It’s wasting the game, VAR has got to go

Speaking not just as a Celtic supporter but a football supporter, VAR has got to go…

Heart of Midlothian v Celtic – A message on the big screen for VAR checking a goal for a possible offside during the Premiership match at Tynecastle,, Saturday March 2, 2024 Photo Andrew Milligan

VAR was brought in to not just cut out mistakes in the beautiful game, but take the pressure off the under fire officials. It was seen as a positive and something that would rid the game of controversial moments. But 18 months since it was first rolled out in the Scottish top flight it’s done nothing to enhance our game or change the way we view our officials. In fact it’s arguably made it a whole lot worse.

Before I am accused of sour grapes, I’m not just saying this because we were the victims of wrong doing last week, far from it. We have ourselves benefited albeit a small percentage from the much maligned technology. I’ve felt this way about VAR for quite a while now, it’s a hindrance to our game and the overwhelming majority of football supporters feel the same way.

So I’m not just speaking as a Celtic supporter, but as a supporter of Scottish football in general. Think about it, when your side scores a goal the first thing on your mind is ‘will it count.’

Gone are the days you checked to see if the linesman has his flag raised. The euphoria of scoring a goal is now cast in doubt until the game restarts. That dreaded announcement of VAR checking possible ‘offside’ ‘foul’ or whatever it may be is killing not only the game, but our enjoyment of the game.

It doesn’t help either that it’s the same incompetent officials that monitor the action. They have even somehow managed to make themselves look more incompetent using a technology that is meant to make their job a lot easier.

It’s time we binned it and went back to the days we could enjoy the game with ‘honest’ mistakes just confined to the field and not a screen off it.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy