MARTINDALE: HELP WHISTLERS BY INTRODUCING VAR
DAVID MARTINDALE insists the quicker Scottish football gets VAR the better – for the sake of refs as well as clubs.
The Livingston manager reckons his side were on the wrong side of the officials twice in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to Aberdeen.
He is adamant that Jackson Longridge should not have been given a second yellow card for a foul on Ryan Hedges.
And he reckons even the
Dons dugout knew Christian Ramirez was offside in the build-up to Hedges’ first goal.
The next night, he scouted tomorrow’s opponents Hearts and saw Kyogo Furuhashi score from what appeared to be an offside position.
He has sympathy for rival boss Robbie Neilson and the men in black with the Livi gaffer admitting there have been plenty of times where he’s argued in the heat of the moment – only to watch footage and realise he’s wrong.
He said: “The quicker we get VAR the better. It will lead to us getting more decisions right than wrong, hopefully.
“There’s still going to be mistakes but we’ll eradicate 50-75 per cent getting made.
“I feel for officials because I couldn’t do that job. I’d be sacked after three games.
“With Aberdeen’s first goal, we were confident it was offside. Aberdeen’s bench knew it was offside. The fourth official and linesman have got to do better but with the speed of the game, refs need a hand.
“I argue with refs, in the nicest possible way, then look back and think, ‘He was right.’
“If we had VAR, we’re not having this conversation. It’s got to be a positive. It’ll be better for the product and lead to less controversy.”