There has been a spotlight on officials over the past couple of seasons, especially after the introduction of VAR. Madden fears referees are killing the game in Scotland and reckons it is down to the way they are being asked to officiate by Collum.

He says games are not being allowed to flow, and Collum is coaching his officials 'safe refereeing', which is how he used to approach gameas himself.

On So Near, Yet So VAR podcast, Madden said: “This is a comment I get from people involved in football in Scotland.

“Referees in Scotland are killing the game and by killing the game, I mean stopping at every opportunity.

“If it’s in the defensive third or the middle of the field of play and I can tell you why this is.

“The way Willie Collum refereed was ‘safe refereeing,’ don’t let the game breathe, don’t let a 50/50 go. It kills the game.

“I was very much let it go within reason.”

Former English Premier League rreferee Mark Clattenburg agreed: “The referees are only following the model of what their bosses are telling them to do.

“If the bosses are how they always refereed, that goes into the training and development, who’s going to follow it?

“I’ve been a head of refereeing, but I’d never tell a referee how to manage a game. That’s an individual thing.”

Asked whether Collum is ‘the right man for the job,’ Madden said: “When your team isn’t performing well, people look at the manager don’t they?

“So Willie, I think, has not had a positive impact in his current position. That’s what I’d say. I’d say no.”