The latest VAR farce has been confirmed in regard to the upcoming round of Scottish Cup fixtures this weekend.
In fairness, it is not only a problem of Scottish football’s making as the same issue has been repeated in England but of the eight fifth round fixtures to be played, only two will have the VAR system in action out of a possible four.
As well as at Ibrox on Sunday against Partick, the technology will be in use at Parkhead on Saturday evening for the visit of St Mirren whilst the option is being passed up at two other Premiership grounds whose clubs can utilise it. Due to ‘prohibitive costs’, Dundee United v Kilmarnock and Livingston v Inverness Caley Thistle will be refereed by human oversight, only.
It is understood that it costs £10,000.00 to operate VAR on an individual game basis.
The other two last 16 ties are Hamilton Accies v Hearts on Friday night whilst giant-killers Darvel will host Falkirk on Monday night as they attempt to shine bright under the lights, once again.
Integrity
As reported by the Scottish Daily Express, former ref Steve Conroy was right to pour scorn on the rules which allow games to be officiated on a different basis, with and without VAR. There is valid merit in the argument that if it can’t be used all together (like in the Premiership), then it should be kept for a level playing field:
“It’s absolutely ludicrous that the universal laws of the game are being compromised. We all laughed when Aberdeen got knocked out at Darvel, but if the tech was there they would have had an equaliser.”
“You should either use it all the grounds or just save it for the semis and the final.”
As it is, Rangers should not be needing any further assistance to overcome Partick Thistle but it is more around other decisions on the pitch that the clamour is there for it, for better or worse.
Lets not give Conroy any credibility by quoting him on a Rangers site after what he has said this week about Connor Goldson. He just ignored the current laws of the game to slag off one of our players so that he could pander to his public .Even in the Darvel game that he quotes here , he misses the point that the Darvel defender stopped because the ref had blown , so ,although it was a dreadful decision , Aberdeen wouldn`t necessarily have scored as he assumes. The crime here is that Premiership clubs are being allowed to pick and choose if they use VAR , thats not the same as England .If its a top league ground and VAR is in place they should be told to use it .After all they voted for it.