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Hugh Dallas joins Celtic and Rangers VAR debate as UEFA chief claims technology 'more important' than full time refs

Dallas reckons VAR is the best thing Scottish football can do for its referees.

Hugh Dallas reckons VAR is the solution to Scotland's refereeing troubles(Image: SNS Group 0141 221 3602)

Former top ref Hugh Dallas reckons the SFA must treat VAR as a matter of urgency for its referees.

And the deputy chief of UEFA refereeing thinks the technology is more important even than making its officials full-time.

The debate over bringing VAR into the Premiership has raged on in recent days but fans and pundits alike are coming round to the idea that it is inevitable.

Virtually every club in the top flight have had gripes with the standard of officiating this season, with the most high-profile this weekend coming at Tannadice when Fashion Sakala was hauled down in the box by Ross Graham.

New Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin lamented Nick Walsh's offside decision on Christian Ramirez. There were also a number of eyebrow-raising claims in Celtic's clash with Dundee, while St Johnstone gaffer Callum Davidson has been a frequent critic of the standard of refereeing.

But while it's unanimously agreed that something needs done to raise the officials' game, it has been suggested that offering full-time contracts to whistlers should be the first step before VAR.

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But as clubs get set to meet on Monday to discuss introducing it later this year, Dallas insists video technology should be the priority.

He said on Go Radio: "I don't think our referees can be any more professional than they are. Their commitment is unquestionable whether it's to training, seminars or travelling.

"They're at the beck and call of their bosses and they're always willing to drop everything.

"I was speaking to a referee a short while ago and he was telling me he was training at 7.30 this morning before he went to the office. He's training tonight too.

"One of the things that will improve things is VAR. That's a step in the right direction to help them.

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"But I'm not convinced that being full-time... did it improve in other countries where it went full-time? They've probably had the same discussions that we had ten years ago.

"I think if you're going to put investment into refereeing then we're going the right way with VAR."

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