I doubt Willie Collum expects to solve the world’s problems with his approach to his new job as SFA Head of Refereeing, but it is remarkably refreshing to hear an open explanation of recent controversial decisions.
Collum used the SFA’s YouTube channel to explain where he thought referees (and more importantly, VAR) got things wrong, and where they were following new guidance, meaning what would have been a penalty last year, is no longer an offence.
The most egregious error of the season so far was when Kilmarnock goalkeeper, Robby McCrorie, halved Kyogo in two after the striker knocked the ball around the keeper. Celtic won the game comfortably, so the incident did not receive the attention it deserved, but it was one for the ages.
Collum conceded the mistake, saying, “We believe this was the wrong decision. We have coached the referees and the VARs that a penalty kick should have been awarded here.” Cynics like you and me have had to endure decisions like this all our lives but I don’t remember a validation before. This is something new and important.
He held the line on a decision not to award Hearts a penalty against Newco, when the ball struck Connor Barron’s arm. Referees received new guidelines this season, consequentially, Collum explained that this incident would probably resulted in a penalty last season, but incidents like this will no longer be penalised.
There is a lot to like about this. The new guidance on handballs is so obviously needed and long overdue. Getting an explainer about the incident is useful too. More importantly, a precedent has been established. Referees and VARs now know that their mistakes will not be swept under the carpet.
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DAVID66
Hope the knee improves quickly. My good lady is having a full knee replacement 2nd October. She had a half knee done 8 years ago, waste of time and she has been struggling for years with it. So, hoping the full job will do the trick this time.
Best to you , keep up with the physio is a good plan I’m told
KINGLuBO
Bada Bing
And our game could flow better if we reduce the number of stoppages that happen because of fouls that break up play, so-called professional fouls, preventing free kicks being taken and, the worst of all, delaying the taking of goal kicks and throw ins.
I think most players like a ref who engages positively with them over the say-nothing explain-nothing type of authoritarian ref.
David 66
Hope you get the help to overcome the knee pain and gt back to enjoy the rewards of all your hard work in the weight loss.
Be good to see you around and active again.
“Don’t tackle here Tom” not discussed.
Not sure I’d call that refreshing.
Agree with all comments in support of this new approach. Be interesting to see where it goes.
Noticeable that Celtic fans are the ones keen on transparency and discussion.
What have other glasgow based clubs got to lose by this?!
Cannot post on desktop. No links work.
Works on tablet and phone only.
Anyone else ?
GrumpyOldBhoy on 12th September 2024 2:10 pm
““Don’t tackle here Tom” not discussed.
Not sure I’d call that refreshing.”
It does sound like he is almost coaching the player and begging him not to make him give a foul against him as its quite clear he is going to come through the player to get near the ball and it should be a yellow at least.
That the player then does wipe the opponent out, after the ref has already by advice as much as said “you wont reach that from there without fouling” and then the ref then suddenly sees a “WHOLE BALL” contact that is not there. Wow.
VAR also dismissed it without much, if any, replay. It’s almost like they don’t want to see the foul.
The ambiguity over when the start of an attacking phase is also irritates me a little – taking possession of the ball is a simple, clear and consistent way to measure this but instead we give refs room for making a subjective judgement call and that is open to personal bias/abuse.
The show as a whole was a good watch though even if the selection of events was a little selective and it could easily be done weekly – but any attempt to aid understanding can’t hurt.
QB
The point comparing refs speaking to players like in rugby is fair but not in the context of that clip.
The best rugby refs are excellent to listen to, as they keep the game fluid and it’s often a learning experience for me as a spectator.
However, that clip is embarrassing. Rugby refs refer to the teams with their shirt colour only, no surnames and definitely no first names! I truly thought I was listening to a really bad commentator on Rangers TV and had to play it back to believe my eyes/ears!
Collum’s initiative will go one of two ways now – don’t be surprised if it’s binned.
Saint Stivs on 12th September 2024 2:18 pm
“Cannot post on desktop. No links work.”
I am on a Laptop – test link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTb9GNIxpMk
QB
Ps.
I thought collum did well on Clyde last night .
Not an idiot. Quite articulate.didnt fudge his answers.
PPS.
Villa CEO justification for huge priced champions league is….fsr regs means we can only spend football income on football wages.
So suck it up.
PPS.
I expect some leaks from the survey starting to position small improvements as “you asked for this” and now we deliver.
Hot water maybe.
Good afternoon all.
again, again..
