Former SFA referee Des Roache has branded Andy Walker's claims over VAR "frightening" ahead of the blockbuster Celtic and Rangers showdown.
Walker has stated that he heard a video assistant through the Sky microphones telling a referee "the easiest way out" of a complicated call was "it if was offside". The broadcaster has permitted privileges including hearing discussions coming out of the VAR room. The revelation has stunned Scottish football, and Record Sport understands the former Celtic striker's claims have angered the Scottish Football Referees Association.
The ref representatives are pushing to have Sky’s VAR privileges revoked amid the Scottish Premiership storm, but former whistler Roache reckons the man in the middle for the unnamed fixture and the VAR have to hold their hands up to a mistake. Roache told The Get Involved Referee podcast: "I think the most frightening thing there is to hear that a match official saying, 'I think the easiest way to get out of this is give an offside'.
"It's frightening. That tells me two things (about the referee). One, the on-field referee hasn't had a feel for the game, or hasn't sensed any infringement. He has then gone for a safety net, to say 'can you check this for me?'. Then, the VAR still doesn't have an opinion on it.
"So that is three errors there. To just say to give a free-kick or an offside and get on with it, that is frankly embarrassing."
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