Celtic fans will be delighted with Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin’s rant about VAR allowing players in Scotland to con referees.
Goodwin is still fuming about Celtic target Tawanda Maswanhise winning a penalty after he appeared to be elbowed by Dundee United defender Vicko Sevelj.
Sky Sports’ Dermot Gallagher appeared to agree with the VAR decision to award the penalty for an off the ball foul and Celtic fans can watch it below:
Despite Gallagher’s verdict, Goodwin doubled down and what he said will resonate with Celtic supporters after what happened against Hibs with Auston Trusty’s red card and with timewasting in general this season.
Goodwin told The Scottish Sun, “I stand by what I said. There’s nothing in it, two players pulling at each other and Sevelj moves his arm to shake him off.
VAR in Scottish football: incompetent refs, bad technology or both?
“Maswanhise makes the most of the contact then it was the usual from VAR, sticking their oar in where they don’t need to.
“With the way the game is being refereed at the moment players just can’t do anything off the ball.”
Goodwin slams VAR as Celtic red card controversies are still fresh in fans’ minds
Goodwin went further and suggested that VAR continually getting involved in decisions is encouraging players to take advantage of those controlling the video technology.
The Dundee United boss continued, “The game is very hard to play in these days and the way the game is being refereed in Scotland it’s becoming a non-contact sport.
“We are getting to the point now where we’re encouraging players to fall over and make the most of any type of contact.
“That’s because at this moment in time it looks like VAR might give something. Saturday was the same.
“I don’t care about calling players out, if managers want to do it to my players that’s fine.
“I don’t encourage my players to roll around and make the most of things. I find it quite embarrassing watching it back.
“If it was my player doing that type of thing I wouldn’t be happy with it.
“I can guarantee you, one hundred percent, that Maswanhise wasn’t in pain when he went over in the box.
“He went over the way he did because he knows the way the games are being reffed now, so he knows that the guys on VAR will intervene.
“I don’t know if it’s the time for the Players’ Union to step in and tell them they’re conning their own colleagues by these actions they’re making.”
Why Celtic fans will agree with Jim Goodwin’s VAR rant
Celtic fans have seen the likes of Auston Trusty get red carded against Hibs for hitting Jamie McGrath’s hands away after he was grabbing the Hoops defender’s jersey at a corner.
The way McGrath reacted to that was embarrassing and likely played a big part in Trusty getting a red card at Celtic Park.
VAR intervening to upgrade Trusty’s red card at Tynecastle for DOGSO was also a joke when both players were at least 40 yards away from goal with Celtic defender Dane Murray being the covering player.
The refereeing technology guidelines do need reviewing and the rules need to be applied more fairly if only to cut out needless game-changing decisions and time wasting from the opposing players.
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