The five Hampden VAR calls that Celtic fans are waiting on Willie Collum to explain

After being extensively trailed since Sunday, tomorrow is the day that Willie Collum will explain decisions made during the League Cup Final. An agenda entirely driven by legacy media and the online moon-howlers from Ibrox.

At the time of a shirt pull from Liam Scales there was barely a mention or question by the controversy hungry commentators on Premier Sports, not a peep of complaint came from any of Phil Clement’s players but the wailing that followed Bobby Madden’s Instagram post has been incredible.

So loud that the Rev Mike McCurry has been brought in to justify the outrage over the decision to award a free-kick and book Scales when a penalty should have been awarded for a shirt pull on Vaclav Cerny.

Anyone that has had the misfortune to watch John Beaton’s career will know the script, as soon as contact was made from Scales he was blowing for a free kick and booking, if he had held back a few seconds he could have given the foul for the shirt pull allowing VAR to intervene and upgrade to a penalty.

Alan Muir has a similar reputation to Beaton, it stretches back to the 2015 Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and Inverness Caley Thistle and the Josh Meekings handball.

Muir, specially employed as an Additional Assistant behind the goal decided to miss the handball, as did the assistant referee at the North Stand, Francis Connor. Willie Collum decided to reunite them in the VAR room on Sunday.

The SFA has this week been involved in softening fans up through news management, leaks went out on Tuesday night that a penalty should have been awarded, CEO Ian Maxwell today admitted that mistakes were made in Sunday’s match.

Tomorrow the Willie Collum Show will appear on You Tube, alongside his media bestie Gordon Duncan in a carefully scripted show that will ignore the majority of mistakes from Hampden on Sunday.

McGregor sends a pass from a freekick over the top of the Rangers defence to set Maeda through in goal.

Beaton stops play and wants it taken from the right place and makes sure McGregor takes it from exactly the same place as the first time 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/6SnjiqNrFE

— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 18, 2024

Early in extra-time Callum McGregor fired a free-kick into space for Daizen Maeda to run onto, flat footed Robin Propper never stood a chance, giving the Celtic striker a one-on-one with Jack Butland.

Beaton saw the free-kick being taken, followed the ball then blew for reasons unknown, McGregor took the free-kick from virtually the same spot, other defenders were in place to cover for Propper.

Kyogo get the run on the pace-less Propper who pulls him down right in front of Beaton.

Kyogo gets the booking. https://t.co/70PdwnkhR6 pic.twitter.com/7F1ZyW5rUe

— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 17, 2024

And it is Propper again, unable to stop Kyogo Furuhashi with a body check he resorts to a full on rugby tackle, the Celtic forward recovers and is booked seconds later. Muir on VAR decides to take no action.

Balogun on a yellow.
Goes in with studs on another two tackles on a yellow.

Subbed off after next break in play.

Should have seen red. https://t.co/UF8WuRk9Ny pic.twitter.com/HL8QEtou0D

— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 17, 2024

At the age of 37 Leon Balogun shouldn’t be chasing after players like Reo Hatate, outsmarted by his younger more agile opponent the veteran defender was booked after 24 minutes for kicking at Hatate’s ankle.

Early in the second half Balogun repeated it with another attack on Hatate, this time Beaton barely spoke to him.

There was still time for a kick at Cameron Carter-Vickers, no card was shown with Clement deciding not to chance his luck any further with a 67^th minute substitution.

Rangers player holding and pulling CCV back at the 2nd goal for Rangers, stopping him from getting to the trundling shot creeping in at the back post. pic.twitter.com/D2E7JDODz6

— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 17, 2024

Once again it is Propper, quickly discovering the boundaries of wearing a blue shirt in the Glasgow Derby.

As Mohamed Diomande shoots across goal Carter-Vickers senses the danger, the ball takes a touch off Kyogo but inside the six yard box Propper is obstructing and holding back CCV as he tries to get back to clear off the line.

Muir reviewed it on VAR and took no action.

How did the Rangers player Jefte get away without a red for this stamp on the back of Kuhn? pic.twitter.com/jcxHSJM1Fr

— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 17, 2024

This one is simply brutal, having already been turned a few times by Nicolas Kuhn Jefte’s discipline can’t hold back any further.

As the Celtic winger accepts a throw-in, Jefte stamps into the back of the winger’s ankle, Beaton sees it clearly and decides on a booking.

Muir reviewed it and took no action, tomorrow we will find out if any of those incidents were deemed as mistakes when Collum breaks cover.

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