Willie Collum: Rangers penalty decision in final against Celtic ‘unacceptable’

The Scottish FA has also broadcast the conversation between the officials in which Muir says to Connor: ”The [pulling] is outside [the box]. Do you agree?”

Collum says the question should not have been framed in such a closed manner and that the penalty award was so obvious that there was no need to recommend an on field review by referee Beaton.

Neither Muir or Connor will be on duty at matches this weekend.

“We will do our very, very best through our coaching, through our analysis, to make sure an incident like this never happens again,” Collum added. “But it’s a mistake, it’s a bad mistake.

“When you look at the TV pictures, this is not a difficult decision for the VAR team. They are not forensic enough in the analysis. They move far too quickly.

“I think they’re thrown because the majority of the Rangers player’s body is outside the area but that’s irrelevant because it’s the holding that they should be judging.

“They should be making sure they get a clear image to show them that continues into the penalty area.”

Addressing the Cerny and Scales incident in more detail, Collum said: “There’s been a lot said about the Rangers player having a foot on penalty line. The foot is irrelevant. It’s about the holding only because that’s where the contact is.

“The holding begins outside the penalty area and then it continues on the line and even arguably beyond the line and fully into the penalty area. But, regardless, the fact it’s on the line, this should be considered as a penalty kick.

“The referee’s awarded the free-kick on the field, he sees the pulling, he’s correctly judged the incident in terms of the foul play.

“But then the VAR team need to go into a check and decide whether this incident is inside or outside and ultimately, they failed to come to the correct conclusion, which is this should have been a factual overturn.

“There’s no need for the referee to go to the monitor – a factual overturn for a penalty kick to be awarded.”