The SFA have moved to clear up the confusion surrounding Auston Trusty’s red card in Celtic’s draw at Hearts.
Trusty was sent off after a VAR review upgraded the Celtic defender’s caution to a dismissal and it was a decision that infuriated Celtic boss Martin O’Neill.
We told exclusively how Mark Clattenburg disagreed with the Celtic red card as the former FIFA referee said he ‘didn’t like’ how VAR intervened on the incident.
Is Martin O’Neill correct? The Celtic boss was fuming!
And now, to clear up the row, the SFA sent ‘guidance’ to BBC man Richard Gordon to explain why John Beaton decided to intervene to get Steven McLean to upgrade the original yellow card decision to a red.
- READ MORE: Mark Clattenburg makes his VAR stance crystal clear with Auston Trusty Celtic red card verdict
Hearts player was ‘impeded strongly’ before Celtic’s red card
The debate over the controversial decision continued well after the full time whistle went in Celtic’s draw at Hearts.
And as Pat Bonner shared his reasons why VAR got it wrong, Gordon read out the explanation sent to him by the national association.
Gordon said on BBC Sportsound, “Just in terms of the player offering cover, you’re never quite sure, because you have to remember, that the Hearts player has been impeded.
“He’s clearly been impeded, and he’s been impeded strongly. So if he is not impeded, then he’s got much more impetus.
“And you’ve got to say, would the Celtic covering defender, if you want to call out, would he have got back?
“The key question is the direction the ball was travelling and it was travelling wide of goal. There’s no question. Would he have got to without being impeded? He might well have done.”
The SFA ‘guidance’ over Auston Trusty’s red card vs Hearts
No one is denying that a foul took place, however, what is up for debate is the decision for VAR to intervene.
And here is what the SFA thought of it.
Gordon continued, “Would he have got a shot away? He might well have done. And that’s clearly what the referee and, well, the whole team eventually, it’s John Beaton, isn’t it, who’s in VAR who makes the recommendation to Steven McLean.
“Steven McLean has a look, and we’re told that the guidance is ‘that it was indeed ruled to have denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity following an on-field review’.
“And there’s no question, look, it had a bearing, didn’t it, because it absolutely gave Hearts that kind of real pump for the closing stages of the game, knowing that Celtic potentially were going to be in a bit of disarray and down to 10 men.”
You can listen to Gordon’s full explanation below:
There is no doubt that this decision will continue to create headlines for days to come as it appears to have cost Celtic two points in the title race.
Celtic now need to park this and concentrate on Thursday where Utrecht come to Parkhead in the final fixture of the Europa League campaign.
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