Celtic VAR Row Deepens as Bobby Madden Calls Out Rangers Penalty Escape
Even a former FIFA referee whose opinions I rarely agree with believes St Mirren were denied a penalty at Ibrox — so where is the consistency?
Phillip Cooney 
The Celtic VAR row has somehow found another gear — and this time even Bobby Madden is questioning what happened.
Let me make one thing clear from the start. I am no Bobby Madden admirer. I rarely agree with his opinions on refereeing decisions, and I would not normally build an argument around his verdict.
Madden’s Rangers connections from his younger days are also well documented by the man himself. He previously revealed that his grandfather was a “massive Rangers fan” who took him to Ibrox until he was around 12 or 13.
That is precisely why his latest intervention is worth noting.
Celtic VAR row takes another twist
Rangers beat St Mirren 1-0 at Ibrox on Wednesday night, but with the game still goalless, Emmanuel Fernandez caught Ismael Kabia inside the penalty area. No penalty was awarded.
Former FIFA referee Madden believes that decision was wrong.
He argued that Fernandez failed to play the ball and made sufficient contact for a penalty under UEFA guidance. Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday also believed VAR should have intervened.
This is where Celtic supporters are entitled to ask serious questions.
Just days earlier, Celtic had two goals disallowed against the same St Mirren side during a match plagued by VAR controversy and technical problems.
Then, against St Johnstone, Haissem Hassan had another goal disallowed after the assistant decided the ball had crossed the byline before Kasper Høgh headed it back.
VAR could not conclusively establish whether the ball had actually gone out. Therefore, officials stayed with the on-field decision. Even Kris Boyd believed the ball had remained in play.
Celtic VAR row demands consistency
That principle sounds reasonable. VAR should only overturn an on-field decision when there is clear evidence.
However, consistency is the problem.
At Ibrox, St Mirren had an incident Madden regarded as a penalty. Referee Don Robertson did not award it and VAR Steven McLean did not overturn him. Rangers eventually scored in the 91st minute to win 1-0.
This is not about claiming conspiracy. It is about demanding the same standards.
I do not suddenly regard Bobby Madden as the ultimate authority because his opinion happens to support my argument. Far from it. I usually disagree with him and, given his own history of attending Ibrox as a youngster, he certainly isn’t someone I would normally reach for when making a Celtic case.
That actually makes this more striking.
When even Madden looks at an incident involving Rangers and concludes St Mirren should have received a penalty, Scottish football should pay attention.
Celtic have now seen three goals disallowed across two matches amid arguments over what VAR can and cannot conclusively prove.
Supporters deserve consistency.
Right now, they are getting anything but.
Var video advantage ranger’s
Almost 90% of celtic goals and penalty claims go to VAR any penalty against celtic is straight to the spot on if/ but straight to the spot sevco never go to VAR BUT WE ARE RUNNING THE S F A ????
And our Club said…??….Yeah ..zilch as feckin’ usual.
You can expect the SMSM to still be enraged and constantly highlighting said VAR errors till Xmas….. eye right.
HH
And yet after all of the diabolical decisions at Ibroxland ..or lack of them …the Daily Record says McInnes has ‘found his swagger again ! ‘ As if on the clock ? Maybe the same broken VAR system was in operation again for the Ibroxland match last night as was used for Celtic’s match with St Mirren in the second half last weekend ?
It will probably be the same at Ibrox this week it’s not the playing side it’s the supposed fans at the side throwing things at Celtic players glass lighters bottles etc if this happens stop the game and award Celtic the game full stop this will stop it in future games .