Jeff Winter speaks on VAR in Scotland

[GourockBlue50]

The one thing in football that urgently needs changed isn't VAR. It's the handball rule.

We absolutely have to go back to only being a penalty if there is judged to be intent, or it prevents a probable goal.

It will always be subjective, we need to get rid of all this overcomplicated nonsense about natural positions and body silhouettes.

Intent, they just twist that to suit their agenda.

Look at the shagger situation where he was no where near a player but kicked out in anger anyway.

They deemed his intent was to kick the guy and banned him. An utter nonsense that our press didn't challenge and we know why.

 

[Luca Stroppi]

I think the word you are looking for is cheats.

Cheats, incompetents, shitebags…SOME are all 3.

 

[Luca Stroppi]

Remember the league cup final they won 1-0 there is no way that goal would have been allowed if VAR had been in place that day, would anyone want to go back to not having VAR and cheating linesmen being allowed to get away making dishonest mistakes unless of course you are the team that benefits from such decisions

Correct! A lot of focus is on refs and certain ones more than others because they have form but we mustn’t forget linesmen either. I have seen it too many times how they too have cost us dearly in various matches.

 

[wee bud's pit boots]

There is an issue with VAR in Scotland, its not the technology its the implementation. I don't know if other countries are having the same issues but would expect that some have implemented it with minimal fuss. Why then does UEFA not use the knowledge from where its working and get those football bodies to help train those who are having g an issue. Would benefit the game Europe wide.

As long as we have sellik minded officials in charge on the pitch and behind VAR, it will forever remain corrupt up here.

Add in the pressure from a yahoo media at every incident deemed anti - filth or given at what is deemed pro Rangers - the stushie over correct calls at Easter Rd recently being the perfect example, nothing will change.

You can't train the likes of Collum or Clancy with all their prejudies. It's an absurd notion.

 

[GazzaG]

It’s only been mention a thousand times on here alone.
The waters are muddied though when chief manipulators like Rodgers call out the VAR as the culprit.
Of course, it helps when it was actually Beaton who was the VAR at the time and the scum don’t like Beaton.

The refs' "chief" and the league were quick enough with statements when it was Rangers.
They're making a conscious decision to let Rodgers' comments stand when we all know they’re bullshit.

It's an absolute certainty that he won't be punished for his comments.

 

[NegrisLob]

VAR being operated by part time officials is the equivalent of Lewis Hamilton driving an F1 car on the Saturday and then working a week stacking the shelves in Tesco Monday to Friday and pitching back up for a race on the following Saturday.

 

[Dado’s Napper]

I’d be in favour of dropping it as I can’t take to it it’s invaded almost every single part of the game looking for little tiny things to chop a goal off.

Only in favour if they whole referring system is ripped up and full time better standard of refs are looked at.

Clancy shouldn’t be a referee at this level yet he’s protected and given huge games with huge consequences.

Beaton Robertson Collum McLean have all showed they ref us to a different standard the whole thing needs fixed

 

[EddiBrock]

It's really not that bad

The fact we have this insane furore over a very small number of incidents compared to very little said about far greater in number and far worse in the degree of error before is all very strange

A fake frenzy is being stirred up because less bs decisions are going against us and for them

 

[giogaddi]

I’d be in favour of dropping it as I can’t take to it it’s invaded almost every single part of the game looking for little tiny things to chop a goal off.

Only in favour if they whole referring system is ripped up and full time better standard of refs are looked at.

Clancy shouldn’t be a referee at this level yet he’s protected and given huge games with huge consequences.

Beaton Robertson Collum McLean have all showed they ref us to a different standard the whole thing needs fixed

And you want to return to giving them full control of our games without VAR to reign it in?

 

[AnglianBear]

Scotland now seeing that you cant cover up corrupt VAR decisions the way you do with corrupt ref decisions so they want rid of it.

