BEING able to study video replays of the yellow card that Inverness Caledonian Thistle player James Keatings received for simulation last weekend didn't exactly help an SFA fast track tribunal to reach a correct decision.

Like so many other people in the game, I couldn't believe that Caley Thistle's appeal against the booking that Keatings picked up in the Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Cup semi-final up in the Highlands on Sunday was dismissed.

Everyone could see that contact was made by Rangers Colts defender Ciaran Dickson and the boy shouldn't have been cautioned and then sent off . Everyone, that is, apart from the tribunal members.

It was bad enough that he was red carded. But to be ruled out of the final against Raith Rovers next month was a real double whammy. You feel for the lad. No wonder there has been uproar.

But I still think that VAR could help to reduce the number of bad refereeing calls in Scottish football and restore faith in the much-maligned disciplinary system in this country.

We saw in the Europa League last 32 tie between Copenhagen and Celtic on Thursday night that modern technology can, when used correctly, help match officials massively.

Neil Lennon's men had a penalty awarded against them in Denmark after Russian referee Sergei Karasev consulted VAR in the second-half.

It was the first time a pitchside monitor had been used to reach a decision a Scottish team was involved in. But Karasev got the call spot on. Ryan Christie had handled the ball inside his own area. There was no doubt it was a penalty. Lennon had no complaints afterwards.

It didn't affect the final outcome because Fraser Forster saved Jens Stage's penalty brilliantly and the Scottish champions held out for a 1-1 draw that gives them a great chance of progressing to the next knockout round. However, it underlined that VAR can be a positive aspect of the game.

I think the unhappiness with the system in England is largely down to how it is implemented and how long it takes. Incidents aren't reviewed inside the ground. They are examined in a studio miles away. It also takes an eternity.

But the way that UEFA use VAR is far better. The fans can see the referee going over to review a passage of play. I think they accept the call he makes far more readily in those circumstances. It is also done far quicker.

Done correctly, modern technology can actually increase the drama of a game. That is the case in other sports. In tennis when a player queries an umpire's call on a serve and Hawk Eye is used it certainly does.

The cost of VAR is the reason we don't currently have it in Scotland. I am not sure who would fund it. Would it be the clubs? Would it be the governing bodies? But I definitely think it could help if that could be determined.

There will always be dubiety about refereeing decisions, even ones which VAR helps them to reach. But in time I think supporters would, if it was done the right way, accept it here. People eventually adapt to change.

There has been a lot of unhappiness, too, when a goal has been chalked off because an attacking player's right toe was in an offside position. But is a toe less offside than a yard? Not really. I feel the key thing is that it is done across the board.

CELTIC'S match against Copenhagen on Thursday night was a real game of two halves.

The treble treble winners played extremely well in the first-half, took the lead through Odsonne Edouard and could have scored a few more goals.

Copenhagen were far brighter and sharper in the second-half, dominated the midfield and deserved to draw level.

Stale Solbakken tweaked his formation at half-time. They were more compact and their width came from their full-backs, particularly their right back. Rasmus Falk was excellent.

Perhaps the fact Copenhagen hadn't played a competitive fixture in two months led to a bit of rustiness.

But I don't think Neil Lennon's men, who still had their chances to score in the second 45 minutes, will allow them to come back into the game like that at Parkhead.

The first leg tie was a reminder to them they have to be switched on for the full match to win and go through. It showed them the Danes are actually not a bad side. I am sure they will be at their best from kick-off next Thursday and will progress.

Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster was once again outstanding on Thursday evening. But he has been all season. I think he has been their best signing.

A lot of Celtic fans would like to see his loan move become permanent this summer and I would certainly welcome him staying in Glasgow beyond the summer.

But I'm afraid that I don't think Celtic can afford him. They can't pay the Premier League wages he is getting at Southampton. There is a difference between pushing the boat out a bit and sinking the boat.

Forster is enjoying his football once again. But I think a lot of top flight clubs down south will be monitoring his progress with interest.