RAB DOUGLAS: VAR mistakes were always going to happen and admitting Tony Watt cock-up is a good sign

I think it’s fair to say that VAR has had its teething problems in the first couple of weeks.

But did you expect it to be any different?

I didn’t.

And that’s not me having a pop at our referees – I’ve said it plenty of times, they deserve our respect and support because I wouldn’t do their job for all the tea in China.

Between the man in the middle and the VAR official outside the ground, they’ve got some high profile decisions right and some wrong.

The Tony Watt sending off was one of the big wrong ones.

Probably the biggest so far.

John Beaton’s first instincts were right.

Tony just scuffed Sean Goss and it wasn’t a bad challenge.

Who knows what he was being told and showed by his VAR colleague but you can also understand that from certain angles, and certainly when it’s paused, that it could be interpreted as high and dangerous.

🟥Dermot Gallagher takes a look at Tony Watt's red card as Dundee United lost to Motherwell⬇️ pic.twitter.com/DOItaBuYfO

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) October 31, 2022

It was a shock that the SFA downgraded the red to a yellow.

But it was reassuring to see that they didn’t just back their man as many suspected they would.

I was happy to give VAR a chance and I fully expected this to be a learning process for the officials.

It’s been the same in every country it’s been introduced.

I would also expect the officials to get better at picking up when to intervene and when not to.

And the World Cup break is the perfect time for them to have a good debrief.

This is about the long-term benefits for our game and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.

Neither Rangers nor Celtic have had a Champions League campaign they’ll want to remember with any affection.

Celtic have been closer to picking up a couple of wins but I’m sure Ange Postecoglou will be disappointed he hasn’t finished third and secured Europa League football after Christmas.

Neither club should bang on too much about the financial gap.

"Never nice to concede 𝙩𝙬𝙤 soft penalties" 🙄

"They're ruthless, I've not had much to do… apart from fish the ball out my net five times" 🫠

Honest as always from Celtic captain Joe Hart after a difficult loss against Real Madrid #UCL pic.twitter.com/7vXatKdsij

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 2, 2022

Other clubs bridge it and qualify for the last 16 and, let’s face it, there’s a bigger chasm between Rangers and Celtic and the likes of Livingston and St Johnstone than there is in Europe.

The key for both is how they invest their Champions League money and make sure they get stronger.

Looking at the business they’ve done over the last couple of years, I’d have more faith in Celtic.

There’s no hiding from the fact that Partick Thistle v Dundee is a pivotal fixture in the Championship.

The winner will feel they’re in a good place to kick-on and exert a bit of control on the division but the loser will have big question marks hanging over them.

Ayr United look built to last the course – they were professional against us and they’ve arguably got the best striker in the league in Dipo Akinyemi.

Keep him in January and you can’t discount them.

But Dundee and Thistle are the two big guns, you’d say.

And both will strengthen their squads.

For Dundee, it looks like Gary Bowyer either doesn’t know his best 11 yet or he hasn’t had the chance to field it.

The sooner that changes the more confident the fans will be that they can bounce straight back up in one go.