“This is the wrong decision” – SFA Admits to Serious Celtic Flag Day Error.

Willie Collum, the Head of Referees for Scottish football, believes Celtic should have had a penalty against Kilmarnock on Flag Day.

Collum spoke on the first episode of the brand new ‘VAR Review’ show on the SFA’s YouTube channel, discussing several contentious decisions from the previous month.

Collum stated that on-field referee Don Robertson, as well as Greg Aitken in the VAR room, made mistakes in denying Kyogo a penalty on the season’s first weekend.

Celtic were awarded a free kick near the Killie box late in the game.

Matt O’Riley sent a lovely chipped ball over the top of the wall for Kyogo to latch onto. The striker beat opposition custodian Robby McCrorie to the ball before being knocked down.

At the time, it appeared to be a certain spot-kick, but the officials said nothing.

Collum admitted that their verdict was incorrect.

“We believe this is the wrong decision,” he said.

“We have coached the referees and the VAR’s that a penalty should have been awarded here.

“It’s an unexpected free kick, the move that the free kick was chipped over the wall. It catches the on-field referee by surprise.

“The Celtic player clearly gets ahead, wins the ball, touches the ball past the goalkeeper, and we then think that the goalkeeper’s actions are reckless.

“For us, this should have been a penalty kick. An on-field review should have been requested, and the referee asked to come and make a judgement on this call.

“We’ve coached that to the referees and the VAR’s, to make sure in future, that if this kind of incident happens, it’s punished by a penalty kick.”

The SFA can consider themselves fortunate that Celtic won this match and that the incorrect decision had no serious consequences.

Regardless, it’s disappointing that, despite having an on-field referee, two linesmen, and two VAR officials on duty, they got it wrong.

Collum deserves credit for coming out and making things right, but this is what we can expect from monthly installments of ‘The VAR Review’.

It will hold officials to a higher standard than usual, hopefully resulting in more accurate decisions.

SFA announces surprising new VAR initiative.

In other news, SFA announces surprising new VAR initiative.