Ex-Fifa official issues ‘red flag’ warning after ‘amazing’ Celtic and Rangers development
Keith Hackett has insisted the Scottish FA should not introduce VAR for Celtic, Rangers and the rest of the Scottish Premiership in 2022-23 until after the World Cup.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed it is “amazing” that the SFA have made a U-turn on the introduction of VAR.
The Scottish Sun reported earlier this week (18 July) that the technology will now be introduced before the World Cup.
It will not be in place for the opening round of fixtures at the end of July because big screens and monitors for broadcast partners are not in place at every stadium.
That may take weeks to sort out but when it is VAR will be used in Scottish domestic football for the first time.
“I’m quite clear, I think this is the wrong decision,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“I think the Scottish FA had put in a great deal of thought into how they were going to introduce it.
“Given what we’ve seen in the English Premier League, this was a very sensible route. Operate it not in the open without media interference and in order to match officials, referees and the VAR, to get used to operating it and build trust in that system.
“Also in that period, there can be a level of accountability and review.
“It always amazes me. Let’s take Formula 1. A car that’s won a race, you should just fill it with fuel and let it skid around the track again? No, they prepare it, they prepare the technology, they change the tires and talk to the driver about the track.
“This is no different. We’ve got to understand that technology on its own is not the answer. It’s the merging of technology and the human being to get efficiency out of the technology.
“Otherwise, do away with the human being and make the technology fail-safe, as we’ve done with goalline technology.
“I’d give it a red flag warning to the Scottish FA. I believe their proposals are premature. They are in danger of believing that a few games will give them and their staff the experience to operate it successfully.”
In other news, the SFA have been told to launch a probe as Celtic and Rangers are set for an unprecedented development.