Celtic expert lambasts ‘terrible’ VAR after what he saw in Rangers clash
Frank McAvennie has lambasted Willie Collum and VAR after Celtic were denied a penalty against Rangers on Monday (2 January).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Hoops striker praised referee John Beaton for his approach to the game up until the penalty incident and said VAR is not there to referee the game.
As shown on Sky Sports (2 January), Connor Goldson appears to hit the ball with his hands as Carl Starfelt struck the ball from close range.
Beaton waved away Celtic’s claims for a penalty and VAR official Collum did not send the referee to re-watch the incident.
McAvennie couldn’t understand why Collum didn’t tell the on-field official to have another look at the incident.
“The game was not the best but I actually thought John Beaton had a good game up until that decision,” he told Football Insider.
“Why did he not check that? I think Callum McGregor said something to him and he said ‘not my call’. But he is the referee, you could actually see him say ‘not my call’.
“So basically, he was not refereeing that it was somebody in an office. It is so terrible. When someone like Kris Boyd says it is a penalty, how can they miss it? I have not heard one person argue that it was not a penalty.
“John Beaton had a good game and he should have gone and checked it. If he had it would have been a penalty. VAR is not there for somebody else to ref the game.“
In other news, a pundit has slammed ‘shocking’ Josip Juranovic as Celtic footage emerges – ‘I hope other teams weren’t watching’.