Former Celtic hero John Hartson has blasted VAR technology and insisted that it should now be scrapped following a calamity of errors since its introduction.

VAR was first used in Scottish football in October last year but has since been at the centre of a number of controversies involving big decisions.

Many pundits had warned that it would cause havoc during the first derby game which it was used in and they certainly weren’t wrong as the Hoops were denied a clear penalty after Rangers defender Connor Goldson blocked Carl Starfelt’s shot with both his hands only for the referee not to point to the penalty spot or check the replay.

Another aspect of the technology which is becoming increasingly frustrating to supporters is that there is a long pause after Celtic score a goal as it always appears to be checked by officials which completely discounts fans who have paid their hard-earned cash to watch their team.

This has led former Hoops striker Hartson to suggest that Scotland becomes the first country to ditch VAR.

“It’s “causing more problems than it’s worth,” said Hartson speaking on the [Go Radio Football Show].

“Would it be too controversial if I said get rid of it? Even if you go back to VAR, there are so many calls where you think ‘how have they come up with that?’

“So listen, I know it’s there to help the referees, but at this moment in time, they’re getting more wrong than they’re getting right. It’s a controversial call, it doesn’t matter what I say because they’re never going to listen to me, but what I’m thinking is ‘is it causing more problems than it’s worth?’

VAR
28th December 2022; Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Hibernian versus Celtic; VAR check on the scoreboard

“Why don’t we just let the referee make the decision as they see it? Because as we’ve seen, even if it’s going to VAR…how on earth can they not come up with the correct decisions?

“These handballs, if a handball is blatant then give it. If it’s just smashed at somebody’s arm, then don’t give it. A lot of it is common sense, but it just doesn’t seem to be working right now.”

Many fans don’t really know what the answer is. The technology which Scottish football uses is the cheapest of the cheap but many will still say that it isn’t the technology which is the let down but those using it.

Referees being part-time in Scotland doesn’t help and even if VAR was to be scrapped, the same standard of poor officiating would still proceed.

 

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