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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Peter Grant in Celtic VAR 'told you so' as gloating Parkhead hero flips the script on Cameron Carter Vickers

Celtic legend Peter Grant insists he knew VAR would be a flop in Scotland and insisted he would rollback the technology to just goal line technology.

The Scottish Premiership is in cold storage during the international break but before Steve Clarke's side took centre stage refereeing and VAR decisions dominated the post match talking points . 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.

Now there have been calls to scrap the technology with Dundee United calling for a summit with the SFA to discuss the big calls, but Grant insists it should never have been introduced north of the border. He also pointed to the Elie Youan flashpoint at Celtic Park - admitting in days gone by Cameron Carter-Vickers would have been punished rather than the Hibs attacker.

The centre-back attempted a header but the Hibs star was punished for a high foot - and received a second booking after just 24 minutes. Grant told The Go Radio Football Show: "It was funny watching the game. When Carter-Vickers goes down to header the ball in yesteryear that would be a yellow for Carter-Vickers because he is putting his head to low. For dangerous play.

"I felt for the striker Youan. If the referee gives a free-kick you can say ok - for a high foot or whatever - but it didn't deserve an ordering off. His first tackle did deserve the booking, but there are other tackles that go on that could be bookings or a sending off and VAR doesn't get involved.

"I said before it came up it would be a nightmare for the game up here, and that is what has been proved. When you would go to the pub on a Saturday night, everyone would talk about their team and say 'that was a free-kick, that was offside' - now it's been shown everyone is pointing and saying VAR is the problem.

:There was always debates in football, and there was big calls that were wrong. Now you are getting it shown so you know it's 100 per cent, and the referees are getting lambasted all the time. I would have never had it in. For goal line technology, yes, but nothing else."

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