Fans fume at what they saw in SFA audio clip as ex-SPFL refs tell Rangers News potential VAR team punishment
Yesterday at 02:30 PM
It is looking increasingly likely that there is nothing that can be said to make the decision not to award Rangers a penalty against Celtic any less painful.
At 3-3 in extra-time, Philippe Clement should have seen his side be given the chance to score a potential winner from the spot, instead, the manager had to contend with losing in the harshest possible way.
Willie Collum has improved transparency this season with his regular briefings hosted by Gordon Duncan, however, on this occasion, all it has done is infuriate Rangers fans further.
SFA release Rangers penalty audio and it doesn’t sound good
There is one particular aspect of the audio footage featuring the VAR team and John Beaton that has seen fans take to social media.
The phase raising eyebrows is when Alan Muir is commentating on the position of the foul to Beaton when a remarkable statement is made:
"You can see he's just outside there.
"It's really close.
More outside than in."
Confirming by default that there is a part of Cerny being fouled inside the box, according to SFA chief Ian Maxwell, there is no corruption in Scottish football.
Posting on X, these fans couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"An utter disgrace of a decision. Neither should be anywhere near any games at this level in future," said one fan, whilst another went even further, claiming that it was a conscious decision:
"By definition that is an acceptance that the person is aware it was inside the penalty area and therefore a penalty. They lied to the on field referee, no doubt about it. It's corruption."
@GM1872_ tried to see the funny side, "This is horrific. Both screaming outside before having a proper look. 7 times between them they say it's outside.
"Not even close to being outside the box when you see it back. Quickest check I've ever seen you've got to laugh."
"It’s a bias whether conscious or unconscious disguised as incompetence," claimed @AMG1872 before questioning, "How many times does a coin have to land on the same side before you take a look at the coin?"
Alan Muir and Frank Connor were the VAR and assistant VAR with Collum hinting that they have been made accountable for such a big mistake.
What might happen to the VAR team who blundered?
Providing clarity to Rangers News, The Ref's View podcast hosted by former A grade whistlers Steve Conroy and Des Roache explained what happens next:
"There is always post-match interaction with officials when the observer(s) will go through the game & highlight good points & "points for improvement".
"There should be no immediate action unless there is a calamitous error, but assessments are accumulative.
"If unacceptable marks mount up, then the official might well be dropped. We seem to be saying that the VAR & AVAR have been dropped.
"If that is true, that is very harsh; they made a mistake but there have been numerous other wrong penalty decisions without such action.
"This season, Alan has our best VAR without a shadow of a doubt."
To be continued…
