Aberdeen chair Cormack calls for 60-second limit on VAR checks

“If they can’t make a decision within 60 seconds, the on field decision should be upheld.

“However, if the inconsistency of decision-making continues, we should suspend it indefinitely until such times as it can be consistently relied upon.”

At his club’s AGM last season, Cormack stated that if it was down to him he would ditch VAR entirely, but an abandonment of the system is not on the agenda.

Numerous Premiership managers have expressed anger and frustration at some recent incidents that were subsequently deemed incorrect calls by the Scottish FA’s head of refereeing, Willie Collum.

Among others, Livingston manager David Martindale and St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson have been vocal critics of the system. Last month, Robinson described VAR as “not fit for purpose” in its current form.

“When video assistant referees were first proposed four years ago, the Scottish FA’s pitch was that VAR would increase the volume of correct decisions and do so with a light-touch approach that minimised disruption to the game,” added Cormack.

“While the association may be able to provide, as far as I’m aware, unaudited statistics showing an increase in correct decisions, I suspect that if you took the temperature of rank-and-file supporters across the Premiership, the feeling would be quite different. It simply doesn’t feel like it has improved.

“Even if accuracy has marginally increased, I’m not sure many fans would say that VAR has added enough to justify the millions that clubs are required to pay. Supporters no longer feel able to celebrate goals freely for fear they will be ruled out; matches are slowed down by lengthy checks; there is a lack of clarity within the stadium about what is being reviewed; and too often decisions take far too long to reach.

“Some of this stems from the limitations of the technology available to us in Scotland given what the game can afford, and some is down to the inconsistency in how decisions are applied.

“Make no mistake, the fact that after every round of games, the most commonly talked about subject is VAR decisions, that does nothing for fan engagement and experience.”

The SFA has been approached for comment.