Next week sees a new dawn for Scottish football, with VAR’s introduction to the top flight bringing the Premiership level with the majority of comparable leagues across Europe.
It’s introduction into the national game was inevitable, 41 of the 42 clubs in the league structure voted in favour for VAR’s implementation, but the process of that introduction has been beset with endless discourse and consternation since it was announced late last season,
The initially-projected post-World Cup window has, of course, now been brought forward, and a full month of fixtures will be played out using the technology before the Qatar tournament.
The SFA’s chief executive Ian Maxwell has called for both caution, and patience in these introductory weeks and months, in stark contrast to the head of refereeing operations Crawford Allan who gave a roaring endorsement of the new technology.
The mixed messages from the league’s governing body are as laughable as they are completely anticipated, and the SFA’s propensity for making things as protracted and over-complicated as could be imagined is well-worn at this point. Frankly, anyone anticipating that VAR’s Premiership introduction would be in any way smooth could charitably be described as naïve at this point.
Scottish football, at this point, is basically characterised by refereeing drama, and barely a week goes by without some kind of controversy or much-maligned decision, but the narrative that VAR will offer a silver bullet for refereeing problems remains a misguided one.
As pointed out by former referee Mark Clattenburg in the week, VAR is not the cold, automated technology i’ts often painted as, and although some, blatantly obvious decisions will be corrected, it remains only as capable as the officials using it.
Whilst the league has part-time officials and no goal-line technology, then the baseline human error underpinning the technology will continue to be exacerbated beyond what other leagues would tolerate.
Scottish football also has a reputation for being a more physical league than others, even others in the UK, arguably to a fault, and its fair to expect that some heavy challenges that would be deemed an instant red card offence across the border still will punished with just a yellow card in Scotland with VAR in situ.
Until there’s a fundamental change in how the game is refereed on a purely ideological level – altering the perception that the Scottish Premiership is not a uniquely physical league – then the more technically gifted players will still go without adequate protection and refereeing decisions will still be scrutinised to death and beyond.
Expecting an end to, or even just a curb on refereeing discourse in Scottish football? Strap yourself in, because it’s only just getting started.
In other news: Referee who felt Postecoglou’s wrath last season handed Celtic cup tie
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