Celtic legend John Hartson has called for referees who make high profile mistakes to be "punished" by the SFA - sparking a heated on air debate.
The Scottish Premiership is in cold storage during the international break but a fiery weekend left referees and VAR dominating the post-match debate with several flashpoints being criticised by manager's and bosses. Both Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell and Hibs gaffer Lee Johnson were left reeling after red cards against their sides when facing Rangers and Celtic respectively, while the Steelmen also contested an offside call before Todd Cantwell's goal.
Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin was raging after Loick Ayina was adjudged to have fouled Curtis Main and it allowed St Mirren's Mark O'Hara to step up and score from the penalty spot, while Kilmarnock felt hard done by after Kyle Vassell's goal was ruled out for handball against St Johnstone. Hartson insists action must be taken to get VAR back on track in Scotland.
The Welshman told The Go Radio Football Show: "I think the more important issue is there has be retrospective action against referees who make serious errors of judgement. Curtis Main's dive against Dundee United (for example) that could cost Dundee United, who are fighting for their lives by the way. There has got to be a punishment.
"If I got and top somebody on a Saturday, and I get sent off all of a sudden it's three games, it's lambasted and there is a fine. There is a punishment against me. I've done wrong and I have to hold my hands up after a bad tackle.
'Referees get things wrong, and all of a sudden they are back in work next week. They have to take action, and maybe if they did they would think twice about doing the job more professionally, because they realise they won't get paid for three weeks.
"I don't know if you have to ship all 10 or 12 referees in Scotland out and bring new ones in. I think that it's going to be very difficult to change the standard of refereeing. I think that's difficult."
The rant led to caller Graeme - who stated her was a former referee - questioning the language used by Hartson. He said: "You said punished, like they are doing it deliberately. Decisions are done off the cuff, and that's what they have been for all these years"
Hartson pointed once again to the Dundee United penalty punishment: "No. But Graeme did you not see the call on Curtis Main at the weekend?
The caller went on: "It doesn't matter, for the last 10 years you could name numerous incidents; was that over the line? I remember the one that hit the back stanchion at Fir Park...."
Hartson cut in: "You cannot be allowed to give a decision like that and it's accepted, because when a player makes a mistake like that we are punished or fined. When a referee does it there has to be something in place for the referees to be punished as well. Especially when they are making calls that they are getting so blatantly wrong."
Caller: "Blatant and punishment is the two wrong words you are using, mate. I have watched football for all these years, and 'punishment' should be coaching. Somebody has got it wrong. After a game there are loads of decisions where you go 'I got that wrong' - give the referees a wee chance to come out on TV and say they got that wrong. 75 per cent of people would accept that."
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