The debate over Rangers’ denied penalty against Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final shows no sign of abating. The Scottish FA’s admission this week that a penalty should have been awarded has only intensified the scrutiny.
The contentious incident occurred when Liam Scales appeared to foul Vaclav Cerny. Instead of awarding a penalty, referee Nick Walsh gave a free-kick, a decision now deemed incorrect.
Referees’ chief Willie Collum addressed the controversy on the VAR Review Show, clarifying that the pull on Cerny’s shirt—not the positioning of his foot—was the determining factor.
The SFA also released audio from the VAR discussion, revealing communication between VAR Alan Muir and AVAR Frank Connor. Both officials have been dropped from this weekend’s Premiership fixtures in light of the error.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell has attempted to defend the system, arguing that while human error will always exist, VAR has significantly reduced incorrect calls.
Maxwell also dismissed claims of bias in Scottish football, labelling such accusations as “absolute nonsense.” He praised Collum for his commitment to transparency since taking up his role.
Boyd Slams Maxwell’s Response
Rangers icon Kris Boyd has been vocal in his criticism of the situation, taking aim at Maxwell for what he perceives as a flippant attitude.
Boyd expressed frustration over Maxwell’s comments on the controversy, suggesting the SFA chief was not taking the issue seriously enough.
Boyd said:
“By urging Patrick Stewart to demand answers over the cup final spot-kick howler, I warned that far too many people regarded Rangers penalty rows as a joke. I didn’t expect Ian Maxwell to be the next to chuckle.
“Why was the SFA chief executive taking the Premier Sports Cup final controversy so lightly in midweek?
“I don’t remember him laughing when Scott McTominay’s goal was ruled out for Scotland in Spain, or when Stuart Armstrong didn’t get a penalty against Hungary at the Euros.
“Oh, the SFA were pretty serious then. But when it’s a controversy over a Rangers penalty, it seems to be all a bit of fun.
“Well, let me tell you, this is a serious matter.
“Maxwell shouldn’t have waited until Wednesday to address an issue which has dominated the Scottish football agenda all week.
“And he shouldn’t have laughed and joked about a ‘spike’ in viewing figures on the SFA’s YouTube channel to watch The VAR Review Show.
“He should have gone straight to Collum’s door early on Monday morning to thrash out a plan for driving up standards in refereeing in this country.
“Collum has certainly taken it seriously. He looked raging on The VAR Review Show. You could tell he looked hurt and let down.
“If only the rest of the SFA hierarchy took it so seriously.”
Boyd’s Solutions for Scottish Officiating
Boyd also offered constructive suggestions to address issues with refereeing and VAR in Scotland. He advocated for full-time roles for younger referees and proposed involving former players in VAR duties.
“I’d like to start by getting some of our younger refs full-time to help them prepare for the future,” Boyd said. “I know it’s costly, but what price can you put on getting these key decisions right?
“Collum has packed in his day job to become the full-time refs’ chief, and he’s doing the job much better than anyone has been able to do in the past. He’s open, honest, transparent and has not tried to pretend everything is rosy.
“How do we improve the VAR room? Well, I don’t think VAR officials necessarily need to be former refs. A lot of our top managers around the world have never played the game.
“The job of a VAR, sitting in a room re-running images of flashpoints in the game, is far removed from running around a pitch as play rages on.
“It’s a different skill set and could be tackled by any number of individuals, even former players, who have learned the rules and learned how to assist the on-field officials.
“Staying calm is something they could do with learning.”
Boyd’s remarks reflect both his frustration with the current system and his desire to see meaningful reform. As the fallout from the Rangers-Celtic controversy continues, his calls for change may resonate across the Scottish football landscape.
