Latest news with #NickWalsh
The Courier
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Courier
Dundee and VAR: Willie Collum insists ref was right on Ross County penalty that relegated St Johnstone
Willie Collum says Nick Walsh was right to award the penalty kick that denied Dundee a crucial victory over Ross County and relegated St Johnstone. Heading into stoppage time in the penultimate fixture of the season, the Dark Blues were leading 1-0 at Dens Park. A win would see the Dee safe from relegation and would also give Saints the opportunity to overtake the Staggies on the final day. However, ref Nick Walsh controversially punished Antonio Portales for handball and Ronan Hale equalised from the spot. The decision was branded 'an absolute disgrace'. However, head of refereeing Collum has backed his official. In the monthly VAR Review from the SFA on YouTube, audio from the incident has been released. After the ball brushed Portales's arm, VAR Andrew Dallas said: 'I need to check that.' Referee Nick Walsh: 'Penalty. Handball. I think the arm is above shoulder height.' VAR: 'Slight touch on his head and then it hits off the hand. VAR: 'Nick, it's Andrew. We're just going to check the APP (attacking phase of play). Just to tell you his team-mate's headed it and [Portales] has his back to him. 'But the arm is above the head, above shoulder height. It's close proximity but it does hit his hand and it's above shoulder height. 'There's no impact from the attacker on the defender. 'Confirming on-field decision of penalty kick. Check complete.' Willie Collum defended the decision but admitted interpretation of the handball law may change for next season. He said: 'We have listened to a lot of the perception of the decision. I won't ever just defend decisions in this show. 'I'll be open and transparent. 'In terms of the laws of the game, this is a correct interpretation because the arm is far too high above the head. 'The referee is right in his judgement to award the penalty kick. 'There is nothing in the law to say it should be ruled out. It says that anybody with an arm high in the air runs the risk of being punished. 'The referee was very clear, the VAR discuss the situation so when that is clarified there is no reason to bring the referee to the monitor here. 'People have said that but why? 'In terms of law this season, that is a correct interpretation. 'I would say we think we are in a better place in terms of handball. We looked at a lot of clips from last season to learn. This is a clip we need to look at again. 'We have a lot of discussion post-season with this kind of incident. 'There's a possibility next season [it isn't given]. We will listen to people's views. There are a lot of ifs and buts but in terms of law nobody can say that isn't given.' The VAR Review also covered two other controversial decisions that went against the Dark Blues. Collum admitted he was 'disappointed' in VAR's process to review a push by Kilmarnock's Kyle Vassell on Simon Murray not because it was a foul but because it was outside the area. Another involving Antonio Portales proved far more controversial. The Mexican had already volleyed in one beauty against Motherwell and struck another into the top corner to put Dundee 2-0 up. However, offside was given against Clark Robertson in the build-up, a decision then-Dee boss Tony Docherty blasted as a 'disgrace'. Again Collum backed the decision but admitted the referee should have been brought to the monitor to review it personally. He said: '[Clark Robertson] comes out to challenge the Motherwell player and moves his leg to challenge. Making that challenging motion, that was enough for the VAR team to say this was impact. 'We shared this clip far and wide. The KMI panel looked at it in detail, we looked at it with the referees. 'It was probably 60-40 in favour of offside. That means we want to review it, look at it in the close season with the clubs, players and coaches as well as the match officials to think about our direction of travel moving forward. 'We are content with the decision. Where we are not content is the process. Categorically, the referee should have been brought to the monitor. 'This is not a factual decision. It is factual that the player is offside, but subjective whether he impacts the move. 'That should be left to the on-field match official.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rangers 'should have been awarded goal against Hibs'
