The Scottish Premiership returns this weekend for the much-anticipated 2023/24 season. As well as all the familiar stars, new signings, fun and games, and usual concoction of nonsense and quirks, VAR will be functioning for its first full campaign, accompanied by some tweaks to the rules of the game and how matches will be officiated.
The technology, introduced in October last year, prompted plenty of comment and consternation during the 2022/23 season. Consideration, perhaps less so. If anything, the technology only intensified the focus on the country’s referees. With six months of working with VAR in a live environment, the Scottish FA and officials want to make its presence slicker and even more effective and efficient.
Crawford Allan, the head of referee operations, and colleagues have been going around the top-flight clubs to discuss changes and tweaks to the laws of the games. It has allowed healthy conversations and debates to take place with players and coaches.
So, with the new league season getting underway on Saturday afternoon, what can be expected…
Handball
There has been no dramatic change to the handball rule. However, it is worth reiterating, not every touch of a player’s arm/hand is an offence. A free-kick or penalty will be awarded if a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm or if the hand/arm has made their body unnaturally bigger. The only exception would be if the ball deflected off another part of the player’s body.
Fans should expect, as a general rule of thumb, that a handball will be given if the hand/arm is above shoulder height.
Players will receive a yellow card for deliberate handball or stopping a shot which direction is clearly within the framework of the goal.
Communication
At the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, referees have been able to communicate to the fans in the stadium after on-field reviews have gone to the monitor. That will not be implemented in the Premiership this season but there is a real willingness for better communication, both during and after matches.
One new element will see the picture of offside decisions which have gone to VAR shown at grounds which have screens, such as Tynecastle Park, Easter Road and Ibrox.
In addition, there will be increased communication with clubs during the campaign, as well as broadcast rights holders and media, while the aim is to provide real-time guidance with live rights holders to offer an explanation and understanding as to how a decision has been reached.
VAR checks
With six months worth of experience, there is also a strong desire to reduce the amount of time taken for an on-file review. During the past campaign it was reduced from an average of 2.31 minutes to 2.22.
What perhaps needs better understanding, the vast majority of reviews which take place are silent checks. Just because the referee has not signalled that a check is going on doesn’t mean an incident isn’t being looked at by VAR. Last season, 1,068 of 1,174 checks were silent.
Added on time
Fans should be prepared for more stoppage time at the end of both halves. Perhaps not to the extent of the 2022 World Cup but six, seven, eight minutes at the end of halves could be common, as time wasting is cracked down on, while time will be added on for goal celebrations.
Players are still, of course, encouraged to celebrate goals but it will be taken into account by the referee when adding time on at the end of halves.
Touchline behaviour
Scottish clubs participating in Europe will have to be wary of UEFA’s zero tolerance approach to touchline behaviour and how players interact with referees on the pitch after a decision has been made.
If players mob the official following the awarding of a decision at least one player will be booked.
Meanwhile, UEFA are cracking down on the behaviour in the technical area which hit a low point last season in the final of the Europa League between Roma and Sevilla. Roma boss Jose Mourinho was scathing of English official Anthony Taylor during and after the match. Such behaviour on the sideline, which includes insulting language, will warrant a red card.
One of the changes will see only one official being able to stand in the technical area. While that is in European competition, UEFA are encouraging rather than enforcing it at domestic level.
It should also be noted, that where an offence is committed by someone from the technical area and the offender cannot be identified, the head coach will receive the sanction.
Goalkeepers
When it comes to penalty kicks, goalkeepers are being encouraged to behave themselves. They will be penalised for doing anything which unfairly distracts the penalty taker. An example used was Andrew Redmayne, the Australia goalkeeper during the play-off for the World Cup against Peru. The laws of the game state: “The goalkeeper must not behave in a way that unfairly distracts the kicker, e.g. delay the taking of the kick or touch the goalposts, crossbar or goal net.”
Independent review panel
For increased transparency, a VAR independent review panel has been created. It will deliver an assessment of Key Match Incidents (KMI) for the games stakeholders. This will ensure that the referees are not marking their own homework essentially when it comes to VAR’s role within the Scottish Premiership. The hope is the panel will provide clarity and transparency, efficiency and increased knowledge and understanding.
