Celtic to attend SFA meeting next week

By John McGinley

October 1, 2021

Celtic will attend a meeting between the Scottish FA, SPFL, clubs and former referee Howard Webb to discuss the feasibility of introducing VAR into Scottish football.

Many leagues around Europe are now operating with the technology, with Scotland playing catch-up.

The UEFA Champions League and Europa League also use the system, as well as select international matches.

The SFA say Howard Webb, who refereed the 2010 UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup finals, will present on the evolution of the technology since its inception to clubs next Friday, before a debate between the Premiership clubs. Webb was also in charge of VAR’s introduction in the United States.

VAR could be ready in Scotland for all men’s top-tier matches, and latter rounds of the cup competitions, from next season.

Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: “VAR is here to stay and in a short period its implementation has advanced significantly, while its set-up and maintenance costs have reduced. We are now at the point where we need to discuss and ideally agree on its introduction into Scottish football.

“The Scottish FA believes it is necessary for the evolution of our domestic game, to provide additional support to our match officials and also to maximise their potential on the domestic, European and international stages.”

It sounds like it really is on the way. But as we know in Scottish football, anything is possible when votes and rubber stamps come out at the SPFL.

There are often politics and personal agendas at play amongst that group, to say the least.

Some other hurdles could be in play too, not least the cost of implementing the system and ensuring the technology is in stadiums across the country.

So I’ll believe VAR when I see it. Nonetheless, it’ll be interesting to hear what the outcomes of next week’s meetings are.

VAR may be a step forward, but it’d still be the same old hopeless officials using it.

In other news, “Fanatical and incredibly loud”; What the German press are saying after Celtic Park ‘rumble’.