Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell has advocated for VAR-free Scottish football.
Kettlewell, 39, has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding the use of VAR in the Premiership, arguing that the sport would see significant improvements without it.
His remarks come in the wake of an unsuccessful appeal against the red card shown to Jack Vale during last Saturday’s loss against Aberdeen.
Additionally, the Motherwell head coach has been irked by the latest findings by the Independent Review Panel, who are meant to be responsible for monitoring VAR’s effectiveness.
According to the panel’s report, ten errors were identified in the third round of Premiership fixtures, among them were a denied penalty for Motherwell in their home clash with Aberdeen. This brings the total number of identified errors to 26, raising concerns about VAR’s impact on the game.
When queried about his stance on the ongoing use of VAR, Kettlewell responded: “No, I’m not (a supporter).
Do I believe it is creating a better spectacle? Do I believe it is there for fan enjoyment? Do I believe it is there for even that raw emotion for players and managers and coaches when your team scores a goal?
“I have to say, on day one, I did. I felt we were going to get to the sharp end of the right outcome, being punctual with decisions, finding our way as well, I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect from day one.
“I’m not sure there has been a dramatic improvement. I think we would all enjoy it a heck of a lot better without it.”
Vale will begin a two-match suspension as Motherwell welcome Livingston to Fir Park on Saturday, following his dismissal for making contact with Jack MacKenzie.
But Kettlewell contended that the collision occurred due to the Aberdeen defender’s rapid approach into Vale’s path.
“When you have a player intercepting the ball and hooking it over his shoulder, I am going to have to think about trying to coach my players a different way,” he continued.
“I thought Jack Vale did fantastically well to read the flight of the ball and hook a clearance over his shoulder. At that point when the Aberdeen player is running full steam and runs into you, there’s going to be a contact.
“Sometimes as a consequence of playing football, I myself held my hands up and said: ‘I’m going to get kicked, I’m going to get hurt, there are going to be collisions out on that pitch’.
“We can’t referee games based on someone is going to get hurt. Every contact and collision isn’t a foul, isn’t a red card.
“If that’s how we are saying we are going to officiate games from now on, then quite clearly I need to coach my players in a different way.
“But I need to go way back at the start (of VAR) when I sat in rooms and the question was asked if we are going down the realms of making players play the game in a different way: ‘Absolutely not, we will not be making players play a different way, you won’t be coaching the game a different way’.
“I’m saying that we are now because when we are asking players to go into the penalty box and wrap their arms behind their back, and if I’m now telling players if there’s an interception to be had and there’s an opposition player round about you, don’t go for it.”
Motherwell were disappointed that, despite raising their concerns about numerous incidents, there was no “ex-professional player, coach or manager” on the Scottish Football Association appeal panel.
“There was an argument that there was nobody available from that field,” Kettlewell bemoaned.
“If we are going into a panel that is going to make a judgement on a decision that has been made in the top flight of Scottish football, I would hazard a guess there should be an ex-football professional.”
