Rangers chief Stewart Robertson also wants to see VAR in Scotland
Monday 18 February 2019 20:33, UK
Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson has hit out at the “inconsistency” of the SFA disciplinary system and called on all Premiership clubs to come together to push through change.
The Ibrox side implored the SFA to review their disciplinary system "as a matter of extreme urgency" after goalkeeper Allan McGregor was unsuccessful in appealing a violent conduct charge brought by compliance officer Clare Whyte in the aftermath of their win over Aberdeen.
Hibernian chief executive Leeann Dempster also criticised the process after Darnell Johnson was retrospectively banned after their match with Celtic, while Scott Brown and Jozo Simunovic went unpunished following incidents in the same fixture.
At various points this season, managers or officials from Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs and Kilmarnock have all criticised the SFA disciplinary or appeals protocols.
Robertson believes there has been a change of tact at Hampden following the appointment of Whyte in August last year and he says the inconsistency is having a negative impact on the image of the Scottish game.
"There's been a change to the rules but there's also been a change to the way they've been interpreted," Robertson told Rangers TV. "Certain changes have caused a lot of inconsistency which is causing the confusion.
"I think what we need is to bring all the clubs together to look at how we can change the system, to improve the system which will improve the image of the game because there's no doubt it is having a negative impact on the game which isn't good for any of us.
"This season it feels like that [games are being re-refereed]. If you go back to previous seasons it seemed to be violent conduct or off the ball incidents that the referees didn't see which would be considered. What we're now getting ourselves into is a situation where many more incidents are being looked at."
He added: "We are effectively re-refereeing games and that's placing intolerable pressures on the referees, which then places pressures on the compliance system and the disciplinary system. We feel we should be looking to go back to the way the system was previously which was violent conduct and off the ball incidents that should be reviewed only.
"There's no doubt, Clare came in at the start of the season and things have been dealt with differently this year. The incidents that have been reviewed this year wouldn't have been reviewed last year, or some of those incidents.
"That is leading to the confusion, there is much more inconsistency and it definitely feels as though we are re-refereeing games. It also feels as though the incidents that are highlighted on the television at the weekend are the incidents which are being picked up by the compliance officer on a Monday."
Asked why he believes there has been a different approach from the compliance officer this season, Robertson said: "I don't know is the honest answer.
"I presume it's her interpretation of the rules but I don't think there's any doubt talking to various clubs, and this is where we need all the clubs to speak with one voice and at least get around the table and debate what should change, but there's definitely a change and I don't know why that's happened but we believe we should be looking to go back to the previous system."
Asked if he expects other Scottish Premiership clubs to join Rangers in calling for change, Robertson said: "Absolutely. Hibs already said something on Friday. Leeann [Dempster] mentioned it in her press conference on Friday. I've had private conversations with other clubs.
"I know that this is an area of concern for other clubs. It's not good for the game so if we can get all the clubs together, and we won't all agree on every detail of it, but if we can get the basic framework sorted out then I think we'll be in a much better place."
Robertson re-iterated that Rangers have formally written to the SFA regarding the disciplinary process and said the Scottish game needs to implement the Video Assistant Referee system to help match day officials.
"We need to look at VAR. The direction of travel in football is VAR and we need to be looking seriously at that to give the referees all the assistance we can," he said. "I read a stat the other day that said it took decisions from 93 per cent accurate to 98 per cent so we're not going to get 100 per cent accuracy but it's going to help.
"We've got tools there and technology that can help us. Let's use it and take the pressure off referees, which will itself allow them to referee the games better.
"We've had informal contact from the SFA but we wrote to them formally last week requesting we have a detailed review of the disciplinary system and I'm sure they will be in touch formally with us but from the informal discussions we've had I know there are a lot of other clubs who have similar views on how the disciplinary system is working at the moment."
The SFA has declined to comment.
