Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has stated that Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will continue to be a source of problems in Scottish football unless clubs invest more in camera equipment. The current season has already seen multiple controversial incidents involving VAR, following a chaotic previous campaign.
Most Scottish stadiums are equipped with approximately six cameras, a stark contrast to the upwards of 30 cameras used in many English Premier League stadiums. This limitation has led to criticism, with some dubbing the Scottish system 'Poundland VAR' due to its restricted angles, difficulties in drawing accurate lines, and frequent malfunctions.
O'Neill revealed that SPFL Premiership clubs and managers recently met with Willie Collum, the SFA head of refereeing, to discuss the VAR system. However, he expressed skepticism about significant improvements given the substantial financial investment required.
"To get this extra stuff in, they're talking about £1.5 million a season, which just doesn't seem feasible," O'Neill said. "It's a shame. But it is what it is. It would be lovely if you could do it."
Celtic has been on both ends of VAR decisions this season. The club had two goals disallowed in a recent match against St Mirren due to tight and questionable offside calls. Conversely, O'Neill acknowledged that his team benefited from a VAR decision regarding a handball by Kasper Hogh against Dundee United.
"I thought myself at Dundee United we got lucky with our second goal when the ball came into the penalty box, and Kasper slid in, and it looked like his hand was in an unnatural position," he explained. "I said to them, I know it went in my favour, but had it have happened against me, I wouldn't have been widely happy about it."
Reflecting on VAR's introduction, O'Neill recalled his initial optimism during the 2018 World Cup, expecting it to resolve issues like excessive penalties. However, he noted that after eight years, discussions surrounding its effectiveness persist.
"I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing. All I do know is it’s very difficult to celebrate what you think is a goal for you, because you’re waiting around to see if something has happened," he admitted. "That was always going to be the case, so VAR would have made you lose something in that aspect. But if it meant that a decision was right and somebody was clearly offside, then VAR should do its job."
O'Neill also mentioned recent discussions with the SFA about nuanced interpretations of rules, such as encroachment during penalty kicks, indicating an open dialogue with refereeing officials.
In other news, O'Neill remained undecided on his starting goalkeeper for an upcoming match against Rangers, with both Viljami Sinisalo and on-loan Wolves keeper Sam Johnstone available.