“Refreshing” is probably just about the right way to pitch it.
Certain levels of cynicism about its longevity also fair enough.
“What’s measured improves” according to Peter Drucker who was a clever bloke.
Another way to look at this whole VAR lark from a less clever bloke?
Moving from really crap to just quite crap .. can be a stage of continuous improvement ?
Unfortunately , Andrew dallas gets his own VAR show, as well as Willie Collum.
It’s called Violently Assisting Rangers. What you don’t hear from the commentary on the Tom Lawrence tackle is dallas in the background shouting, “Got the Fenian Bassa. nae foul there timmy.”
I think it is a good start, but I still think it will be sorry, we messed up and will try to do better next time!!!
Can’t wait for the game this weekend..
Cmon the hoops.
Sean
Big Jimmy – I don’t like the pricing for CL tickets.
There you go.
In my simple head I don’t know why the ticket pricing strategy is simplified down to
“When full ticket price is X, pensioners and U13s tickets will automatically be ½ of X …. applied across the board with X being set at different levels for CL, EL and domestic cups.
I don’t know what the financial impact would be of such a move of course but would love to know.
If the club subsequently find there is a plethora of 6′ 4” eleven year olds attending these matches?
… an issue for another day.
SFTB @ 1.43
Two things, good that ‘ active refereeing ’ is only a technique, and not a rule. – who teaches technique to a referee?
A) The role of a referee in any sport (not just football), is that of an arbiter and should remain that way. They decide on what happens and don’t decide on what they think might happen if they say “ Don’t tackle….. Tom “ or theoretically – “ Don’t tackle…… Daizen “ – then they are interfering, or influencing an outcome.
That’s not the role of a referee.
B) Fanatical support be it for Celtic or Rainjurz in Scotland leading to conspiracy theories make a referee’s job much more difficult.
There’s a much more fundamental problem with refereeing in Scotland but that’s a whole new thing so I won’t bother going over it.
I blame Kafflik schools
Collum backed his refs at the same time as saying they made mistakes as well as releasing the audios.
On the face of it, it looks like a wee warning shot to his colleagues but it is Collum so who knows.
.
It’s certainly an improvement on telling us to move on nothing to see here.
SFTB- I would like to see VAR getting used during games for diving, and the fake head injuries, take the player to the screen ask him what he’s doing, if he’s at it,red card,would stamp out that level of cheating overnight.
GRUMPYOLDBHOY on 12TH SEPTEMBER 2024 2:10 PM
“Don’t tackle here Tom” not discussed. Not sure I’d call that refreshing.
*sounds a bit like when madhun grabbed the moreon around the waist trying tae haud him back sayin “alfie alfie alfie”.
!!Bada Bing!! on 12th September 2024 3:39 pm
That would be interesting !
I would love to see the players` reactions as they try to squirm out of obvious cheating !
Willie’s gogglebox show is a good idea in principle and he seems a genuine guy if not a great referee in his time on the pitch .
The acid test will be when Aitken , Beaton , Dallas and co continue their wicked ways , as I really can’t see them changing much . Will they be sacked ? Demoted ? Put on gardening leave?
The way the SFA run the game in Scotland , I think it will take more than Willie’s youtube hits to effect change.
As for ‘Don’t tackle , Tom’ , that should be jotters .
Of course there must be consequences for the VAR official after repeated errors.
Let’s say Greg Aitken has another 2 decisions which penalise Celtic ; 3 strikes and you are out rule needs to apply. There is no way a VAR official should be making mistakes when they can review an incident multiple times.
VAR is the fail safe and there can be no excuses. Repeated failures means they are incompetent and need to go.
Willie Collum is trying to improve things , he should plan now to have more VAR officials. The current batch have a failure rate which is too high. They are just not up to the job. Scotland’s VAR officials must be amongst the lowest ranked in the world.
Once they fix the VAR officials , focus can be on improving the referee’s and maybe in a decade they can be back at euro’s, world cups etc It may be a good deal longer unless they want to drive change rather tinker round the edges.
What if the ref only know the names of some players?
Ave Ave
Emerald’s
I see what you did there 👍
KINGLUBO on 12th September 2024 1:48 pm
DAVID66
Hope the knee improves quickly. My good lady is having a full knee replacement 2nd October. She had a half knee done 8 years ago, waste of time and she has been struggling for years with it. So, hoping the full job will do the trick this time.
Best to you , keep up with the physio is a good plan I’m told
KINGLuBO
——
KingLubo your wife will be fine.
