Wednesday 20 February 2019 17:36, UK
Scottish Football Association sources have told Sky Sports News that any proposal to introduce foreign referees into Scottish football would be a 'non-starter'.
The suggestion was one of a number of wide-ranging ideas floated by Scottish Premiership clubs at a meeting on Monday, however more than one club source present has told Sky Sports News that the idea to introduce foreign referees was "a throwaway comment", and should not be regarded as a serious proposal.
Foreign officials have been involved in Scottish football in the recent past - in 2010 referees from Israel, Luxembourg and Malta were called up by the SFA to take charge of domestic games following a strike by Scottish officials after criticism over their performances.
Sources at the meeting have also told Sky Sports News that there is now a strong feeling among clubs that the Scottish FA's current compliance system, altered last summer, is causing confusion and needs to be addressed.
Sky Sports News has been told that Monday's meeting was "heated, but direct and constructive", with clubs posing a number of forthright questions to SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell, head of referees John Fleming and the SFA's compliance officer Clare Whyte, who were all invited to attend and air their views amid the current crisis of confidence in Scottish football over the standard of officiating.
Other proposals raised included Scottish referees becoming full-time professionals - a strategy that would take time to implement - as well as a possible further education course for prospective officials, along with discussions about the cost and timescale of introducing VAR to Scottish football.
Going forward, Scottish Premiership clubs are set to be involved in an existing working party that analyses the disciplinary and compliance system.
One club source said that "it's important we take a close look at the inconsistencies that appear to exist within the system, with a view to resolving them".
There is also a groundswell of support in the Scottish Premiership for the introduction of Video Assistant Referees in Scotland - following a meeting last month, Maxwell said there was "a real appetite to investigate VAR" following increased criticism of referees and officials this season.
The process of introducing VAR to Scottish football would be likely to take at least 18 months due to the training required for officials.
