A Controversial Decision and the Future of VAR in Scottish Football
A few years ago, while managing Hearts, Robbie Neilson criticized Scottish referees and questioned “the old Glasgow long blink.” His implication was clear: when it comes to matches involving Celtic or Rangers, referees suffer from selective vision. These comments were made in 2021, and Neilson eventually faced a touchline ban after losing his temper during a match against Rangers.
When Scottish football introduced VAR the following year, it was meant to address these blind spots and eliminate conspiracy theories. However, recent events have shown that the problem hasn’t disappeared — it’s just gone digital.
The fallout from the incident at Fir Park on Wednesday night has been significant. Opinions on the penalty decision in stoppage-time have been widespread. The majority believe it was never a penalty. When a verdict is so emphatic, it often tells its own story. Those who think it was a penalty are usually those who stand to benefit, such as fans of Celtic.
Derek McInnes called the decision “disgusting,” and his comments could lead to further action by the SFA’s compliance officer. McInnes was not scheduled to speak again before Hearts’ title showdown with Celtic, but due to the controversy, he will hold another media conference this morning. Expect him to remain firm, and there could be more fireworks.
The decision was scandalously poor. Referee John Beaton and VAR Andrew Dallas conspired to produce what may be the worst VAR decision in history — a very crowded field. With the world watching as a thrilling title race reaches its climax, the ineptitude of Scottish referees has turned the whole thing into a laughing stock.
There was always a risk that a major error might decide the championship. That’s the great shame of this situation. One of the greatest seasons in history is now overshadowed by blurry, pixelated pedantry and hopeless referees.
All the thrills and spills of the past nine months are now mired in controversy, and the outcome may well have been decided by bad refereeing. While Hearts still have a chance to win tomorrow, the decision on Wednesday changed everything. Had the results stayed as they were, Hearts were on the brink of glory.
Jamestown Analytics has a system where players are scored based on various aspects of their game. Their performances are micro-analyzed and given a rating. If they applied this system to Scottish referees, it’s unlikely any would be endorsed to referee a game between Cumnock Juniors and Johnstone Burgh.
There’s a bigger picture here. The decision was an absolute stinker, and there’s little doubt about that unless you’re wearing green-tinted spectacles. The wider point is about where this leaves Scottish football and its relationship with VAR. This must be a seminal moment.
A catastrophic injustice that highlights the need for radical change or the technology to be scrapped altogether. It cannot go on like this. Clubs voted to introduce VAR, and they can vote to remove it. The argument that the genie is out of the bottle is nonsense.
If clubs unite or some withdraw funding, VAR could be scrapped. Norwegian clubs have already done this. Scottish football isn’t wedded to VAR. One of the main arguments for its use was that it would help referees remain relevant in the eyes of UEFA and FIFA. But that’s nonsense — they aren’t relevant because they aren’t good enough, as evidenced by the latest FIFA snub for the World Cup.
VAR has only amplified the issue. It has left referees looking more amateurish, more error-prone, and further from the global elite than ever. Very few people — players, managers, supporters — actually want it to remain part of the game.
The crux of the matter is that VAR in Scottish football is not getting better. Future years show no sign of improvement, and it’s actually getting worse. These aren’t teething problems. They’ve lengthened games, killed momentum, and multiplied grievances rather than reducing them.
It has amplified the dreadful standard of officiating across the country and potentially ruined an otherwise brilliant season. If there’s any good that can come from the events of Wednesday night, it’s that Scottish football has embarrassed itself on the world stage. If that’s not enough reason for serious changes, nothing ever will be.
