UEFA has announced the referee lineup for this summer’s European Championships in Germany, and notably, no Scottish officials have been selected. [STV]
The European football governing body has chosen 90 match officials, including referees and VAR teams, from various countries across Europe.
The absence of Scottish referees from the list means prominent SFA referees like Willie Collum, John Beaton, Don Robertson, and Kevin Clancy will not participate. This decision highlights ongoing concerns about the impact of VAR implementation in Scotland on the international opportunities available to Scottish referees.
Former referee Charlie Richmond commented before VAR was introduced on the disadvantages Scottish officials faced due to limited exposure and training with VAR.
He pointed out that even seasoned referees like Bobby Madden have faced limitations and bringing VAR in would open up opportunities to the referees in Scotland.
Richmond said to the Scotsman in 2019, “If we don’t get in line and start using the VAR system in Scotland then you won’t see our guys [referees] going abroad.
“That was evident when Bobby Madden went to do his Champions League match recently between Bayern Munich and Red Star Belgrade
“The VAR officials were flown in from Holland because it’s only Bobby and Willie Collum that are trained in VAR.
“It was the same when Willie covered Juventus against Bayer Leverkusen – the VAR officials came from Spain.
“So we can’t send a full team of six Scottish officials to a Champions League game. So when it comes to the more important games our referees will miss out because Uefa will insist on a full team of six who work together
“The Europa League brings in VAR from the last 32 onwards and I can’t see our guys getting matches. It will be the same at the European Championships next year.
“You only have to look back a few years and find that Craig Thomson covered a Champions League quarter-final second leg between Dortmund and Malaga. That will not happen now because we don’t have Scottish officials fully trained in VAR.
“Bobby is at a very important time in his career and he wants to go up to the next level and become one of the elite. But if he’s not getting the support of the SFA effectively he won’t make that jump.”
So is it fair to conclude VAR has not made the desired impact for teams and officials?
Well that’s the silver cloud then. At least we won’t need to see Beaton, Robertson, Dallas etc pad their wallets out even more. There’s probably not enough room with all the Sevco brown envelopes, not that they’d need them to support their team……
They have ruined there professionalism in hatred for one club in there quest to allow another to win league what club has had the lowest penalties against them
Have they ever considered that Scottish referees are just shit?