Rangers should have had a goal awarded as they concluded the Scottish Premiership season with a 2-2 draw away to Hibernian, the Scottish FA's key match incident panel has ruled. Hibs immediately scored at the other end to equalise through Kieran Bowie after referee Nick Walsh allowed play to continue after Nico Raskin's effort was cleared by Rocky Bushiri, with Rangers claiming it had crossed the goalline. Advertisement Rangers have demanded the introduction of goal-line technology as a result of the controversial 17 May incident. The KMI panel has now determined by a majority of four to one that the midfielder's effort should have stood. They ruled that the video assistant referee (VAR) should have intervened and recommended a goal. However, one member of the panel highlighted that they did not think there was conclusive evidence that the ball had crossed the line and a VAR intervention should not take place. Meanwhile, the panel ruled that Ross County should not have been awarded a stoppage-time penalty in their 14 May draw away to Dundee. Advertisement Ronan Hale equalised and the result meant the battle between the two sides to avoid second bottom spot and a play-off to remain in the Premiership went to the final day of the season. Home defender Antonio Portales was penalised for a handball, but the KMI panel decided by a majority of four to one that VAR should have intervened to recommend to referee Walsh that he should cancel the award. However, one member of the panel highlighted that they thought it was a punishable handball and the penalty award was correct. Despite the reprieve at Dens Park, County finished second bottom and go into Monday's second leg at home to Championship runners-up Livingston with the tie level at 1-1.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rangers 'should have been awarded goal against Hibs'
Rangers should have had a goal awarded as they concluded the Scottish Premiership season with a 2-2 draw away to Hibernian, the Scottish FA's key match incident panel has immediately scored at the other end to equalise through Kieran Bowie after referee Nick Walsh allowed play to continue after Nico Raskin's effort was cleared by Rocky Bushiri, with Rangers claiming it had crossed the goalline. Rangers have demanded the introduction of goal-line technology as a result of the controversial 17 May KMI panel has now determined by a majority of four to one that the midfielder's effort should have stood. They ruled that the video assistant referee (VAR) should have intervened and recommended a goal. However, one member of the panel highlighted that they did not think there was conclusive evidence that the ball had crossed the line and a VAR intervention should not take the panel ruled that Ross County should not have been awarded a stoppage-time penalty in their 14 May draw away to Hale equalised and the result meant the battle between the two sides to avoid second bottom spot and a play-off to remain in the Premiership went to the final day of the defender Antonio Portales was penalised for a handball, but the KMI panel decided by a majority of four to one that VAR should have intervened to recommend to referee Walsh that he should cancel the one member of the panel highlighted that they thought it was a punishable handball and the penalty award was the reprieve at Dens Park, County finished second bottom and go into Monday's second leg at home to Championship runners-up Livingston with the tie level at 1-1.
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
KMI panel deliver verdict on Rangers vs Hibs ‘ghost goal' and controversial Dundee vs Ross County penalty decision
Referee Nick Walsh was the man at the centre of both incidents with the panel believing VAR should have intervened VARCE KMI panel deliver verdict on Rangers vs Hibs 'ghost goal' and controversial Dundee vs Ross County penalty decision A SCOTTISH FA panel has found Rangers' controversial 'ghost goal' against Hibs at Easter Road on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season SHOULD have stood. The majority of the governing body's Key Match Indicator panel felt that the on-field decision by Nick Walsh was "incorrect" and "VAR should have intervened". Advertisement 3 The goal was not given because the ball was not deemed to have cross the line Credit: PA 3 Nico Raskin think he has scored for Rangers Credit: Willie Vass 3 Dundee's Antonio Portales judged to have handled in the box Credit: BBC And the referee was at the centre of more controversy when another one of his calls - a handball in Dundee's match against Ross County, which ultimately relegated St Johnstone - has also been ruled WRONG. Walsh infuriated Rangers on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season when he failed to give the goal for the visitors to go two up on Hibs before David Gray's men levelled moments later. Nico Raskin ran through and bundled home from close range under pressure from defender Rocky Bushiri but, despite pictures appearing to show the ball over the line, the goal was not given and VAR did not get involved. Rangers questioned the effectiveness of VAR in a statement after the game. Advertisement And it led to former Gers defender John Brown, who was commentating for the club's official TV channel at the time, to