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Willie Collum lands VAR return pitch for Rangers vs Celtic as SFA ‘scrutiny’ surges after penalty howler
Neil Lennon believes Willie Collum should return to the VAR room for the upcoming Rangers vs. Celtic match, following increased scrutiny of the SFA.
It has been a challenging week for Collum, the Head of Refereeing Operations at the SFA, after a major error during the Premier Sports Cup final.
Collum’s team failed to award a penalty to Philippe Clement’s side in injury time, despite Vaclav Cerny being fouled in the box by Liam Scales.
Celtic went on to win the final in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, but Collum was critical of the VAR officials, Alan Muir and Frank Connor, calling the mistake “unacceptable.”
The Key Match Incident panel also criticized the decision, describing it as “a simple call that all officials should get right.” After a week of controversy, Lennon, a Celtic legend, suggests Collum should be involved in VAR for the Old Firm game at Ibrox on January 2.
Collum retired from on-field refereeing at the end of last season and took on his senior role at Hampden. However, Lennon believes having Collum back in the VAR room would help ease the pressure on the referee for the high-stakes match.
Lennon stated in an interview with PLZ: “If Willie is the head of referees, shouldn’t he be there for a big game? Either him or someone with senior experience in the SFA. Willie has already criticized the officials who made that decision.”
Lennon emphasized the importance of experience in such situations: “For understanding the game, someone of his stature would be ideal for making those calls.”
With the referee for the upcoming derby facing intense scrutiny, Lennon believes Collum’s presence in the VAR room would ensure the correct decisions are made. He added, “The referee had a good game overall, but it’s crucial that Willie is there to help make sure all calls are accurate.”
