REF CHIEF’S A CONVERT
The battle to bring video assistant refs to football began on our shores five years ago and now we’re set to join the tech revolution
AN idea first mooted on the banks of the Clyde could sweep in a new tide of technology to revolutionise Scottish football.
John Fleming’s phone may finally be about to fall silent on a Monday morning but he’s happy to shout loud about the benefits of video assistant referees (VAR).
A meeting will take place at FIFA HQ in Zurich on March 2 that is likely to give the go-ahead for the introduction of a video review system across the world game aimed at settling disputes around controversial calls there and then.
It appears the International Football Association Board (IFAB), made up of FIFA and the four British national associations, have been won over by worldwide trials conducted over the last two years on the benefits of the new system.
Now pressure will mount on the SPFL to fall into line with the biggest leagues and find the finance to introduce it to the domestic game next summer, most likely for Premiership fixtures and top flight play-offs, as well as the later stages of the Betfred Cup.
The SFA will also be expected to introduce VAR for its premier tournament, the Scottish Cup, most likely from the quarter-final stages next season.
On Monday night Brighton and Crystal Palace competed in the first competitive game in England in which VAR technology was made available.
It passed without incident although Palace players felt a review process should have been triggered after Glenn Murray’s late winner for Brighton.
They thought he handballed but VAR, situated in a television studio 50 miles away, immediately informed referee Andre Marriner the ball came off the player’s knee and the whistler did not feel the need to consult his pitchside monitor.
Fleming, the SFA’s head of refereeing operations, has seen the concept grow from its embryonic stages five years ago to the present day and he is happy to assist its development in the Scottish game. He said: “VAR was first proposed in 2013, at the IFAB agm at Mar Hall, by the Dutch FA. I was there and it was rejected by all the national associations and FIFA.
“It was given a hearing and I was among the sceptics. However, they were asked to trial a form of video replay and came back in 2015 with an updated model that was received more favourably.
“Initially, I believed it was too big a change for football but so much is now at stake – World Cup and Euros participation, promotion, relegation, Champions League qualification.
“My opinion changed as technology moved on and I also recognised the unfairness of a referee often being the last man to leave the field of play knowing an error had been made.
“Analysts can feed information into the technical area of incidents that happened just seconds previously. For the sake of 30 or 40 seconds, why not give the referee access to the same images?” VAR can only be used to determine four match-changing incidents – goals, penalties, straight red cards and cases of mistaken identity.
Broadcasters have willingly made their images available and VAR can only judge on pictures also made available to viewers, so won’t be relying on dodgy mobile phone footage from supporter Twitter feeds, for example.
If the money is found it is anticipated Premiership fixtures next season would have two VARs available to aid decision-making, possibly including a referee’s supervisor who has traditionally sat in the stand.
They may be housed in an outside broadcast truck at the stadium watching live feeds but the SFA could also explore housing a group of, say, four officials at the BBC in Pacific Quay, watching the action from across a string of Premiership fixtures for contentious issues. It remains to be seen how much more financially lucrative
VAR’s introduction may be for our officials, who earn more than £800 for taking charge of a Premiership match.
It’s not unreasonable to suggest Willie Collum or Bobby Madden could take charge of a game on a Friday night then head to another match the following day for a stint as a VAR.
Fleming’s phone occasionally rings off the hook in the 48 hours after a weekend match as irate managers call to vent their frustration at decisions made by whistlers in their games.
Fleming said: “You’d resolve these issues at source. Of course the measurement of the ability of a referee would change as well. We might notice he relied on VAR on eight occasions when he should have nailed three of them without assistance.
“There are grey areas too. The assistant referee might be driven underground as he chooses not to flag for a tight offside, knowing if a goal is scored it could always be reversed by VAR.
“What about goals that result from corners that should have been goal kicks? I suspect that might be one for the future.
“I gave a presentation on the role of VAR to 20 coaches on their Pro Licence at Hampden on Monday morning. There was a really positive reaction.
“We recognise the importance of new technology and how much it has developed in recent years. We know it is the future.”
The SFA revealed it would cost £3million to introduce goalline technology into the Premiership, an investment of £250,000 in each top-flight stadia the SPFL could not justify for isolated incidents however frustrated Hibs felt after Oli Shaw’s recently disallowed goal at Tynecastle.
An average of three decisions a game are settled by VAR – and Shaw’s “goal” would have been picked up without the need for a camera inside the post.
Fleming said: “VAR’s introduction would settle 95 per cent of calls made.”
The remaining five per cent? Good old IFAB – they know football fans still need something to talk about down the pub.
GARY RALSTON ‘Gers can narrow the gap on Celtic. Murty is getting rid of the dross and they’re only two players away from challenging’
for a striker playing in Scottish football, never mind the silly £40m quoted. If he was that good he’d have been snapped up by now.”
But emailed: caller Willie Quinn’s comments about Dembele playing for an average outfit from Parkhead is a joke.
“People say Celtic are playing in a rubbish division but they can only play the teams who are there. To win an Invincible Treble and go 69 games unbeaten is some achievement.
“Dembele should stay for another season as the jealousy coming from fans of other teams is proof of the fact Celtic are the best side in Scotland.”
Meanwhile, said: “I don’t understand Brendan Rodgers’s signing policy.
“He signs Lewis Morgan but lets academy player of the year, and better player, Aidan Nesbitt go. That was a strange decision.”
Record Sport Online’s loan star feature proved a talking point and said: “I really enjoyed Liam Bryce’s online piece on successful loan signings but was disappointed he left out Leigh Griffiths.
“During his loan to Hibs from Wolves he scored 38 goals in 78 appearances and finished season 2012-13 as SFWA Player of the year, the first Hibs player to win that honour since Pat Stanton in 1970.
“He also received the PFA Young Player of the Year award and the Premier League Player of the Year.
“During his spell at Hibs he was also awarded his first full Scotland cap so it would be churlish not to concede that he deserved to be in Liam’s top five successful loan signings.”
Barcelona have signed Phillipe Coutinho for just the £142m and not everyone think it’s another sign the game’s gone mad.
said: “Barcelona got a bargain with the Coutinho deal. The money they paid will come back in shirt sales before he’s played a game. They have got themselves a top player.” CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY FROM 11 TILL 12 NOON on: 0141 309 3306 or email us: hotline@dailyrecord.co.uk