Rangers news: Glasgow pundit backs rule change as Ryan Jack footage re-analysed
Frank McAvennie has backed a change to refereeing after Nicky Clarke’s sending off against Rangers last week.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Celtic striker suggested ex-players should be used to help referees and VAR officials make better decisions.
As shown on Sky Sports (28 January), the St Johnstone striker was shown a straight red card by the referee after a two-footed challenge on Jack.
The VAR official Nick Walsh held up the decision of the on-field referee Willie Collum.
However, last week the Saints confirmed (1 February), that they won their appeal against the sending-off and Clark was available for the games against Motherwell and Celtic.
Just minutes after Clark’s sending off, Jack was booked for a late challenge on Adam Montgomery.
Walsh instructed Collum to review the incident on the pitchside monitor and stuck to his original decision.
McAvennie suggested using ex-players would help referees make better decisions.
“I think VAR is messing things up,” he told Football Insider.
“I do not think the referee is reffing the game now, there is somebody in his ear. He is supposed to be there to help the referee, not to tell him what to do.
“I do not understand why they do not have an ex-player in with the VAR officials. Every single player across the board would know that that was not a sending off.
“Not one Rangers player complained when Jack was tackled. It is ridiculous, there is two or three of them watching who can’t get the decision right.“
In other news, according to Kieran Maguire, Douglas Park has ‘applied the thumb screws’ as ‘critical’ Rangers deal agreed.