One of the problems that we hear about VAR is that there are no former players involved and Rangers latest incident involving Jose Cifuentes could have done with someone like Neil McCann in the booth.
The Ecuador international saw red after Kevin Clancy had initially only shown a yellow card to the 24-year old and, despite being just a few yards away when watching the tackle at full speed, saw fit to upgrade it after going to the monitor.
Rangers have now appealed the decision which could mean that Jose Cifuentes is available for the ViaPlay Cup final with Neil McCann explaining on BBC Sportscene why it should be downgraded.
Rangers could have Jose Cifuentes reprieve if Neil McCann is right
VAR can still be a useful tool in football but there are certain decisions that, when they are replayed, need to be replayed at full speed so that the full context can be acquired.
Incidents such as Cifuentes’ at Ibrox where it is a split-second difference and force can be truly ascertained, as well as handball decisions when reaction time is almost zero.
Slowing something down always makes it look worse than it actually is but this isn’t the reason why Rangers could be successful with their appeal for Jose Cifuentes, according to Neil McCann.
“This one with Cifuentes, listen, I know that he catches him there and he’s late, for me it’s a yellow card and I know in case anybody starts shouting ‘oh it’s because he’s ex-Rangers’ it’s not.
“I’m the same with Greg Taylor at Celtic Park, I’m the same with Harry Paton last week, and I’m the same there.
“I think a yellow there, I don’t think there’s a lot of force going through it, I think he tries to pull his leg back.”
McCann is right, Cifuentes, who signed for a reported £1.2m in the summer, is clearly late and deserves the yellow card but Jose Cifuentes no more than dangles his foot in, there is no force from the Rangers midfielder.
As soon as he realises he isn’t getting the ball he pulls his foot away.
The Rangers squad is short of central midfielders and the last thing manager Philippe Clement would want is to be missing another.
We can only hope that the appeals board, that sits today, has the same common sense as Neil McCann, although I won’t be holding my breath.
