Rangers and Aberdeen legends unite to send message over use of VAR and Diomande red card
01/27/2025 08:50 AM
Billy Dodds and Willie Miller have taken aim at the VAR and referee Nick Walsh for sending Rangers star Mohamed Diomande off against Dundee United.
The Gers ran out comfortable 3-1 winners over Dundee United at Tannadice to record only their fourth Scottish Premiership away win of the season.
But the game was marred by a red card shown to Mohamed Diomande in injury time of the match following a clash with Kevin Holt.
Remarkably, Nick Walsh stuck with his original decision despite being referred to the screen by the VAR.
Philippe Clement insisted his player had been 'attacked' by the Dundee United defender after the game with Rangers to appeal the decision.
Now Billy Dodds and Willie Miller have been giving their two cents with referee Nick Walsh and the VAR in the spotlight.
Billy Dodds 'mystified' by VAR angle of Rangers red card
Ex-Rangers striker Billy Dodds has branded the red card shown to Mohamed Diomande against Dundee United as 'extremely harsh'.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, Dodds also took aim at the VAR team for a failure to show Nick Walsh enough angles of the incident.
The former Inverness manager also reckons Diomande will have the card overturned at appeal.
"I thought there's one angle where you can understand why Nick Walsh has thought that he's had a little claw, I'd put it that way," said Dodds.
"But there's another angle from the back that it happens so quickly it's as if he's just thrown his arms up where it's a balance thing where Kevin Holt has shoved him.
"The one thing that I was mystified with was the amount of times VAR played in the shot that Nick Walsh had, because that's why he sent him off.
"But there was another angle where they never played it into Nick Walsh and for me it showed how quickly it happened.
"I think Mohamed Diomande is extremely unlucky to get a straight red for that."
When Craig Levein asked "I thought the idea was the show the referee all the angles" Dodds expanded:
"That's the baffling thing for me. It was quickly they showed you that back angle and I was like 'oh that's never a sending off'.
"Then when they showed you Nick Walsh's angle I said that I can understand where Nick Walsh is watching that, what he's thought has happened.
"But if you play him that back angle as many times as you played him the front I don't think Nick Walsh sends him off.
"The back angle clarified it for me and that's why I was mystified that they didn't play that into Nick Walsh on the VAR enough because they kept continually showing the angle he had.
"Well, he's made the decision with the angle he had. Show him another one that might change that.
"I don't think it's a red card in any football game. I don't think there's intent. I don't think there's clarification whether he did try to slap him or claw him.
"It happened so quickly that there wasn't even a touch and for Nick Walsh to keep that decision, I think the VAR has been really poor this time with the angles they've played into Nick Walsh."
Willie Miller defends Mohamed Diomande
Aberdeen legend Willie Miller has also asked why Dundee United defender Kevin Holt escaped similar punishment despite 'instigating' the scuffle.
The Arabs centre-back was clearly disgruntled due to his team being beaten with Clement claiming Holt 'attacked' Diomande in the incident.
Mohamed Diomande also had to put with a number of hard challenges in the match which went unpunished by Nick Walsh at Tannadice.
"Do you not take Kevin Holt's part that he's played into it when you're making your final decision? Whether it's a red card or not?" Miller asked.
"Because he's instigated the issue.
"Is it enough for a straight red? If Holt comes in and pushes you and you're off balance, the interpretation then comes in.
"We haven't seen it up close but I think if you've instigated it you've got to take that into consideration.
"It's been an assault on the player and if it's that minimal the contact, if it's a punch on the chin fair enough get off, but if it's minimal you actually have a word with him.
"Nick Walsh was quite lenient in the game, he didn't make many rash decisions right up until the last minute of the game.
"We felt here it was a bit rash, we couldn't understand why Diomande was being shown a red card.
"You are confirming our thoughts on it that it was minimal and why he doesn't change his mind we don't know."
