A former Grade 1 ref has spoken out on the fury and told Walsh to butt out in future
A former top FIFA referee is calling for the handball rule to be changed after Celtic‘s penalty award against Livingston – and reckons VAR ‘ignored’ Daizen Maeda’s push just before it.
The Hoops picked up their second straight win over Wilfried Nancy with a bonkers 4-2 victory in West Lothian last night, twice coming from behind to take all three points. It was 2-2 after just 10 minutes but the champions took control from there, Benjamin Nygren putting them in front before Arne Engels’ penalty effectively sealed it.
The spot-kick award came after the ball struck Daniel Finlayson’s arm in the box, and was only given after VAR Nick Walsh called whistler Matthew MacDermid to the monitor for a review.
Livingston boss David Martindale was adamant his side wouldn’t have got it were the shoe on the other foot – and believed his player was pushed by Daizen Maeda in the build-up.
And now former Grade 1 ref and PGMOL chief Keith Hackett believes it’s evidence the rule has to be changed. He even reckons the push was ‘ignored’ by Walsh – who shouldn’t have intervened.
He told Football Insider: “The player’s arm is extended from the body when it strikes. These handballs are, of course, subjective and look far worse in slow motion.
“It appears that the nudge did impact the Livingston player, but that has been ignored by the officials. The law needs to be changed.
“Once the VAR calls the referee to the monitor, they are going to be given. Frankly, this is the wrong call and the VAR should have stayed out of the decision-making process.
“I do not consider this to be a deliberate handball offence.”
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