 

[TerryMunro]

Clubs can’t afford VAR , Livingston manager alluded to that last season. It cost them £120k which the bottom six clubs just can’t afford. The league we are in is in a pitiful situation next season where they might not have a sponsor so even less money to go around.

Our professional setup isn’t at a level where we can afford what the majority of European leagues can, we have been run down to a level akin to the Welsh or Irish league.
This might be one of the reason for the noises lately also it’s not in the best interests of the 19th Century Terrorist bastards that run the league.

 

[blueboab]

If the referees were made to explain decisions at the time they make them. There would be no where to hide and right away we would see where the issues were.

This isn’t to beat the referees around the head with its genuinely to improve their game. It’s obviously a tough gig.

 

[rossgers]

They put it in the hands of amateurs after watching how bad it is down south in the hands of actual professionals.

Wtf did people think would happen?

Exactly. Let's get some incompetent fools to monitor the decisions made by other incompetent fools and see what happens.

 

[DeeGer10]

Would anyone say VAR in the Europa League has been a farce in terms of the actual technology?

It’s not the technology it’s the referees in charge of it that are the problem.

 

[SSR]

Diet VAR in Scotland Like buying a budget TV you ain't getting the best of pictures..

 

[RaoulDuke11]

Mistakes are still being made, no doubt, but the vast majority of VAR interventions are spot on

This is the crux of this whole topic.

I honestly can't believe some want it gone. Genuinely blows my mind how blinkered, short-termist, or outright dumb the negative takes are on it that conclude it should be scrapped.

 

[rossgers]

Rather than VAR being the issue it’s the consistency of application of the rules of the game where the problem arises.

Perfect example being Don Robertson happy to allow Maeda to throw in two footers and illegal body checks on Rangers players but can't wait to pull a red when Dujon Sterling slips and catches a sheep players foot, even when a VAR tells him he's probably wrong. These "inconsistencies" cannot be allowed to pass without some sanction on the referee.

 

[Dado’s Napper]

And you want to return to giving them full control of our games without VAR to rein it in?

They are terrible with VAR and terrible without we have been given a terrible deal with it recently too??

I want a complete overhaul of our officials from top to bottom make it their profession then if they keep making howlers and they are accountable they have a job to lose right now it’s a wee hobby

 

[giogaddi]

They are terrible with VAR and terrible without we have been given a terrible deal with it recently too??

I want a complete overhaul of our officials from top to bottom make it their profession then if they keep making howlers and they are accountable they have a job to lose right now it’s a wee hobby

It is not anywhere near as bad as it was pre-VAR, and it is barking mad to suggest otherwise.

It seems to me like many fans have incredibly short memories.

Rangers have benefitted overall with the introduction of VAR and it blows my mind that we have people who wish to go back to what it was.

And I totally agree they should be full time.

 

[Dado’s Napper]

It is not anywhere near as bad as it was pre-VAR, and it is barking mad to suggest otherwise.

It seems to me like many fans have incredibly short memories.

Rangers have benefitted overall with the introduction of VAR and it blows my mind that we have people who wish to go back to what it was.

And I totally agree they should be full time.

It’s just a personal preference mate if they left it to penalty decisions and goal line technology but imo it’s killing football far to many hold ups that kill the momentum of games that’s my biggest gripe.

I’d be more willing to keep it if say a offside decision wasn’t so obvious but they take 2/3 mins to get it right.

Clear and obvious is out the window now it’s every little facet of the game it’s creeping into.

I get why some would keep it I just liked it the way it was it’s not worked and imo getting worse and more ridiculous.

Refs aren’t even giving decisions instead waiting on what’s said to them from a tv room.

 

[NSB]

With VAR, the technologies fine, it’s the people that’re using it that’re the issue.

It’s one thing to blow a call, or misinterpret it in real time on the park, but when it’s slowed down, replayed and you still get it wrong, then it only highlights the judgemental incompetence of officials on and off the park.

The SFA won’t admit to employing piss poor officials, even though VAR’s exposing them on a weekly basis.

