“Very surprised”: Two former SFA Grade 1 referees find it hard to accept that Hearts’ red card at Celtic Park was missed by VAR

VAR has been the biggest alternate to Scottish football the Celtic fans have seen in years.

The refereeing technology was once supposed to help referees come to the correct decision if a clear and obvious error is made on the field of play.

VAR has now become one of the most talked about subjects in Scottish football which is a disgrace due to the fact we have a very thrilling title race on our hands.

The video referee have to be helping to enhance standards and limit sincere errors however what we seem to be seeing is fit officials looking for any probability to chalk off goals, award penalties or issue crimson cards.

Which makes the one the healthy officers missed at Celtic Park against Hearts seem to be very strange.

Dexter Lembikisa have considered purple vs Celtic

Former SFA Grade 1 referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy have been strolling the rule over the refereeing decisions made in Celtic’s 3-0 win over Hearts when they said Jambo’s midfielder Dexter Lembikisa have to have been sent off for this challenge on James Forrest:

🗣️ “VAR and Kevin Clancy missed a clear red card for Serious Foul Play. Also disappointing that Sky and Sportscene never included it in their highlights packages” https://t.co/95wOD3luvG pic.twitter.com/9m6URTFiZ0

— Behind The Whistles (@behindtwpod) May 5, 2024

Speaking on their Behind the Whistles podcast the former refs said:

Roache: “I was once truly surprised, first and foremost, that it wasn’t highlighted on any of the highlights packages, so to speak, whether or not it be BBC or Sky, etc.

“I wasn’t truely aware of it till we had been speakme this morning. I don’t really see any difference in that challenge from the Yang one that was once at Tynecastle. It’s distinctly a whole lot the equal challenge.

“And if you’ve bought your studs in the face of a player, pay attention we all stated it was a purple card for Yang, if we are going to be regular and we desire to be manageable and credible as commentors, then that’s a crimson card.”

Conroy: “Yep, there’s no way round it. It’s a crimson card. We clearly had to state a case when we stated that Yang be despatched off but we’re seeing the actual same handle this time, so it ought to have the equal outcome.

“That should have been a red card. And I agree, I don’t know why that didn’t go to VAR.”

It’s surely been the talk of social media over the remaining few days and the truth that a VAR system, that has been over-vigilant attempting to find pink card offences, ignored this is quite baffling.

Thankfully, this missed name didn’t price Celtic any points like the two VAR noticed at Tynecastle did earlier this season however this does just go to exhibit that the inconsistency in applying the guidelines the usage of the technological know-how is clear to see and desires to be addressed via the SFA moving forward.