Scottish FA head of refereeing Willie Collum has validated the contentious penalty awarded against Rangers following an initial off-the-ball block by midfielder Vanja Dragojević.
The confirmation shifts immediate responsibility onto manager Derek McInnes to enforce stricter tactical discipline inside the area ahead of upcoming crucial domestic fixtures. Conceding unnecessary fouls for grappling rather than challenging for possession exposes the fine defensive margins rivals are actively targeting.
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Speaking to The National on the VAR Review Show, the former official detailed the mechanics of the incident.
He said: “This is not a referee problem. It is not a VAR problem. This is a problem for the players, and it is up to them to sort it out.”
Collum revealed that Premiership captains unanimously supported the decision during a Hampden meeting three weeks ago, noting that officials must intervene when players ignore the ball.
He added: “They are running towards an opponent, they are not interested in the ball behind them and their main, sole intent is to block their opponent.”
The debate follows a noticeable shift in tactics, with McInnes recently deploying a bold new attacking structure to secure a narrow domestic victory at Ibrox Stadium.
Rangers travel to face Celtic in their next Premiership fixture on Sunday.
