Celtic centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers has questioned why referees in Scotland use VAR, particularly when they have a clear view of an incident.
It comes after his side were undone by some debatable decisions at Tynecastle on Sunday that undoubtedly cost them the game. The Hoops have appealed Yang’s red card and wrote to the SFA raising concerns about VAR and decisions made in the match.
Stand-in captain Carter-Vickers thinks VAR shouldn’t be used unless a ref can’t see an incident clearly because slowed-down videos and stills always make them look ten times worse.
The United States internationalist believes it is wrong that Don Robertson changed his decision despite initially giving Yang a yellow when he had a fine view of what happened. Speaking after the weekend loss, Carter-Vickers said (Glasgow Times): “You can debate whether it was a red card or not, but, for me, the ref has seen it live.
“He has a clear view of it and he gives a yellow card. So for him to change it when he goes to the monitor? I’m not sure that’s right.
“As we all know, when images are slowed down they can look a lot worse. I would like the referee to stick with his original decision, especially when he had a clear view of it first time around.
“In that scenario (the Yang challenge on Cochrane) he had a great view of it first time around and he gave a yellow card. I just don’t understand it. Not just in that case, in any case. Once a referee has seen it clearly, there is no need for him to have a second look in my opinion.”
In fairness to the 26-year-old, he does have a point. One of the main concerns with VAR when it was brought in is that it could re-referee the game and on Sunday, that was the case.
Every key decision that was made by Don Robertson bar the Celtic penalty was overturned, and Carter-Vickers, along with much of the Celtic support, can’t quite comprehend why.
