Fuming Ange Postecoglou has taken aim at referees over a lack of consistency in a scathing rant following the showdown with Rangers at Ibrox.
The performance of John Beaton and VAR Willie Collum have dominated the talking points since the 2-2 draw at Ibrox, with the Connor Goldson Old Firm flashpoint at the heart of the debate after Carl Starfelt's effort on goal appeared to connect with the Rangers defender's arm in the penalty box. Referee Beaton opted not to award the penalty before the incident was reviewed in the VAR room, but Collum decided that the defender had not made his body unnaturally bigger to block the effort on goal.
Postecoglou has raised concerns over the video assistant referee process ahead of the showdown with Kilmarnock, admitting his players have been left confused over what they will be punished for in the box. The Celtic boss also flagged up high-profile decisions against Hearts and Ross County which penalised the Scottish Premiership leaders.
Asked for his thoughts on the claims against Goldson for handball, Postecoglou said: "I've seen people do all kinds of people doing mental gymnastics to come up with a reason that it's not a penalty, which probably suggests it is. We should stop trying to find a reason that it's not. If it wasn't it would just be a simple explanation.
"It's one of those things, and I don't think it's just confined to us as a club. I think there are other clubs in the same boat where it's just really confusing now for players in the box to know what they can or can't do, because it seems it changes depending on who is in charge of the decision-making process. There has been zero consistency in the decisions being made.
"My view on this and in 25 years of coaching and managing, I have always abided by the referees decision. You will be hard pressed to find me criticising any referee in my whole tenure as a manager, but I have always believed these things even themselves out because we make mistakes, players mistakes and referees make mistakes. Over a course of a season these things usually even themselves out
"But with the introduction of VAR and the decisions that have gone against us in particular, there's zero chance that's going to even out by the end of the year. It's just remarkable, we've had at least three major decisions go against us.
"We can say it just comes down to interpretation or whatever people want to say, but I guarantee you if that game finished 2-2 and Rangers were denied that decision, the talk this week would be about how that was a title-defining decision. Now, the fact that it wasn't because we still have a reasonable result, as we have in all the other games like at Tynecastle or here at home when the decisions went against us, doesn't mean we should ignore it.
"That could be a team that gets relegated on a decision like that. It still needs highlighted and it still needs clarification.
"To go back to your original question, it's a penalty in my mind. Before we even started introducing VAR, it's always been a penalty. To be honest, there were only two saves in the game; one by Joe and one by Connor and that's it."
When pressed on if he had reached out to the SFA for clarity, Postecoglou responded: "I've spoken to you, and whoever else is listening today. I don't think thats my role and I've never seen that as my role.
"I have great respect for officials because they know their role better than I do. I have always said that it's like, I wouldn't expect a referee to come in here and tell me how to do my job.
"All I can do is try and convey what our side of the fence feels at the moment, and there is a great deal of confusion on what our players are supposed to do in the box. Is it hands behind the back, or is it hands behind the back, and yes in front of your face? Or is it yes in front of your face but not extended?
"That is not off the back of the interpretation of the law, that is off the back of decisions made. To me when you see such a vast inconsistency then there is obviously an issue that needs to be resolved. The best people to resolve it, I think are the officials."
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