I am getting better every day and all the staff in NHS were/have been brilliant.
My pain is easing each day but physio is knackering but all good.
SFTB – Thanks for the kind words, it shouldn’t be too long to I am “oot n aboot”.
D. :)
Should have said the sun helps as I can get out in my wee crescent for a walk.
D. :)
Papering over cracks that have been there forever, does anyone seriously think that things are going to change?
KINGLUBO on 12th September 2024 1:48 pm
DAVID66
Hope the knee improves quickly. My good lady is having a full knee replacement 2nd October. She had a half knee done 8 years ago, waste of time and she has been struggling for years with it. So, hoping the full job will do the trick this time.
Best to you , keep up with the physio is a good plan I’m told
………….
May I wish your good lady all the best with her knee op next month.
HH Mate.
David66 on 12th September 2024 4:36 pm
Should have said the sun helps as I can get out in my wee crescent for a walk.
………..
Give up the ” Break Dancing” for a wee while !
LOL
All the best ma big china.
HH .
Sunday 27th October Motherwell v Celtic 3pm live on Sky
Willie Collum made the comment in his review that VAR is not there to re-referee the game. Thing is that is exactly one of the criticisms made re decisions in both the SPL and the EPL. Though not a fan it has to be said the decision making process was far better during the recent Euro Finals. Take the Hearts game at Tynecastle last season, referee books Celtic player, correctly in my view though some on here disagreed, VAR upgrades the decison to a red card, affects the result of the game. That is re-refereeing.
As far as those lauding Rugger refs, dont make me laugh, the ref had a major influence in the WC Final by treating the same incident differently, red card for NZ, yellow for SA. Last season they denied a last minute try for Scotland down in Wales, which thankfully did not affect the result, and a late try against France at Murrayfield which would have given Scotland a famous victory. We play football, not rugby, you might as well look to the NFL for better refereeing calls. Collum came across well, but the back o the van chat didnae.
on the subject of head knocks, if they increased the time a player had to be off the field to one minute that may help.
Increase it to two if not, although it may deter players coming off who are genuine ?
I hate the way players today dive and roll all over the place. I would be so embarrassed to get helped off the field, just to sprint back on after the next stoppage in play. I remember getting knocked out in a cup final and waking up and seeing my wee ma on the field. I was mortified. They heard an almighty thud and though I had fractured my skull. Turns out the kid who kicked me broke his foot and 3 of his toes. Iwas sitting there dazed and confused and the trainer asking me how many fingers was he holding up, and my teammate behind mouthing of 4, 4. I got it right and the trainer said he’s all good:)))) I don’t think those head knocks had any effect on me later on. I don’t think those head knocks had any effect on me later on… I don’t think, oh shit.
Hail Hail my fellow tims, cmon the hoops on Saturday. I fell like a wee kid waiting on something good to happen at the weekend
Sean
Collum’s initiative is to be welcomed. However there must be consequences for any VAR official making repeated failures.. There can be no excuses for a VAR official making regular mistakes as they have the opportunity to review multiple times. A 3 strike and you are demoted for a period of time type approach.
Of course, if a VAR official errors are all for / against one club ( a pattern of assistance ) then we are not dealing with competence rather cheating and they would need to be removed. For example Greg Aitken who has had a number of obvious VAR mistakes against Celtic is skating on thin ice. Two more mistakes against Celtic needs to see him removed.
Unconscious bias should not come into VAR as they have multiple opportunities to review.
Willie Collum is going to need more VAR officials and he will need to cast the net further than the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire swamps. VAR works if you have capable officials — Scotlands must be in the lowest quartile in world football regarding VAR officials.
If the refs were up to the mark we wouldn’t need VAR ; they will never return to the euro’s , wc ; Massive change program needed , SFA are devoid of leadership and have no desire to take it on.
Scottish refs will probably removed from all overseas competitions in the next years.
If Collum doesn’t succeed why would keep Scottish VAR officials who cant make correct decisions despite repeated views.
On the refereeing debate. Watch how the refs give the decision for Sevco but not for us, thus utilising the clear and obvious/let the ref control the game directive.
An example would be the recent Glasgow Derby. A possible hand ball followed by a possible foul(penalty), both for us. Ref doesn’t give either. If that was at other end, i think 9 times out of 10 he gives it and relies on clear and obvious to stay with decision. Calums cracker negated the scrutiny but point still stands.
Also note the number of goals we have subject to a VAR review v other teams – I’d like to see the stats on that.