly handling the ball in the box in the New Year derby. It wasn’t even deemed worthy of a look.
Jota having a perfect goal ruled out at Fir Park, but ‘incompetence’ or ‘human error’ judged it not to be. There’s more to recall but we’d be here all day.
Most clubs have been affected by it, it’s just not us. Except of course one (theRangers). They have still to concede a spot kick in the league even under the new technology and Connor Goldson playing basketball in his own box more times than we care to remember.
One year on and VAR is still a shambles, it was meant to clear up ‘mistakes’ but it’s somehow just made it even worse. It looks like it’s here to stay, let’s just hope it gets better. For me, and I’m sure the majority of football supporters will agree, it spoils the game. It’s a hindrance we could do without.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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