Kettlewell calls for major VAR summit

MOTHERWELL boss Stuart Kettlewell has called for talks between match officials and clubs after failing to get clarity over the decision to disallow Lennon Miller’s goal against Aberdeen. It followed a VAR review after the ball appeared to brush against team-mate Theo Bair’s arm on the way to the midfielder. Kettlewell’s feeling of injustice was compounded by the fact Ross County scored against Motherwell earlier in the season despite Victor Loturi handling in the build-up, and the fact there was no VAR check when the ball hit Graeme Shinnie’s arm in the Aberdeen box late in the 1-0 defeat for the Steelmen on March 16. Motherwell were told that Bair’s handball was deemed deliberate while the others were not, but the club claimed in a statement that inconsistency over decisions and lengthy VAR interventions were seriously impacting fans’ enjoyment of matches. Kettlewell said: ‘I think people believe we do that as a football club just to be argumentative and it’s just this quest against match officials. It’s really not. ‘There was initial contact (with the SFA) before our statement but there’s not been any further contact off the back of our statement. ‘I still don’t have an explanation that justifies why Lennon Miller’s goal was chalked off. ‘The clubs, the referees’ association and the SFA, everybody, in my opinion, must look at this and realise there is an obvious issue and the only way to move forward is we have to come together, whether it’s dropping the ego and making sure we are listening to others. ‘These conversations must pack a punch and bring about some form of change.’