The Scottish Soccer Affiliation’s head of referees Willie Collum believes Celtic and Dundee United ought to have been awarded penalties following his early-season evaluation of VAR.
Collum additionally criticised referee Matthew MacDermid’s physique language earlier than Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers scored towards St Johnstone of their Premier Sports activities Cup win at Hampden Park final month.
Former referee Collum, who took cost of Scotland’s officers this summer time, defined some massive selections from the primary 4 weeks of the season in ‘The VAR Assessment’, a brand new month-to-month present on the SFA’s YouTube channel.
He reviewed the controversial incident at Celtic Park when Hoops striker Kyogo Furuhashi touched the ball previous Robby McCrorie earlier than colliding with the Kilmarnock goalkeeper.
Referee Don Robertson and VAR officers concluded that “the goalkeeper just makes himself big”, however Collum mentioned: “We consider this was the fallacious resolution. Now we have coached the referees and the VARs {that a} penalty kick ought to have been awarded right here.
Collum says McCrorie’s actions had been “reckless” after Kyogo knocked the ball previous him
“It’s an surprising free-kick with the best way the ball is chipped. It catches the on-field referee abruptly and it is very tough for the referee to search out an angle spherical that wall to get a correct view.
“The Celtic player clearly gets ahead and touches the ball past the goalkeeper and we then think the goalkeeper’s actions are reckless. An off-field review should have been requested and the referee asked to come to the monitor.”
Collum additionally highlighted the incident when referee David Dickinson turned down Dundee United claims for a spot-kick after the ball struck the arm of Dundee defender Luke Graham.
Referee David Dickinson didn’t award Dundee United a penalty within the derby towards Dundee
“This was a missed handball,” mentioned Collum. “The ball firstly travels from distance, from a corner kick.
“The Dundee participant, when he jumps, his arm is in an unnatural place and he isn’t jostling with an opponent.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Highlights from the Dundee derby in the beginning of the Scottish Premiership season
Collum additionally cleared up a contentious Rangers purpose towards St Johnstone when Dessers netted after dispossessing Saints defender Jack Sanders.
Among the gamers and supervisor Craig Levein urged their defenders had been distracted by MacDermid signalling for a Saints free-kick.
Collum revealed an audio recording confirmed that the official had not blown his whistle earlier than the purpose was scored.
St Johnstone claimed the whistle was blown earlier than Rangers scored of their League Cup match however a overview of audio proved that was not the case
“Here, the referee probably doesn’t display good body language,” mentioned Collum. “His body language when the challenge is made is edging towards a free-kick.
“However he appropriately delays the whistle, he appropriately communicates so the VAR is conscious of what he intends doing if a purpose is scored and, when the ball hits the online, he then blows his whistle for what he deems to be a defensive free-kick.
“VAR checks and realises the Rangers player hasn’t committed a foul and they therefore recommend an on-field review.
“Aside from the physique language, the right course of was adopted and in the end the right resolution was reached.”
Scottish Premiership & SWPL on Sky Sports
Sky Sports activities – From 2024/25 as much as 60 Scottish Premiership video games might be accessible throughout Sky Sports activities’ flagship channels, together with Sky Sports activities Soccer and Sky Sports activities Foremost Occasion, plus not less than 5 SWPL matches.
Sky Sports activities Information – Working 24 hours a day, seven days per week, Scottish soccer followers can get pleasure from Sky Sports activities Information’ (channel 409) rolling editorial protection of the Premiership and SWPL all through the season.
Sky Sports activities Digital – Observe all the most recent from Scottish soccer throughout SkySports.com and app, together with unique options and interviews, plus devoted reside weblog protection, in-game clips from matches reside on Sky Sports activities and free highlights.
Sky Sports activities Social – Alongside protection and visibility for the league throughout all Sky Sports activities’ major social media channels, the bespoke X web page @ScotlandSky will proceed to be the house of all Scottish soccer content material on Sky Sports activities.
Highlights present – Tune in for a devoted round-up from the cinch Premiership each week on Sky Sports activities Soccer.
Sky Sports activities is the house of home soccer within the UK and Eire, with motion from the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Ladies’s Premier League, Premier League, WSL, EFL, and extra.
Get Sky Sports activities on WhatsApp!
Now you can begin receiving messages and alerts for the most recent breaking sports activities information, evaluation, in-depth options and movies from our devoted WhatsApp channel!
