DARREN McGregor, the Hibernian centre-half, has called for the urgent introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VARs) into Scottish football in the wake of Steven McLean failing to allow an Oli Shaw goal in the Edinburgh derby on Wednesday night.
Teenage striker Shaw netted off the underside of the bar in the sixth minute of the Premiership match against Hearts at Tynecastle – but both McLean and his assistant Sean Carr failed to see it.
Video replays showed the ball had clearly crossed the line and Neil Lennon, the Hibs manager, branded the decision “a disgrace” after his side had been held to a 0-0 draw.
The International Football Association Board has approved a two-year trial of VARs and around 20 countries, including Germany, Italy and Portugal, are involved.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino is firmly in favour of the technology and has predicted it will be in place at the World Cup in Russia next summer.
But the Scottish Professional Football League yesterday reiterated that bringing in Hawk-Eye goal-line technology – which is in place in the English Premier League as well as other major leagues around Europe – would be too expensive.
McGregor, who helped the Easter Road club to extend their unbeaten run against Hearts to nine games, believes VARs can’t come quickly enough.
“I spoke to the ref midway through the second half and told him it was obviously a poor decision,” he said. “He held his hands up and said: ‘We can’t change it now’. Over the piece, a draw was probably a fair result. But I also believe the linesman was maybe a bit behind the play. It was disappointing that someone who was there to do a job on a big stage like that has missed it.
“But at least [McLean] is giving his opinion. He did say the lino has missed it. I am sure he never meant to intentionally see the ball go over the line and then not give it. He missed it. What can you do? What can the ref do in that instance?
“That was basically what he was saying: what can I do? I respect Steve. He is a great referee. He sees it as it is. Sometimes when you are honest like that there is nothing you can say. The lino missed it. He has made a mistake. You move on.”
However, McGregor went on: “It begs the question: why is there not some form of technology to clarify? We could have had a wee break and checked it. That would definitely have helped us in the situation. If the powers-that-be want to change it then great.
“They have it in rugby. You would think it would be easy to install it. In circumstances like that you are only talking about a split second and then you know if a goal has been scored. You can avoid a situation like that.
“The referees want video referees as well. It would probably make his job easier: he is relying on his linesmen; his linesmen are relying on him.
“And sometimes people do miss [things] – it’s human error. You think people in that position are more tuned into it. But people do make mistakes. We make mistakes, they make mistakes – it is one of those things.”
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