Hearts v Celtic Alex Cochrane red card verdict: What the pundits said about VAR decision

‘Nonsense’ – former Hearts and Celtic players unanimous verdict after VAR intervenes

The pundits have had their say on Alex Cochrane’s VAR red card against Celtic at Tynecastle – and their verdict seems to be unanimous.

The Hearts defender was initially shown a yellow card by referee Nick Walsh for bringing down Daizen Maeda as he raced onto a long, bouncing ball over the top just before half time. But video assistant referee Willie Collum asked Walsh to review his decision on the monitor and that resulted in the left-back’s yellow card becoming a straight red for denying a goal scoring opportunity.

Steven Naismith was furious about the decision on the touchline and the pundits had sympathy with the interim Hearts boss. Kye Rowles was racing back in an attempt to provide cover and the pundits felt Walsh’s initial decision was probably the correct one. They could not see enough evidence of a clear and obvious error by Walsh to justify amending his decision.

Alex Cochrane is sent off by referee Nick Walsh just before half time

Former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart was far from impressed. “That's utter nonsense as a red card, but nothing would surprise me,” he told BBC Sportsound. “Did you see any Celtic players complaining? No. Everyone had a sense that a yellow card was the right decision. Utter garbage. What an absolute shambles.”

He added: “This isn't solely on Willie Collum, although he shouldn't have got involved. Nick Walsh has watched it again and he has the ability to stick with his original decision.

“It's good play from Maeda, he cuts across the defender, there's nothing Cochrane can do. For me, he hasn't pulled him down and there's plenty of defenders there.”

Celtic's Daizen Maeda goes down following a foul from Hearts' Alex Cochrane, who is sent off following a VAR check

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein agrees with Stewart’s assessment. He said on Sportsound: “The direction of the ball after his last touch wasn’t taking him directly towards goal. He was pushed wider and he had a lot to do to score from there. I thought it was harsh, the red card. But as soon as Willie Collum told Nick Walsh to go to the monitor I was resigned to the fact that it was going to be a red card.”

Pat Bonner, the former Celtic goalkeeper, agrees with Stewart’s assessment. He added: “It was a foul, absolutely. It's 23 yards out, it's on the corner of the box. He still has to run another ten yards to get into a position where he takes a shot at goal. There's defenders coming across. It's not like it's a one-v-one. Yes, a yellow card, but not a red.”

Former Celtic striker Andy Walker felt Walsh had refereed the game well in the first half and should have stuck with his on-field decision.

He said on Sky Sports: “I think he understands the atmosphere here and I think he called it right. It is nonsense to referee games with a still image as they have done again. You must take into account the pace of the player, the spin of the ball. It is not a clear and obvious error from Nick Walsh.

VAR checks for a possible red card

“I don’t know why he has taken the advice of Willie Collum. I’d love to see a referee come to the side and say, ´do you know what, I called it right’. Willie Collum has a different opinion. He’s not here.”

Stiliyan Petrov, the former Celtic midfielder, was in the studio for Sky Sports and he said: “For me it is not a red card. It is not clear and obvious. There’s an opportunity for Hearts to react and there’s a lot to be done.”

Even former Celtic striker Chris Sutton thought the decision to summon Walsh to he screen was wrong. He tweeted: "That’s not a red card… Willie Collum in the VAR hut has absolutely pooped it…”

James McFadden’s initial reaction was that Cochrane should have been sent off, but the former Motherwell, Everton and Scotland forward changed his mind the other way when he saw it again. He said on Sky Sports: “Initially it looks Maeda is going to go into the box and could get a shot away, but we see the way the ball is spinning, almost, into the path of Kye Rowles, who is getting back across. I know he is not level, but it looks like he can get the straightest path back.

Alex Cochrane has an exchange of views with Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou after being sent off

“Nick Walsh is in a great position and makes his decision based on what he sees live. I don’t think VAR had to get involved because that’s the referee’s opinion of what he thinks has happened. Having had a chance to see it again, I thought he got it right first time.”

He added: “Because it is a floated ball in, the pace actually is coming out of the ball. It’s not to say for sure that Maeda will get his shot away and has a clear goal scoring opportunity. I think Kye Rowles is getting back and could maybe make that last-ditch tackle to stop the shot. That is exretremely harsh on Hearts.”