say it was 'corrupt'. His comments are being investigated by the SFA's compliance officer and a charge could be forthcoming, which the club have said they will defend and described as "excessive, surprising and inconsistent." A report by the KMI panel released on Friday said: "The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (4:1) deeming the on-field decision incorrect. "The majority (4:1) believed that VAR should have intervened and recommended a factual award of the goal. Advertisement "One member of the panel highlighted that they didn't think there was conclusive evidence and a VAR intervention should not take place." They also gave the difficulty of the decision a four - which is described as a 'difficult decision for officials with a high degree of subjectivity or challenging considerations to identify. One that needs deliberation. A 50:50 decision.' St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari on loving 'crazy' club owners, his Motherwell days and run-in with a Celtic hero Just a few days before, Walsh made another contentious decision. His penalty award for handball by Dundee's Antonio Portales enabled Ross County to level from the spot in the 96th minute, which was enough to relegate St Johnstone. Advertisement BBC Sportcene's football pundit Michael Stewart called it "a disgrace" and "unforgivable." On the controversial handball which sunk the Saints, the report found: "The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (4:1) deeming the on-field decision incorrect. "The majority (4:1) believed that VAR should have intervened and recommended an OFR and for the referee to cancel the award of the penalty kick. "One member of the panel highlighted that they thought it was a punishable handball and the penalty award was correct." Advertisement They also gave it a difficulty level of a three which is 'a more complex decision... but one that a select group of officials should nonetheless call correctly.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Blundering Rangers referee let down by 'friends' as ex Premier League whistler insists VAR failed 'foolproof' test
Referee Nick Walsh and the match officials opted against giving a goal to the Light Blues at Easter Road - sparking fury from the Gers' players Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher reckons the SFA ditched goal-line technology due to their belief in VAR. But former Liverpool star Stephen Warnock reckons that the snub comes down to cost in the wake of Rangers star Nicolas Raskin 's no goal against Hibs. The midfielder thought he'd doubled the visitors lead at Easter Road when his strike appeared to have crossed the line – but it wasn't spotted by ref Nick Walsh and David Gray's men immediately went up the other end to equalise. VAR checked the incident but the SFA have since released guidance saying there was no conclusive evidence it did in fact go in. After the game, interim boss Barry Ferguson branded it 'mind-blowing' and 'baffling' and in a scathing statement Rangers demanded to raise the of goal-line technology issue with the SFA. And speaking to Sky Sports' Ref Watch, Gallagher offered man in the middle Walsh a defence stating: "[The referee] needed a little help from his friends. "It does look over the line, there's no doubt about that. They haven't got GDS [goal decision system] because they feel they can incorporate it into the VAR system. "But if you look at it, the answer was they had no conclusive evidence it was over the line, but it certainly does look over. "What didn't help is they say it's not a goal and then it goes to the other end and Hibs equalise. "They're doubly aggrieved because there's a two-goal swing, instead of being 2-0 it ends up 1-1 so they're massively, massively aggrieved." Gallagher went on to offer an insight in the Hampden chiefs discussions over the technology with their English counterparts: "The Scottish FA came to the Premier League and looked at what was already in place, VAR, and they've got a slightly different system which isn't as complicated as the Premier League system. "All I can think is they felt they could incorporate [goal-line technology] as part of their system and that the VAR would be able to see from pictures whether the ball was over the line. As it is, looking at that, it isn't as foolproof as people maybe thought." But an unimpressed Warnock claimed the Premiership was missing a VAR "necessity" due to finances. He added: "It's my favourite piece of kit, it's one that's black-and-white, it works, it's one that we very rarely question. "When the referee points to his watch and gives it 'no' or 'it's a goal' we know exactly where we stand with it, it's very trusting. "It's obviously just a case of cost, that's the only stumbling point of it. It's a necessity in any league to have that." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
