Collum concedes two wrong decisions in opening weeks

Officials sewage 2 awesome decisions incorrect successful nan opening 4 weeks of nan caller season, Scottish FA caput of referees Willie Collum has conceded.

And he is besides captious of referee Matthew MacDermid's assemblage connection successful nan lead up to what he believes was a correctly awarded League Cup extremity scored by Rangers' Cyriel Dessers against St Johnstone.

Collum highlights 8 arguable incidents successful The VAR Review, a caller monthly show connected nan Scottish FA's YouTube channel.

He concludes Celtic should person been awarded a punishment successful their 4-0 triumph complete Kilmarnock, while Dundee United ought to person had a spot footwear for manus shot successful their 2-2 tie pinch Dundee - some connected nan opening weekend.

But Collum, who assumed nan domiciled during nan summer, said he was "content pinch nan commencement we've made".

He added: "We realised very quickly we had to amended on-field determination making and determination making successful nan VOR [video operations room].

"We consciousness our referees, our assistants, our lucifer officials and VARs person made a measurement successful nan correct direction. Obviously we still spot room for improvement."

Hearts thought they should person had a punishment erstwhile Yan Dhanda's transverse struck Connor Barron's elbow during nan 0-0 tie astatine Tynecastle.

Collum says this incident "shows nan guidance of recreation we want to return pinch manus ball" since he took charge, highlighting nan short region betwixt nan 2 players and Barron's limb being tight to his body.

"There was a deficiency of knowing of galore manus balls past season," he said. "Probably past season, that would person been awarded.

"But, for us, nan cardinal constituent is that nan limb is tucked into nan body. The subordinate does not make his assemblage bigger."

Kyogo Furuhashi collided pinch Kilmarnock goalkeeper Robby McCrorie arsenic nan Celtic striker met a free-kick chipped complete nan defence during nan Glasgow side's win.

Referee Don Robertson and VAR officials concluded during nan crippled that "the goalkeeper conscionable makes himself big".

However, Collum said: "We judge this was nan incorrect decision. We person coached nan referees and nan VARs that a punishment footwear should person been awarded here.

"It is an unexpected free-kick pinch nan measurement nan shot is chipped. It catches nan on-field referee by astonishment and it's very difficult for nan referee to find an perspective information that wall to get a due view.

"The Celtic subordinate intelligibly gets up and touches nan shot past nan goalkeeper and we past deliberation nan goalkeeper's actions are reckless. An off-field reappraisal should person been requested and nan referee asked to travel to nan monitor."

United's claims for a punishment were denied by referee David Dickinson aft nan shot struck nan limb of Dundee defender Luke Graham during their first derby of nan Premiership season.

"This was a missed manus ball," Collum said. "The shot firstly travels from distance, from a area kick.

"The Dundee player, erstwhile he jumps, his limb is successful an unnatural position and he's not huddled together pinch an opponent."

Kilmarnock thought they should person a punishment erstwhile Danny Armstrong went down nether a situation from Andre Raymond during St Johnstone's 3-0 win.

Referee Chris Graham booked nan location winger for simulation, but VAR decided that his bottommost had been clipped, but it was extracurricular nan punishment box.

"This is simply a incorrect determination on-field," Collum said. "It is simply a foul, it is simply a travel and, erstwhile nan VAR sees it's extracurricular nan box, it's intolerable for nan VAR to go involved.

"It is simply a quirk. Had it been a gait further, VAR could person go progressive and nan determination overturned and a punishment given. It is intolerable for america to hole it done VAR."

Dessers' extremity successful Rangers' 2-0 triumph was arguable astatine nan time, pinch St Johnstone players and head Craig Levein claiming their defenders had been distracted by referee MacDermid signalling for a free-kick successful their favour.

"Here, nan referee astir apt doesn't show bully assemblage language," Collum admitted. "His assemblage connection erstwhile nan situation is made is edging towards a free-kick.

"But he correctly delays nan whistle, he correctly communicates truthful nan VAR is alert of what he intends doing if a extremity is scored and, erstwhile nan shot hits nan net, he past blows his whistle for what he deems to beryllium a protect free-kick.

"VAR checks and realises nan Rangers subordinate hasn't committed a foul and they truthful urge an on-field review.

"Apart from nan assemblage language, nan correct process was followed and yet nan correct determination was reached."

Collum besides pointed retired that nan audio signaling disproved claims that nan referee had blown his whistle earlier nan extremity was scored.

Celtic eased speech Hibs 3-1 to scope nan League Cup quarter-finals but felt they should person had a spot footwear erstwhile winger James Forrest was sandwiched betwixt 2 visiting defenders.

However, Collum concluded that, though location was a coming together of precocious bodies, referee Kevin Clancy and VAR officials were correct to opportunity location was "not capable interaction for a punishment kick" from centre-back Marvin Ekpiteta.

Another Dessers goal, pinch Ross County this clip claiming it should person been disallowed because Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence had fouled Connor Randall successful nan build-up during their 6-0 defeat.

"It is simply a clear foul for maine nan referee has missed on-field," Collum conceded. "It is simply a reckless tackle by nan Rangers player. But VAR is not location to re-referee nan match."

Collum points retired that "there are acold excessively galore passes" betwixt nan foul and nan goal, it truthful is not portion of nan aforesaid attacking shape of play and VAR was incapable to intervene.

Brad Lyons was initially booked by referee MacDermid for a situation connected Ester Sokler during Aberdeen's 2-0 triumph astatine location to Kilmarnock, but nan visiting midfielder was sent disconnected pursuing a VAR review.

"We are happy that nan VAR recommended an on-field reappraisal and that nan paper was overturned from yellowish to red," Collum said.

"We don't deliberation nan subordinate is successful complete control. We deliberation nan constituent of interaction was precocious - it is connected nan shin - and it truthful endangers nan information of nan opponent."