Christmas may be here but it’s two months since Scottish football unwrapped it’s new toy in the shape of VAR. And still the system is causing rows across the country - the latest after a midweek card which saw wins for Celtic and Rangers but their supporters both take aim at the video technology.
Celtic’s Liel Abada was denied a goal against Livingston after a delayed video check deemed him to be offside while Rangers’ James Tavernier and Connor Goldson were deemed not guilty of handballs in their dramatic 3-2 win at Aberdeen. Season of goodwill you say? Fat chance of that on the Hotline.
Paul Price, Belfast, said: “As if we needed proof of the bias against Celtic by Scottish officials, Abada’s perfectly legitimate goal that was ruled out and Goldson’s handball - one takes four minutes to reach a decision the other 40 seconds. This isn’t sour grapes about Rangers’ victory because the Aberdeen defence were like statues.” Jason Houghton went even further when he emailed: “What is the sense in having VAR if the final decision is down to the referee? The majority of refs in Scotland are that biased that I'm surprised they don't wear their team’s strip. Time for foreign refs to come in to Scotland.”
But Chris Lowe, Yoker, took aim at Celtic TV’s Tom Boyd who claimed the Abada decision “isn’t the first time referees and VAR don't look favourably on Celtic when trying to get the right decision”. Chris argued: “Once again a paid employee of Celtic brings the game into disrepute over comments about referees and VAR. In all the countries around the world who would have thought VAR was anti-Celtic? So used to getting everything going their way from pet officials they can’t handle playing with a straight bat now and it’s all a conspiracy again.”
On to the football now and Gary Milne, Easterhouse, said: “Some of the Rangers fans on this Hotline honestly give me the giggles. Beale's average football philosophy has been dubbed Bealeball as opposed to Angeball which is aptly named due to it's ferocious never ending attacking ways.
"Now you have these people coming on spouting ‘never say die’ Rangers nonsense as opposed to Celtic's ‘we don't stop’ mantra. Aberdeen did park the bus against Celtic because they know they have to due to the attacking threat but feel they have a chance to win against Rangers due to them not being anywhere near as good.”
Alistair Fagan, Aberdeen, agreed with that last point stating: “Maybe Jim Goodwin’s tactics are that he knows he can’t lay a glove on Celtic so try to hold out for a point whereas playing the rest of the also-rans in the league, he is quite right to have a go.”
Sam Morton, Edinburgh, said: “Any time an Aberdeen player breaks sweat against Rangers we get all the tedious conspiracy theories about Aberdeen only trying against the Ibrox side. If it’s a commonly held belief that Aberdeen raise their game against Rangers then why don’t Rangers do the same for these fixtures?”
Hugh McKirdy continued the Aberdeen theme when he emailed: “At Aberdeen we've spent a few bob changing managers and paying compensation packages just to be going backwards. I’m very dismayed by the current board.”
Celtic may be clear at the top but David Bryce, Troon, was in scrooge mood and said: “I have to say I don’t think Celtic have improved a jot since last season. Gio was criticised at Ibrox for just winning games with no style, I think the same can be said about Ange. There is very little creativity. O’Riley has not scored this season, that is embarrassing for a Celtic midfielder playing in an advanced position. He really needs to up his game. Same goes for Jota who thinks he’s better than he is.”
Eddie Easson, Ballingry, added: “Big Ange naturally isn’t happy about the missed chances in the six yard box. He picks the team. The amount of shots over the bar is ridiculous. The only player against Livi with passion was Tony Ralston, he is fighting for his chance. Maybe some are thinking they're guaranteed picks each week?”
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