The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Firm view on how to fund VARs – by Levein
Hearts manager Craig Levein believes video assistant referees (VAR) are the way forward for Scottish football – and suggests Celtic and Rangers fund their introduction.
Levein’s side has been on the end of two costly decisions in the past week and other incidents have brought the standard of refereeing into sharp focus.
Hearts lost to an offside “goal” against Rangers last Sunday and were leading 2-1 against St Johnstone in midweek when Andrew Dallas handed the Perth side a bizarre penalty award that they took advantage of to claim a point.
Ahead of his side’s home match against Motherwell today, Levein said: “I think VAR would help.
“I read recently that Ajax gave up their European money to take up the plastic pitches and put down grass pitches for the rest of the clubs in the league. Maybe the Old Firm would give up their European money to put VAR in for everybody.”
Rangers assistant manager Gary McAllister has stressed they want to help Alfredo Morelos cut out the yellow and red cards as they bid to solve their “discipline problem”.
Morelos received the club’s eighth red card of the season during the midweek defeat by Aberdeen.
The Colombia international was already suspended for Sunday’s trip to Dundee and will now miss the visit of Hamilton, while Scott Arfield completes a two-match ban at Dens.
McAllister said: “There is a discipline problem with the number of red cards and bookings we have had but it’s something we are working on continually.
“The players are working at it, we are trying to pass on years of experience to players that maybe haven’t been in these situations before.”
Meanwhile, Oran Kearney is prepared to play a waiting game on Adam Hammill’s St Mirren future with his short-term contract due to expire.
Former Barnsley winger Hammill has made a major impact since joining in October and scored spectacular long-range strikes against Hibernian, from inside his own half, and Hearts.
Kearney, whose side face Livingston today, said: “He’s really happy but it’s well documented he’s got a young family and they are still living down in the Midlands.”