VAR: Hugh Dallas on VAR-referee dialogue being made public

Hugh DallasSNS

Dallas was one of Scotland's leading officials for many years

By Amy McBeath
BBC Scotland

Ex-referee Hugh Dallas would welcome conversations between officials and video assistant referees in Scotland being made public - but does not believe it would end controversies.

Howard Webb, in charge of referees in England, has said he is keen to "draw the curtain back" on communications.

Dallas, ex-deputy head of Uefa's refereeing committee, sees merit in it.

"It would definitely clarify exactly what's going on - and I'm all for transparency," said the ex-official.

"I would welcome airing the VAR discussion with the referee - and I don't think the referees or the VAR officials would have negative thoughts towards it. It's transparency - they don't have anything to hide.

"VAR will always have issues. People thought it would solve controversies but if anything it has added to them, because football is about opinion."

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The application of VAR technology in Scotland has been questioned by managers, players and pundits throughout its debut Premiership season.

The system has continued to be criticised in England despite being in use in its third season.

Webb, who heads up referees' governing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited, says releasing in-game audio of VAR decisions is something he will look to do more next season.

Dallas believes making conversations public would be widely welcomed and that fans "deserve to know what is going on".

But even if football in Scotland did make the move, he is not expecting it to replicate other sports that have more extensive experience with the use of technology.

"I don't think it will go as far as rugby where you hear it live. This move by Howard [Webb] in England is to release it two or three days afterwards I believe," Dallas told BBC Sport Scotland.

"It's a step at a time. This would begin on a trial basis to begin with. In rugby you hear it live but it's been in rugby for a long time and I don't think they released conversations in the early days."

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