Former Celtic attacking midfielder Kris Commons doesn’t think using VAR in Scottish football is a very good idea, feeling that it wouldn’t clear up many potential controversies and could even create more, writing in his Scottish Daily Mail column (23/12 print edition, Verdict supplement page 16).
The topic of using the video assistant system in Scottish football has been a hot topic recently after the news that the Scottish FA expect clubs to make a decision early next year on whether to implement it after a review of the costs (Daily Mail).
It’s said that it could cost as much as £1m-a-year for clubs to make it a reality, which is not an insignificant sum for some clubs even when split between the top-tier group.
It’s not even the cost that Sky Sports pundit Commons has a problem with though, simply feeling it could fuel every more controversy than usual, especially in the wake of big Celtic derby matches against Rangers.
As quoted by The Scottish Daily Mail (23/12 print edition, Verdict supplement page 16) he said: “Can you imagine the chaos if a last-minute winner in an Old Firm match was ruled out by VAR? It would cause a riot. Old Firm fans love a conspiracy theory.
“We would soon see league tables being drawn up counting how many VAR decisions had gone in favour of their team.
“Or maybe the person operating the system and drawing those diagrams is a big bluenose… or they’re a season ticket holder at Celtic Park. It would be madness.”
Positives could outweigh negatives
For me, VAR seems a sensible way forward for Scottish football. Especially as the system and technology is likely to improve over the next few years.
It has proven to be a massive topic of debate in England and there are question marks about how it would be used by the Scottish FA, but surely if it can help stop glaring errors on the part of referees, it should be considered?
Commons’ criticism that it could ’cause riots’ rings hollow too, the officials in charge of reviewing decisions would all be qualified referees, so why would there be more question marks about their allegiance than now?
VAR could prove to be something of a neutral way of making decisions in time, as processes improve and there is trust it gets the vast majority of decisions correct.
Clearly many have yet to be convinced and it’ll be interesting to see how Scottish clubs vote in 2020 on the matter.
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