Hearts manager Steven Naismith voiced his frustration after his team’s 2-0 defeat to Celtic at Celtic Park, highlighting VAR’s significant role in shaping the outcome of the game. Naismith was perplexed by the officiating, particularly two key moments involving VAR decisions.
The first incident occurred when Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland’s header struck Celtic defender Liam Scales’ arm during a set piece. The referee, Colin Steven, initially awarded a penalty to Hearts, but after a VAR review, he overturned the decision, ruling no handball.
Another contentious moment came early in the second half when a cross from Celtic’s Nicolas Kühn appeared to hit the arm of Hearts defender James Penrice. Referee Steven initially held off on making a decision, waiting for a VAR review before heading to the monitor. After reviewing the footage, he awarded Celtic a penalty, which contributed to their 2-0 victory.
These moments left Naismith baffled, as the decisions played a pivotal role in the final result, further fueling the ongoing debate around VAR’s consistency in the Scottish Premiership.
Steven Naismith’s comments following Hearts’ 2-0 defeat to Celtic, particularly his criticism of the handball decisions involving VAR, have stirred some debate. Naismith expressed frustration over both penalty incidents, arguing that neither should have been awarded based on the guidelines shared before the season. He emphasized that in both cases, the players had little control over the ball’s contact with their arms due to proximity.
However, the distinction between the two situations lies in intent and motion. In the case of Hearts’ James Penrice, it appeared that he moved his hands toward the ball, leading to the penalty being awarded to Celtic. On the other hand, Celtic’s Liam Scales did not make such a movement when the ball struck his arm, leading to the referee overturning the initial penalty decision after review.
Naismith’s comments may reflect a misunderstanding of how handball rules are being interpreted this season, especially with the SFA’s head of operations, Willie Collum, having clarified midweek that handball judgments will focus on the movement of the arm and the intention behind it. This distinction helps explain why one instance resulted in a penalty and the other did not.
For Naismith, reviewing these updated guidelines could help avoid confusion in the future.
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