The final VAR Review podcast of the season has landed, with Gordon Duncan once again joined by Willie Collum to reflect on some of the big talking points from Scottish football. On paper, this initiative from the SFA is a welcome step towards transparency. But for Rangers fans, it often feels like a smokescreen for a system riddled with inconsistency and poor decision-making.
Two incidents involving Rangers were covered in the latest episode – a Celtic goal that featured two potential offside calls, and the now-infamous “ghost goal” against Hibernian that was never given.
Celtic Goal – Correct Call, But Consistency Is Key
First up was the Celtic goal. In the build-up, Maeda was flagged offside by the linesman. However, VAR correctly overturned this, showing that Jefte had played him onside. A straightforward correction.
The second check concerned a Celtic attacker standing in an offside position when Idah scored. The VAR team decided he wasn’t interfering with play or blocking the keeper’s view, and the goal stood. As frustrating as these decisions can be, we’ll accept them – as long as the same standard is applied across the board. That’s the real test.
Rangers vs Hibs – The Goal That Never Was
Let’s talk about the real controversy – the moment that’s still causing disbelief among Rangers fans.
Nico Raskin bundled the ball over the line against Hibs. It looked in real-time like a goal. Replays looked like a goal. Even the side netting rippled as the ball hit it. Yet somehow, the on-field officials missed it, and VAR – incredibly – decided it couldn’t conclusively prove the ball had crossed the line.
Willie Collum stood by that decision on the podcast. According to him, the footage wasn’t definitive. But let’s be honest – most people watching could see what happened. When ex-players, pundits, and even former referees are all calling it a goal, it’s hard to accept anything else. Collum’s refusal to admit a clear error simply adds insult to injury.
And let’s not kid ourselves – if the on-field team had awarded the goal, VAR wouldn’t have overturned it either.
Excuses and Deflections from Collum
To deflect from the failure, Collum shifted focus to the lack of technology. He argued that goal-line tech or additional cameras would help, and pointed out the financial burden this places on clubs and the SFA. But this misses the point.
Technology isn’t the problem – human error is.
Scottish VAR is already operating on a budget, with fewer cameras and poorer angles than top leagues. But what Rangers fans are sick of is the doubling down on clear and obvious mistakes. We don’t need excuses – we need accountability.
Rather than passing the buck, Collum should be focusing on improving the standard of refereeing in this country. Yes, tech could help – but if those operating it don’t get basic calls right, no amount of cameras will fix that.
Time for Change
Since day one, we’ve called out the “VAR Lite” model used in Scotland as being not fit for purpose. And this latest review only reinforces that view. The tools are limited, the decisions inconsistent, and the accountability non-existent.
If Scottish football wants to restore trust in its officials, we need more than just goal-line tech. We need better referees, better VAR operators, and a leadership team that owns up when they get it wrong.
Until then, fans will continue to feel cheated – and rightly so.
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