Two Scottish Cup ties went ahead with VAR and five without at the weekend. And no prizes for guessing where all the controversy, shock and outright horror lay.
Listen, this is not going to be a rant about referees. Far from it. I tried picking up a whistle a few years ago and lasted five minutes. More about that later. But something needs to be done to stop the endless arguments that VAR seems to create which are taking away from the time spent talking about our brilliant product in Scotland and the talent we have here.
And 99 per cent of those debates surround handball decisions. There’s a simple solution for me. Don’t let VAR get involved in handball. Add it to the list of decisions that the video refs can’t push the button on. Once a ref gives or doesn’t give a penalty then get on with it. It’s when officials are called to the screen and start looking at ball to hand scenarios umpteen times that a can of worms is suddenly opened. Is the arm in an unnatural position? Is it a clear and obvious error? Was the ball going on target? The Celtic and Partick Thistle penalties at the weekend were just the latest where the handball rule is causing bother rather than eradicating it. VAR was at the centre of both awards.
I was surprised when David Munro was called to the monitor at Ibrox and even more shocked when he awarded the spot kick for Thistle. Antonio Colak wasn’t even looking at the ball when it hit his hand from just a yard away. We’ve seen them given before but in other games similar ones have gone unpunished. Look at Kye Rowles’ one for Hearts against St Mirren which I reckon was far more clear a penalty than those two at the weekend.
None of those penalty kicks were awarded by the on-field ref until VAR got involved. So either we stop VAR getting involved in handballs or the lawmakers rewrite the rule and make it much simpler - basically only deliberate handballs are punishable.
Earlier this month Hibs boss Lee Johnson called for another sit-down with the SFA to help smooth out the problems and try to resolve the grey areas. Great idea. I see the English refs have also been called to an emergency meeting by their head of refereeing Howard Webb today after two massive errors in the Premier League at the weekend. A summit up here could not come at a better time.
The inconsistencies need to be eradicated. Let everyone have their say and then the officials can demonstrate certain decisions. Get clarity on the matter. As I said though, refs as they are in such a difficult position and I’d rather do any job in the game other than be the man in the middle.
My one experience of it saw me walk off the training park at Falkirk and choose to do an afternoon session in the gym instead. That’s how bad it was! Steven Pressley was the manager and I was coming back from injury. I was getting back in amongst the boys but wasn’t at the point where I could rejoin training games.
So Elvis said ‘come out and ref the game’. No problem, better than another mind-numbing hour on the treadmill and pushing weights. Or so I thought. Within five minutes of the boys - Mark Millar being the worst - screaming at me for throw-ins and fouls I handed him the whistle back and walked off straight into the gym. Never, ever, again.
Hibs have a great opportunity to move into fourth this weekend and what a difference a month makes. Kilmarnock have a woeful away record in the league while Hibs are looking to make it six unbeaten. With Livingston up against Rangers then the chance to move in behind Hearts is there.
Three weeks ago 'El Sackico' turned into 'El Sixicko' and all of a sudden on the back of another four points it’s now about bagging a Euro spot and the chance to start putting pressure on Hearts. Listen, I would still expect the Tynecastle side to finish third but the gap is only eight-points and signs recently are they’ve struggled a wee bit in recent weeks.
Johnson has streamlined the Hibs squad like he said he would and added a few solid looking signings. Mikey Devlin appears to be next and he’ll be a good one.
Mikey’s a quality footballer who has been hampered by injuries but if he looks fit and has trained well then it’s a no brainer to bring him in. Hibs are light in defence and there’s no doubt about his qualities when he is fit.
A deal until the end of the season might fit both parties and if he does well then at 29 Hibs could have a real good signing on their hands longer term. The injury to Harry McKirdy that will see the striker sidelined for up to six weeks is just another frustration for Johnson though.
It’s not worked so far for the Englishman but the Hibs fans are desperate to see him do well. He was starting to show flashes of what he’s all about and hopefully sooner rather than later he can be back in the side and helping the push for Europe.
