The SFA are threatening to pull the plug on Sky’s VAR access after pundit Andy Walker’s bombshell claims ahead of the Old Firm showdown.
Record Sport understands Hampden chief Ian Maxwell is set for talks with the broadcasters following explosive accusations of a VAR carve-up by officials from the former Celtic striker. Sky pundits are allowed to listen into discussions from the VAR centre at Clydesdale House when assistants hit the big red button to alert whistlers in a bid to give viewers a clearer picture of how decisions are reached with the on-field officials.
Walker refused to name names or reveal the match involved, but he claimed to have heard a video assistant telling a referee ‘the easiest way out’ of a complicated call was ‘it if was offside’. The pundit admitted huge concerns and blasted the language used – which has angered the Scottish Football Referees Association, who are now pushing to have Sky’s VAR privileges revoked.
It is understood the SFA have no issue with the wording from the VAR camp – as offside calls are no longer open to interpretation due to the use of Hawkeye technology. Walker lit the fuse when – speaking to NewsSlotsKlosh – he said: “Working with Sky I have the option of listening to VAR.
“To be absolutely clear I hear the video assistant referee – not the referee on the pitch. I have a concern. I won’t mention any names and I won’t name the teams involved but there was an instance where a couple of things happened in the space of a second or two.
“And I heard the VAR say ‘the easiest way out of this, is if it’s offside’. That to me is really poor language. There should be no idea that we get an easy way out. You have to look at what’s happening on the pitch and apply the laws of the game – don’t look for the easy way out.
“That’s not good enough. It’s awful. I couldn’t believe what I was listening to. I’m not going to mention any names and I’m not going to mention the game. But that kind of language makes me feel that the people operating VAR are obviously not feeling the atmosphere because they are not at the ground.
“Referees now have this safety net ‘it doesn’t matter what I say or do’ someone else will tell me if I’ve got it right or I’ve got it wrong and that example I have given? That can’t be right.”
Hampden chiefs believe Walker has misinterpreted the dialogue but referees are understood to be furious at the perceived breach of trust by revealing the discussions held by officials behind the scenes. Talks will be needed to smooth over the rift but the fallout is the latest in a serious of flashpoints since VAR was rolled out just before the World Cup last November.
SFA chief Maxwell insisted this week the technology was working ‘fine’ but admitted to some early teething problems as officials got used to the new way of working. A succession of Premiership bosses and pundits have been critical of a number of high profile calls this season, while Record Sport columnist Chris Sutton even calling for the technology to be shut down until officials were competent enough to use it.
The SFA have been fighting fires on the issue but insist the percentage of correct decisions made since the system was rolled out has substantially risen.
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