Lee Johnson offers to help Scottish referees improve use of VAR technology

Hibernian manager Lee Johnson has offered to help Scottish referees improve their use of VAR technology after laying on presentations to match officials in England.

Johnson questioned several decisions during his side’s recent defeat at Celtic Park, notably a red card for Elie Youan and penalties for both sides, and called for full-time referees.

Although Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell subsequently took up the case with the authorities, Johnson is keen to help iron out VAR’s teething problems in Scottish football.

“You get that feeling of injustice, that makes you upset and angry, but at the same time we want to help,” he said. “Nobody’s trying to go to war with anybody.

“We actually come from a position where we want to help the Scottish game be the best it can possibly be. And if we can add any influence or guidance or advice that helps, then great.

“I’m not content with it. I want to help them improve it. I want to help improve the speed, the decision-making.

“In England, I demonstrated that when I put presentations on to referees, sparking debate and also inviting referees in to take training sessions and referee within sessions and stuff like that, just to give them that little bit more exposure to the types of contacts there are.

“Obviously, it’s their department, they’ve got to run it as they see fit but we all want the best for football.”

There were a number of VAR-related controversies in the cinch Premiership immediately before the international break, including at Fir Park where Rangers beat Motherwell.

There was scepticism about the offside lines amid tight calls for goals for each team but Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell was given some clarification by the Scottish Football Association head of referees Crawford Allan.

“He made me aware of a couple of things which I accept,” Kettlewell said.

“I still have one or two question marks, just purely from my opinion and being involved in football. But it was a pretty amicable conversation. I am fairly happy with the outcome.

“I have been told in no uncertain terms that if the lines are touching and the attacker is ahead then the advantage goes to the attacker.

“I did question that decision post-match and it’s where I stick my hands up and say, by all accounts Fashion Sakala should be waved onside and the goal should count. On the flip side, that’s how it needs to be going forward.”

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes was frustrated about several decisions during his side’s draw with St Johnstone, most obviously a penalty-box handball by Perth defender Andy Considine which went unpunished.

McInnes was reluctant to go back over the debate but he does believe some referees have been over-reliant on their video assistants.

“We all signed up to VAR because we wanted VAR to assist and help the referees,” he said. “I think we have just lost sight of that a wee bit.

“The referee has still got to be the guy who feels the responsibility to referee the game properly and not have the umbilical cord of VAR. It’s there for him but he has just got to referee the game.

“I am fully supportive of VAR and I am still supportive of VAR but I think we need to try and utilise what’s there better and the video assistant is there to assist the referee and not referee the game.”

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson has been a critic of match officials at times this season but he remains optimistic VAR will prove a good investment.

“I still think it is a good thing,” he said. “I think there is still a lot of ironing out to do.

“We knew it was going to take time. It maybe took a bit longer than it was hoped but we will get there eventually.”