Keith Hackett: Willie Collum display in Rangers v Celtic proves Scotland may not need VAR
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive Rangers columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Ibrox…
Keith Hackett has insisted that the display of Willie Collum in Rangers defeat against Celtic proves Scotland may not need VAR.
The ex-FIFA referee was thrilled by the performance of Collum, even suggesting that both clubs will have been happy with his display.
Scottish clubs are now set to vote on the introduction of VAR on the 19th of April, with major change possibly on the horizon [David Tanner].
“If you’ve got referees with this quality, you don’t need VAR,” he exclusively told Ibrox News.
“I thought the way he set his stall out, he didn’t jump in with yellow cards, managed, gained respect. He was up with play all the time, his decision making was accurate, I thought the referee was actually brilliant, I think he can be very happy with his performance.
“I think both clubs must be happy with his performance as he was impartial, he was accurate, decision-making was terrific.”
Giovanni van Bronckhorst may be one man who wasn’t too happy with Collum, with certain decisions clearly wrong.
The big one was clearly the Cameron Carter-Vickers tug on Connor Goldson that almost ripped the shirt off his back yet was missed.
Big decisions like that would have been spotted by VAR, so it is hard to suggest the outcome of the planned vote, with Rangers big advocates of the technology.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart has shared his reaction to a “huge” development at Ibrox to come in April