Celtic VAR Explanation Falls Apart: Collum Says ‘We Don’t Guess’ Then Backs ‘Looks Offside’

Willie Collum’s Celtic VAR explanation has managed to create more questions than answers after the SFA’s head of refereeing defended the two disallowed goals against St Mirren.

And one part of his defence is particularly difficult to understand.

Collum insists Scottish officials “don’t guess.”

Yet the VAR audio from Shim Mheuka’s disallowed goal appears to show exactly why Celtic supporters remain deeply unconvinced by the process.

Celtic VAR explanation contradicts itself

Mheuka’s late goal was originally awarded during Celtic’s 2-1 victory in Paisley.

VAR then became involved.

The problem was that officials could not accurately place the normal calibrated line on St Mirren defender Alex Gogic.

VAR Don Robertson can be heard saying: “I think it’ll be offside.”

Referee Ryan Lee then examines the pictures and says it “looks like he’s offside.”

The goal is overturned.

Now compare that with Collum’s explanation.

He stated that attempting to draw the line on Gogic would involve guessing and added: “We don’t guess.”

But Collum also conceded that, without those lines, this could not be treated as a factual offside overturn. Instead, the referee was asked to look at the pictures and make an assessment.

How can both positions comfortably coexist?

If you cannot establish the defender’s position accurately enough to draw the line because that would involve guessing, how can an originally awarded Celtic goal then be removed because a player looks offside?

That is precisely where this explanation falls apart.

Celtic VAR explanation needs more than ‘looks offside’

The IFAB VAR protocol makes clear that the original decision should only be changed when the review demonstrates a clear and obvious error.

Nobody is arguing that VAR should ignore an obvious offside simply because the technology cannot produce a graphic.

But this was not presented as definitive factual proof.

Collum himself acknowledged that it did not become a factual overturn.

That matters.

Collum also strongly defended the earlier Camilo Durán decision despite Celtic supporters questioning the kick point used to determine the offside.

Two Celtic goals were therefore overturned in the same match.

Supporters were entitled to expect the VAR Review to remove the uncertainty.

Instead, Collum has arguably increased it.

“We don’t guess” sounds reassuring.

“I think it’ll be offside” and “it looks like he’s offside” sound rather different.

Calling the process transparent does not make that contradiction disappear.

Celtic won the match, so this is not about sour grapes or points being lost.

It is about trust.

And when the explanation given to justify a controversial VAR decision appears every bit as questionable as the decision itself, Willie Collum has provided Celtic supporters with more reasons to question Scottish VAR — not fewer.