Brendan Rodgers cut a frustrated figure as he blamed the lack of VAR equipment on Daizen Maeda’s goal being disallowed against Hibs.
Celtic were beaten for just the second time in the Premiership season as Hibs secured a deserved 2-1 victory at Easter Road on Saturday afternoon.
Josh Campbell scored a first-half double and that was enough to beat the Hoops despite Maeda notching a goal back in the second period.
Celtic were sluggish all over the park with Rodgers hooking Adam Idah, Greg Taylor and Luke McCowan at the interval after a horrible opening 45 minutes.
The Bhoys improved after the break as Hibs sat back but they weren’t able to find that equaliser to earn a valuable point.
Rodgers thinks VAR guessed that ball was over the line
Celtic thought they did grab that all-important second goal when Alistair Johnston crossed for Maeda to complete his brace.
On-field referee Steven McLean awarded the goal but VAR intervened to determine whether the ball was already out of play before Johnston could deliver his cross.
The angles broadcast by Premier Sports live on TV did not seem to offer conclusive evidence that the whole ball was out – but VAR Alan Muir ruled that it was.
As such, Maeda’s goal was disallowed and Hibs went on to seal the 2-1 victory.
Rodgers was pressed by Premier Sports for his take on the controversial incident and accused Muir of making a guess over whether the ball was across the line or not.
The Celtic boss then criticised the level of equipment used for VAR in Scotland and thinks an extra angle or two would have made life easier for the officials.
Rodgers said post-match: “Well my take on it is that the official Alan Muir has had a guess at it. Because the linesman arguably has the best view in the stadium and he doesn’t give it.
“So for that to get overturned, then I’m assuming there is an absolute clear image of the ball being out of play.
“And my experience up here with VAR is that you don’t have all the angles, they don’t have the equipment to say it’s conclusively out.
“So you’re actually viewing it from a secondary position which is a higher position. And at that point, you’re then having a guess – so that’s the huge disappointment.
“The linesman didn’t have his flag up, that’s the first thing I looked at when the goal went in. So we’re hugely disappointed in that.
“It’s about having the right equipment to make a factual (decision) because you don’t have the right level of equipment. You’re a camera down and you can’t see the byline – everything is from an aerial view or from one (camera) behind.
“And like I said, the linesman’s moving really well with the game and he doesn’t give it. And as I say, that was a big call.”
Neil Lennon agrees with Rodgers over Celtic ball call
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon was on co-commentary duty for Premier Sports as he watched both his old teams in action.
And he is in full agreement with Rodgers and can’t be 100% from the angles available that the ball had definitely crossed the whole of the line.
Lennon said: “If I was Brendan, I’d be raging. Because when I saw it again on the action replay, for me it was inconclusive whether the whole of the ball had gone over the line.
“The linesman’s there, he’s got the best view of it, the referee’s given it. So VAR have interfered and I’m still not convinced that the whole of the ball has gone over the line. I can imagine the frustration.”
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