Craig Coutts

So Willie Collum backing John Beaton to award penalty after only 17 sec review on advice of Andrew Dallas to award penalty to Celtic v Motherwell has been adjudged to be wrong by KMI. The WORLD knew it was wrong. What an awful look for Collum & shows Dallas has too much influence

The man who made it all possible. The man who had his doubters before a ball was kicked. The man who has shown what we can do as a football club. The man who will remembered for years to come. Jens is at the wheel 🧡

The Celtic penalty award and 5 other key incidents that have gone against Motherwell this season | @PaulThomsonEK dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sp…

Celtic’s penalty was certainly a debatable decision. Impossible to be definitive either way, hence current widespread inquest, so they really should have stayed with original on-field. No pen. Understandable anger amongst Motherwell and Hearts coaches, players and supporters. Hearts now travel to Celtic Park for a title decider. The Foundation of Hearts, which owns 75% of the club, has called “on those responsible for the officiating of Saturday’s match to ensure that the highest standards of decision-making are applied, so that the game is decided by the players on the pitch and the team is given the fair opportunity it has earned”. Strong words. North and South of the Border the quality of officiating - and consistency – has been questioned this season. The problem is not the technology but those using it. There are some very competent officials about. But more are needed. Whether the Fir Park hand-ball was the worst decision ever is a moot point. Here are a few that spring immediately to mind, clear-cut mistakes, bound to trigger some frustrated flashbacks, in no particular order…. Diogo Dalot on Jeremy Doku, somehow only a yellow. Michael Keane on Doku, somehow only a yellow. Jordan Pickford taking out Virgil van Dijk. Harry Kane foot up on Andy Robertson. Tomas Soucek stopping a shot from Conor Gallagher with his hand. Rodri hand-ball against Everton. On it goes. Elliot Anderson on Ollie Watkins, cleared on review, mad. Kelechi Iheanacho denied a goal for Celtic against Braga when VAR ruled he’d handled when the ball came off his cheek. Gabriel not being dismissed for lowering his forehead into Erling Haaland. Luis Diaz punished for a non-existent offside when scoring for Liverpool against Tottenham. Lee Mason left his VAR job “by mutual consent” and PGMO apologised after he failed to draw the lines and spot Christian Norgaard offside in the build-up to Ivan Toney scoring for Brentford, costing Arsenal two points. And many others. The problem isn’t the technology; it’s the people using it, with the additional issue in Scotland of whether there is sufficient investment in the technology infrastructure. VAR is the safety net - but currently with too many holes.

As the world of football mocks our game, we simply have to draw a line in the sand and shift the focus. With the dust settling, we take pride in our display and push one final time on Saturday 👊

Tools are only useful if you know how to use them. If you don’t, they can be very dangerous. Time to rethink how we are using them or if we should be using them in Scottish football at all.

We thought VAR & PGMOL were bad. Whether the ball did hit the Motherwell player's hand or not... They've just handed a potential title-deciding win, using one inconclusive angle and a 15 second monitor check. Absolutely diabolical from the Scottish officials. 😅

Late finish. Profoundly grim that a penalty could be given for that and in those circumstances. A shocking call.

For us as a team, no obvious handball. It is not a clear and obvious error for us therefore shouldn’t have been an on-field review.

We don’t know either. We’re lost for words too. But this team never stops fighting. Onto Saturday. Thanks for your support 🧡

Seriously that is never a handball at Fir Park. The boy headed it 20 yards. The ref takes one look after VAR calls him over. Embarrassing for Scottish football.

This might be the worst VAR decision I’ve seen (and there’s a lot of competition). Extraordinary given the significance.

Wow the VAR pen in the Celtic game is again. One of the worst decisions of all time. 🗑️ You don’t get that much power with your hand. It hits his forehead 💯 Again the ref did NOT give it on field. So according to law. “It’s not clear and obvious” 🗑️

🗣️ "It's a coming together more than a foul..." Ref Watch's Dermot Gallagher agrees with the decision NOT to award Hearts a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Motherwell ⤵️

The slow mo clip of Motherwell fans celebrating their 90th minute winner away at Rangers is absolutely brilliant. 👏 Look what it means to them… 😍

Having watched this again, the Hearts player actually headers the ball away from the Motherwell player. IFAB describe "Playing in a dangerous manner is any action that, while trying to play the ball, threatens injury to someone (including the player themself)" Fair argument to say it's dangerous play by the Hearts player as heading the ball while lying on the crowd opens you up to the chance of taking a boot to the head.... x.com/i/status/20430…

UNBELIEVABLE! Worst yet. Hearts penalty v Motherwell - Kabore fell & headered ball from ground (foul dangerous play, Leicester v Newcastle see below). Stephen Welsh tipped him minimal contact. VAR Stevie McLean- 'clear & obvious error' & penalty to Hearts, shocking. Well robbed!

Since people can’t seem to understand, the hearts player moves towards the ball to head it there for is dangerous play, if he doesn’t move and Welsh still hits him Then that is a penalty 100%, but heading the ball out is classes as dangerous play whilst on the deck

This is genuinely one of the worst misses I’ve seen from VAR this season. Surely they’re shown this angle at this time? If not it calls into question the use of VAR, we shouldn’t be looking at angles the next day that they don’t get shown live.

Motherwell boss: SFA risk losing trust if consistency not applied after Callum Slattery ban dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sp…