FOOTBALL’S governing bodies should take a long hard look at the use of VAR as there have been far too many dodgy decisions in recent months. One improvement would be the conversation between VAR and the referee being transmitted live for all to hear, as in rugby. That would remove any doubt as to the decisions made. It might not scotch conspiracy theories, but it would give clarity to the decision-making.

As for the blue card, I wonder who thought that one up? Again rugby gives us a clue. Yellow card and sin-binned for 10 minutes, with the offence being reviewed as a possible red, while the game continues. The yellow card could also be used for dissent and intimidation. No extra card necessary.

None of these suggestions is rocket science, nor difficult to implement, which makes one wonder why they have not been considered already.

Ian Smith, Troon.

• WE seem to have lost the plot about what is a simple and beautiful game, perhaps by relying on radio links and technology.

The offside rule was simple as being based on two defenders between the attacker and the goal. Now it is one defender and a tiny bit, say a toe or elbow of a defender with the aid of an imaginary line.

Likewise a handball decision should depend on whether it was obviously intentional and if the player had time to get the hand out of the way. The VAR replay should make that decision easy for a referee.

It is a regular sight to see an irate coach pleading with the fourth official about a wrong decision. In American football each head coach is allowed to challenge one decision per game.

If the challenge is successful then a second challenge is allowed. We should introduce this system.

JB Drummond, Kilmarnock.

• WHILE I was delighted to see Hearts beating Celtic on Sunday (and Motherwell turning over "Penalty For" Rangers the day before), I felt that Scottish football was surely embarrassed by the officiating, in particular the VAR decisions made. When introduced, there was some hope that VAR might cut out some refereeing errors and the perceived bias that seems to favour the Glasgow giants. Now it would seem that the VAR officials could be the ones whose perceived biases could decide the outcome of the league.

Some of us neutrals were led to believe that to be the only explanation behind some weird officiating, however fanciful this thinking may be.

Ken Currie, Edinburgh.

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Another factor in home drinking

IN addition to the factors listed ("Six key markers to track the evolution of our shifting booze culture", The Herald, March 4) which have contributed to an increase in alcohol consumption at home is the reduction in the limits at which it is illegal to drive.

In the 1980s the limits were such that the average person could consume two or three alcoholic drinks and, still being fit enough to drive, would be able to drive home from a pub or similar establishment. Currently many people work on the premise that no alcohol should be consumed before driving. Consequently it is far more convenient to drink at home.

Sandy Gemmill, Edinburgh.

Calm before the storm

IT'S a calm day (10am, March 4).

UK electricity demand is 38GW. UK wind from an installed capacity both onshore and offshore of circa 30GW is generating only 3.85 GW, some 10% of our needs. Solar on a partly sunny day in England is similarly producing 3.83GW from an installed capacity, located almost totally south of the Border, of circa 12GW. Burning of North America's forests is giving us 7.61% of our needs in exchange for another £10m a week subsidy from the taxpayers. We are also having to run our last remaining and soon to be closed coal station.

We are therefore dependent upon gas generation to provide us with 15.57GW and 40.73% of our needs. Our European friends are again balancing our needs by supplying us with 7.29 GW (the equivalent of 3.3 Longannets) and 18.8% of demand.

So gas and imports are providing four times and almost twice respectively our wind output. Not cheap.

It is a repeat of the similar renewables failures during the last weekend in February.

There is a deafening silence again from our renewables sector.

DB Watson, Cumbernauld.

Big shoes to fill

I NOTE that the tragic case of Emma Caldwell has resulted in a plethora of complaints from Herald readers about the police, with some justification (Letters, March 1).

However, I would ask them a simple question: would you do their job?

I have no connection with the police.

Roy Gardiner, Kilmarnock.

The Herald: Who'd be a police officer?Who'd be a police officer? (Image: PA)

Automatic dismissal

IS this another culture war looming? If Mark Smith doesn’t wish to acquire the necessary skill to operate a manual gearchange, and prefers the automatic variety, good luck to him ("Glasgow's leading the automatic revolution - at last", The Herald, March 2). I learned it decades ago, and my objection to automatic transmission is that it is a pointlessly complicated electro-mechanical contraption that I don’t need, and when it goes wrong, it does so catastrophically and ruinously: a matter of particular concern to those of us who can’t afford to buy our cars new and accompanied by a comprehensive warranty.

So, to pot with your patronising Freudian nonsense: why should we be forbidden the simpler, more economical option that we’ve always had?

Allan Graham, Ullapool.

Literally impossible

YOU report (“SNP would take Scotland back 300 years, Sunak tells conference”, The Herald, March 2) that the Prime Minister, addressing the Scottish Conservative Party Conference in Aberdeen, claimed “the SNP would take Scotland back literally 300 years”.

I’m intrigued. Does Mr Sunak believe the SNP possesses a time travel machine, possibly in the guise of a campervan? Or does he simply not understand the meaning of "literally"?

Doug Maughan, Dunblane.

English as she is misspoke

AS a lore-abiding citizen, the glo’all stop is not my only pet hate (Letters, March 1& 2). Once my pacel has been delivad by the curria, I could book a cruise to see pola bes, and spend time drawring them, hopefully without any heavy shas bubbiling up to spoil it.

To quote “My Fair Lady”, why can’t the English…?

P Davidson, Falkirk.

Offroad pursuits

BEST wishes to the entire staff and workforce of Glasgow City Council's roads department, who apparently all retired on the same day recently.

Bill Hunter, Milngavie.