Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie believes Premiership clubs have a shared desire to improve VAR by seeking greater investment in it as a season filled with controversies draws to a close.
First brought into the Scottish topflight in October 2022, the system appears to have only fuelled the debates over big calls with the closing weeks of this campaign putting it under further scrutiny.
With the Key Match Incidents panel often identifying that many decisions have ultimately been wrong and head of referees Willie Collum forced to issue several apologies, many fans have called for VAR to be scrapped.
But Ibrox chief executive Gillespie, who recently joined the club from St Mirren, feels the consensus from a recent meeting of clubs which Rangers hosted was to see the system improved – not scrapped.
‘We arranged a meeting of the SPFL clubs and the SFA attended,’ he explained.
‘We all agreed that we need to be more aligned on strategy and improving the standards. We can all shout about a decision but what changes? Do we just apologise on the Monday? Do we accept that apology?
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‘What has to change? Do we need to increase digital performance or have full time referees? Ultimately, we are going to the World Cup and the Scottish FA is making some money, how do we get some of that to get things improved?
‘Can we as clubs support improved resources whether that is financial or in other ways like cameras in stadia? What we got from that meeting was an agreement for alignment to actually focus on the strategy of how to develop.
‘It is a real concern. We keep using the phrase a race to the bottom. Do we want to be in the New York Times talking about VAR decisions? Or do we want to say this is a journey and be really open with fans about how we improve it? Ultimately it is Scottish football’s reputation, which we are part of.’
Gillespie confirmed that his own club would be willing to increase the money it presently contributes to VAR each year but feels it would also be incumbent on the SFA to also up its investment.
‘There has to be an increase in resources from the SFA,’ he added.
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‘(Also) from clubs, whether that is financial or just resources that we have. And we need to push on that. We’d be willing to pay our fair share. Other clubs will have a view, but we hope to get everyone on the same page.
‘VAR is tiered that way anyway. The cost of VAR is tiered depending on where you’re placed within the league. If that’s the model, which should always be up for discussion, it’s something that could be a springboard from it.
‘But I don’t think at this stage we should be saying VAR is no good. VAR is there to improve and you do see other leagues where it does make a positive impact or more of a positive impact and I think that is the strategy at the moment.
‘At that meeting there was, a definite alignment to look at a strategy, talk about it and take it forward. There will be different ways of thinking on that so we’ll set up meeting two and three to look at the nuances.’
Gillespie also revealed that Rangers have held separate talks with the SFA about how the club can play a leading role in improving Scottish football.
Despite being one of the biggest clubs in the country, Rangers have often been on the periphery of the decision-making progress in recent years – a situation the new chief executive is keen to change.
Jim Gillespie (right) is keen for Rangers to lead discussion on how to improve VAR
‘We were in a meeting with the SFA on Friday about how we can improve Scottish football,’ he explained.
‘We have a great belief at Rangers that we are the leading club, and we want to be the leading club. We want Scottish football to be the best it can be.
‘Our request is that at the moment regulators and governing bodies start leading alongside us. Rangers will continue to lead. We will do that by showing our class and sometimes not holding our counsel but holding people accountable at the meetings we attend. We will also do it with a level of humility to ensure that everyone is learning. And we hope other clubs will join us and the regulators can get on board as well.
‘Those are challenging conversations because at times you have the best interests of Scottish football at heart as well as making sure that you represent Rangers Football Club. Rangers will never shy away from firm, challenging conversations.’
Gillespie also revealed that plans to develop both inside Ibrox and the vicinity of the stadium are gathering pace.
‘We’ve got initial proposals,’ he said. ‘We’re working with architects, engineers, project managers and have done surveys.
‘We’re pulling these things together to see what possible. Once we’ve got more detail on it, we’ll chat a bit more. We are progressing. We have to turn ambition into feasibility and then into reality. We’re at the feasibility part.’
