New SFA system is just a poor man’s VAR
The SFA have missed a trick with their new-look disciplinary system.
Under the terms of the revamp, video footage is reviewed by three former Grade One referees, who decide whether retrospective red cards should be issued. That’s a change from the controversial old way in which the job fell to the Association’s compliance officer – and about time, too. Although it is welcome news for the game, there is a but. I would have been much happier if the panel contained an ex-player or ex-manager to balance the conversation. I am talking about guys with great knowledge and experience of the game from the inside rather than the outside. John Collins, Jim Duffy, Walter Smith: these are the sort of respected figures we should be getting involved. It would be crucial, too, because of the way the system is to operate. In order for an action to be raised, there has to be unanimity between all three officials. So for a player to get hammered, the likes of Duffy – someone very familiar with all the tricks professionals pull to get opponents in trouble – would have to be convinced they should be. Human nature suggests getting three refs to agree would be more straightforward. It is interesting that actions were raised against Steven Naismith and Scott Brown for incidents in Hearts’ win over Celtic last weekend. The inference clearly is that these were offences missed by John Beaton, the official in charge at Tynecastle. I don’t go along with the criticism this will effectively be trial by television. But I do agree it is going to be a poor man’s VAR. I have stated in this column previously my belief that that VAR will become the norm for all top-level football in the future. While cost precludes our domestic game from following suit, we are using the principle through these retrospective reviews. The difference – and it is a big one – is that VAR allows action to be taken during the game and therefore have a potential impact upon the result. You want this. If someone, for example, has simulated injury to get an opponent sent off, then you want the injustice corrected immediately If you can’t do that, though, then we definitely should use the technology as much as possible to make sure that cheats don’t get away with their actions in the long term. The same logic applies to the argument raised by those who say it is unfair the players of Hearts and Celtic should be held to greater account than those, say, of Albion Rovers and Elgin City. Of course they should. They are lucky enough to be playing at the top level of the game and, as such, are role models, whose behaviour is going to come under greater scrutiny. It goes with the territory. The best analogy is the one I made to the SFA board about speed cameras. Is it wrong that someone doing 100 mph on the A9 should be penalised just because someone else doing 45 in a 30 mph near their house gets away with it? Absolutely not. It is everyone’s responsibility to obey the rules. In football, as in life.