REF PRESSURE IS CRAWFSIDE
an SFA charge for comments made about John Beaton after he was in charge of VAR in their recent defeat to Hearts, while Rangers also requested Willie Collum not referee their games in future after his role in the controversial Old Firm clash in December.
SFA chief executive Maxwell said: “While there is a recognition that, globally, the VAR processes need to improve, this is a challenge for all key stakeholders within Scottish football to work through in the context of our own domestic competition.
“This includes all key external stakeholders having a better understanding of the Laws of the Game, the lines of intervention for VAR, and the adopted guidance within Scottish football, especially in subjective areas such as the handball law. “We must work together to alleviate the unsustainable pressure on match officials and VAR operators, to remove the convenient blame culture attached to subjective or unpopular decisions, and to ensure more focus is placed on the entertainers rather than the on-field facilitators.
“We will continue conversations and improvements with all stakeholders with this as a non-negotiable and unifying premise as we seek to improve the experience for all.”
At the weekend it was Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell who was left nursing a sense of injustice after their 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen at Fir Park.
He saw Lennon Miller’s goal disallowed by VAR after it had brushed Theo Bair’s arm.
Kettlewell claimed the same thing had happened against Ross County in a recent league encounter and the goal was given against them because it hadn’t come off the goalscorer’s hand.
The use of VAR in Scotland has already gone through two reviews where the number of errors jumped from three in the first to 13 in the second.
Allan has become the point of contact for angry managers and club officials. Maxwell added: “Firstly, I would like to thank Crawford for his four years as head of referee operations and especially his efforts in implementing VAR within Scottish football and guiding refereeing through the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In many ways, overseeing the introduction of VAR has been a thankless task.
Yet it has been essential for Scottish football to remain at the forefront of on-field technology and in-step with the leading domestic competitions across Europe, as well as ensuring our match officials and VAR operators can continue to operate at FIFA and UEFA level.
“Crawford has been integral to that process – from feasibility, to training, to roll-out – for much of his tenure and we are grateful that he will remain in place and provide continuity until the end of the season.”
The SFA have already started the selection process for Allan’s replacement along with a review of the position.
Allan admitted his time in charge has not come with its challenges, saying: “Taking the role, after almost 30 years as a match official including 15 years in the top flight, coincided not only with two years affected by the Covid pandemic, but also the inception and then introduction of VAR in Scottish football.
“While there are refinements and improvements to be made to VAR, as there are in leagues across the world, it has taken a monumental effort from my team at the Scottish FA and the match officials to have it embedded in the Premiership and cup matches at Hampden Park.
“VAR is only one aspect of the role, albeit one that can overshadow the positive strides we have taken forward.”