WILLIE COLLUM has been urged to step down as a top flight referee by former whistler Des Roache after another horrible day at the office on Saturday.
Collum got THREE major calls wrong on the day at Ibrox, all three decisions favouring the home side.
However, Roache concedes everyone has a bad day at the office — but Willie’s decision making and blunders over a long stretch of time means he should step away.
Roache told Grosvenor Sport: “The penalty call was wrong in my view. James Brown couldn’t possibly get out of the way when the ball hit his arm. It was never a red card when Nicky Clark challenged Ryan Jack – and Jack should have been sent off for his challenge on Adam Montgomery. So there were three mistakes.
“Everyone can have a bad day at the office – a player or a referee – but when you continue to have bad days then what happens? Do the SFA continue to appoint him?
“I think it is time he’s held accountable, and that’s up to the SFA and the referee’s committee. They have to decide what games he gets now.
“If it was me, I would take myself out of the equation. His best days are behind him. As I say, if I was making as many highlighted errors, I would take myself out of the limelight.”
Most clubs who have dealt with Willie over the past ten years have all been left exacerbated at some point by his lack of logic.
The SFA aren’t transparent and continue to allow the same bungling refs to officiate some of the most high profile matches in the country. An overhaul is needed of standards in Scottish football, it’s run in a Micky mouse fashion. From the outside looking in, it seems like it’s an inclusive boys club where the favourites are given the games regardless of their performances the week prior and over a whole season.
VAR was supposed to help Willie and his mates, instead, it’s highlighting even more their incompetence and lack of common sense.
Celtic have had a rough ride from VAR since it came in, other clubs have managed to get a lot of decisions their way.
It’s still beyond me that we brought in technology to the game with part time officials. Surely our game deserves better than this. We need referees who are dedicated to their craft and can focus fully at the task at hand. Squeezing refereeing in during their working week simply isn’t benefitting anyone — not the refs and not the clubs.
As for Willie, he’s been in the game a long time now and perhaps it is time for him to fade into the background.
