SFA score OG as they reveal the real VAR lines in Celtic controversy

In the final VAR Review show of the season Willie Collum let the cat out of the bag.

At various times this season Celtic fans have cried foul over the dodgy thick and squiggly lines used to disallow goals through VAR.

Of course it isn’t an issue that has interested legacy media outlets, on social media the idea has been laughed off by others especially when the issues come up in games that Celtic are winning 3-0 and 5-1. Exactly the type of incidents where issues should be highlighted.

The May VAR show had one vital difference, very thin 3D lines were used, projecting down from the body part closest to the goal-line then projected across the pitch.

Ironically the new look came good for Adam Idah’s equalising goal at Ibrox on May 4.

To the surprise of no-one, Dougie Potter, who had missed Nicky Raskin being offside when he netted in the first half, put his flag up instantly after the Irish international striker put the ball in the net.

The VAR team of Andrew Dallas and Andrew McWilliam had two opportunities to back up Potter’s decision- they found nothing.

In the first instance the thin lines that appeared in this review showed that Daizen Maeda was almost a metre onside, it wasn’t marginal or down to toenails or defining the T-shirt line.

The quality of the lines used is in marked contrast to the evidence thrown up to deny Kyogo Furuhashi the opening goal in the September Glasgow Derby, Dallas was also the VAR for that match. Or for the Maeda goal disallowed in the 5-1 win home win over Kilmarnock in April.

The other opportunity to deny Celtic a goal was if Maeda was offside when Idah shot into the net.

Nick Walsh can be heard on VAR repeating the claim of Liam Kelly about Maeda interfering with play but from behind the goal not only is Maeda not in Kelly’s eyeline but he is wide of the right hand post. Not interfering with play.

Looks like Jefte in the defender closest to goal, a line down from his shoulder and projected across the pitch discovers that Maeda was well onside when he started his run behind James Tavernier.

Leading to Maeda ‘goal’ being disallowed against Kilmarnock with the thick lines and dubious projections as Idah’s shoulder is projected forward and the last defender has his shoulder projected backwards.

Thicker red and blue lines, long range angle as Kuhn’s shoulder is projected towards the goal and Souttar’s shoulder away from goal. Kyogo ‘goal’ is disallowed.

Note the close up view compared to the long range image used on Kuhn’s shoulder. The thick yellow line is for the last defender, Maeda’s nearest point, his shoulder generates the red line, when it hits the pitch the dark line shows that he is clearly onside. The sort of detail posted missing to justify the decisions to disallow the Kyogo goal in the September Glasgow derby and Maeda’s goal in the 5-1 win over Kilmarnock.

Collum has had a horrendous year as Head of Refereeing at the SFA, taking over from Crawford Allan after a worldwide search uncovered a member of the Lanarkshire Refereeing Association as the best candidate.

Almost every club has suffered as attention seeking officials went overboard with their interpretation of the Laws of the Game to disallow goals, award penalties and get players sent off.

Things got so bad with Alan Muir that he was removed from duty after disallowing a goal scored by Celtic without any evidence to justify that decision.

No comment or statement was made by the SFA other than Collum’s comments on the VAR show, Muir simply disappeared from the VAR rota but is believed to be still drawing money from the SFA.

Dundee United and St Mirren withdrew their backing from the farsical Key Match Incident panel which involves journalists and pundits giving their verdict on incidents involving the teams that they support.

Just like in his refereeing career it is all about Collum, probably one of the worst referees that Scotland has ever produced- just ask Roma fans about his understanding of the Laws of the Game.

Hand in hand with Gordon Duncan the Head of Refereeing has cultivated an image as being a right good guy as he blames the match officials that he appoints for the carnage on the pitch and gets praised for his transparency.

Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson is a huge fan of Collum and his VAR Review.

The final VAR Review of the season didn’t offer any explanation why the assault on Reo Hatate by Pape Gueye of Aberdeen only resulted in a yellow card, we can only conclude that Steven McLean on the pitch and John Beaton on VAR got that decision correct.

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