VAR’s only as good as the people using it.
In the case of Scotland, that’d be Muppets.

 

[Robert Marshall]

The game is about goals and chopping them off for a hair being offside is totally ludicrous.
Football is the only sport where cheating is not only tolerated but actively encouraged, now we have rule makers deliberately finding ways to make the game less exciting.
Could not make it up

You are either offside or you aren't, as long as you get to the right decision, then I don't see a problem

 

[Robert Marshall]

It’s just a personal preference mate if they left it to penalty decisions and goal line technology but imo it’s killing football far to many hold ups that kill the momentum of games that’s my biggest gripe.

I’d be more willing to keep it if say a offside decision wasn’t so obvious but they take 2/3 mins to get it right.

Clear and obvious is out the window now it’s every little facet of the game it’s creeping into.

I get why some would keep it I just liked it the way it was it’s not worked and imo getting worse and more ridiculous.

Refs aren’t even giving decisions instead waiting on what’s said to them from a tv room.

Of course it's working, just ask Celtic

 

[bigbluebomber]

If anything it keeps linesmen like Frank Conner and Muir honest, without VAR those 2 would still be ripping the pish blatantly.

 

[Polar bear]

With most technology, the actual technology is seldom the problem, it’s the end users being thick as shit / corrupt / bent.

Same as a bad referee.

 

[DJT]

Exactly. Let's get some incompetent fools to monitor the decisions made by other incompetent fools and see what happens.

And then call it a conspiracy.

We were conned into this nonsense.

 

[Shengus Malengus]

VAR is here to stay.

Get rid of it and it's an admission that our officials are incompetent.

 

[RTD-BEAR]

There's no way VAR is being removed. The way it's used needs looked at, and some rules (especially handball) need to be changed. I think the SFA/SPFL would care too much about how it would look to UEFA etc to get rid of it.

They won't recurve any money from fifa or uefa for sending refs to any tournaments they run is already a requirement refs can only participate in some of the comps if var is in operation in the leagues

If nationall leagues started pulling it they c would just make the rules mandatory for cl/el participation

Fifa/uefa make money on var there is approved set ups, quality control, training, sponsorship contracts, not to mention cynicaly it will generally allowed an additional 5 mins majority of games extra advertising

 

[EddiBrock]

Of course it's working, just ask Celtic

It's not working is an absolutely incredulous take

Rangers would have 3 and not 12 league penalties if there was no VAR this year

 

[TerryMunro]

The 19th Century Terrorists want the referees implementing their media’s subjectivity bias and VAR with its objective to increase sporting integrity goes against the grain of that. The manipulation from the media is akin to match fixing with the referees under immense pressure to comply to how the media wants them to conform.
The issue they have now is that VAR is forcing a situation where it is preventing the media from covering up their incompetence.

 

[Thommo64]

For me its the clear and obvious definition. If it takes 5 minutes to decide or if you need to draw lines re offside it was never clear and obvious and the onfield decision should stand.

 

[thevietnambear]

I know he's a Rangers man, but Winter is another dinosaur when it comes to any criticism of officials

We should be looking at improving the transparency and refining the technology instead of looking to go back to referees having zero accountability for their (often terrible) decisions

Mistakes are still being made, no doubt, but the vast majority of VAR interventions are spot on

I would refine the Phannies that use the system, its not VAR that's the problem its the half -wits, cheats, bheggers that corrupt it

 

[Delvis72]

If they drop var the minute anyone gets a decision against them in our favour they will all want it back

 

[DEJABLUE62]

"Celtic had to play 2 teams today - hearts and var." Andy Walker on skysports on the first day of var.. They never wanted it and they still don't,,, I wonder why eh.. It must be kept and improved as in rule changes as I don't see the officials improving it in Scotland.

 

[Masterblue]

There was a slight topic on Talksport this morning.
Jeff Stelling was aghast when he heard that the Refs in the WSL are part time.
Surely this must change he ranted!
Eh.