“Can we just bin this VAR already?” read a tweet from Archie Thompson, as Video Assistant Referees bore the brunt of fan anger following another crazy round of A-League action.
You could almost have forgotten there was a game of football played at Coopers Stadium last night, such was the reaction to the use of the VAR in Adelaide United’s 2-0 win over Western Sydney.
It was an entertaining encounter too, as a double from the vastly improved Ryan Kitto was enough to see off a Wanderers side that should never have been reduced to ten men in the first half.
“We are all to blame for VAR,” said Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill during the coverage, and he’s been an outspoken critic of what he calls a lack of respect shown to officials and a willingness to blame referees for every bad result.
He’s got a point – and when it comes to VAR, Football Federation Australia is clearly caught between a rock and a hard place.
We all see replays of contentious incidents on the TV broadcast, so doesn’t it stand to reason that referees may as well look at those same replays to ensure they don’t make any egregious errors?
The problem, as Hill often points out, is that by relying on technology to make decisions for us, we eliminate the human element that makes football such an intriguing spectacle.
And strangely enough, there’s still an important human element involved in the VAR process – namely interpreting what is being viewed on the replay.
(AAP Image/ James Elsby)
Yesterday referee Chris Beath missed Robbie Cornthwaite’s hand-ball in the penalty area, only to deem it worthy of a second yellow card after being alerted to the incident by the VAR.
Even then, it took what felt like an eternity for Beath to come to a decision, even after he viewed the incident on the touchline himself and play had long continued further up the pitch.
After all that, Beath should have deemed a spot-kick kick punishment enough for what was an innocuous incident, instead of sending Cornthwaite off for his second bookable offence.
Still, we all make mistakes and it’s hardly fair to hang Beath out to dry when the VAR was supposed to eradicate this sort of controversy.
It’s not like we’re the only country having problems with video assistance.
Recently German magazine 11 Freunde asked me for my thoughts on how VAR was going in the A-League – such is the level of dismay with its use in the Bundesliga.
Sunday’s clash wasn’t even the only game which saw the VAR called into question, although Brisbane Roar defender Avraam Papadopoulos can have few complaints after being sent off for spitting on Sydney FC striker Matt Simon in the Sky Blues’ 3-1 win on Saturday night.
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It was perhaps a tad harsh to send off Simon for retaliation, although as plenty pointed out on social media on the night, he’s arguably been deserving of a few more send-offs throughout his colourful career.
Papadopoulos, meanwhile, is looking at a lengthy suspension – and it could hardly have come at a worse time for a Brisbane Roar outfit currently under the pump.
They never got out of first gear against an under-strength Sydney side, and John Aloisi will be desperate for a win against fellow strugglers Western Sydney at ANZ Stadium next Saturday.
The real winners of the round were a trio of unheralded sides, as Perth Glory followed up Newcastle’s impressive win on Thursday night with a 3-1 trouncing of Melbourne City, while the Central Coast Mariners flogged Wellington Phoenix 4-1 in the Kiwi capital.
There were plenty of talking points between them, not least a first ever yellow card to A-League coach awarded to – who else? – Glory coach Kenny Lowe.
But the action was largely overshadowed by the VAR.
It won’t be going anywhere before the end of the season, but surely it needs to improve before this becomes the campaign where video killed football as we know it.
Waz
Guest
Not really. Average crowds last year were12,500 and they’re on track for 10,500 this year. That’s 2,000 on average walking away. Not all to blame on the VAR but the people who are complaining about the VAR are football People; most of the casuals (at least that I know) think it’s normal. The point is the VAR is disenfranchising football People not casuals. That’s why it’s do serious and should not be dismissed. At best they’ve got the implementation wrong, at worst - it’s not possible to get it right.
anon
Roar Pro
VAR is working well. That was a clear red card in the Adelaide vs WSW game. Should have given the WSW a second red card for gobbing off to the ref when he was arguing the decision. That's something I would like stamped out of soccer. The mouthing off and attempted intimidation of officials. Shocking look.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
It is hard to believe that SFC, off a record-breaking all-conquering season, would actually be averaging less attendances in this early part of the season than it averaged last season. Even more incredible is the fact that that lower average actually includes an early season home derby. Last round, average attendance across the five games dropped to a worringly low 8,000. I think it would be a very long time since we last saw a round average of only 8,000. Let us hope that FIFA's normalisation committee can put us back on a growth path.
Nemesis
Guest
If people are being turned away from football because of VAR, they're the sort of people who are always ready with an excuse for why they don't attend - too cold, too hot, too early, too late, too windy, not enough breeze, don't like the owners, don't like the stadium, don't like the players, don't like the coach, don't like the food, don't like the beer, public transport inconvenient, too much traffic, parking is hard. Now they can add: Don't like VAR.
Waz
Guest
Nemesis, the big-rating competitions you mention are different in many ways so I’m not sure the comparison is in any way valid? all are relatively high-scoring games where as football is not, all have a large entrenched support base, football doesn’t. All rely upon different things to make them appealing so the VAR has a different impact to each code. Football is a free flowing game that relies on the excitement of the action not the act of scoring to make it entertaining. The VAR damages both by slowing down the play on regular occasions and even when a goal is scored fans all know that it’s not really scored until some faceless figure has reviewed the action for a technicality. That has dulled the moment of scoring for many. The VAR is refereeing to the letter of the law and killing the spirit of the game - it can only rule goals out it can’t create them, it can only slow the game down not speed it up, it can only reduce excitement not increase it. It is therefore a negative force in the game. And to see what that negative force is doing to this code, google “VAR” and see what you come up with. It is a PR disaster we can’t afford with crowds and tv viewing in serious decline. I’ll leave with this from an SBS report: “With crowd numbers and ratings riding a slow and painful decline, it’s only a matter of time until the VAR’s variable interpretations turn fans away for good” ..... .... the VAR is like playing Russian Roulette with professional football in Australia.
Nemesis
Guest
ALeague Director of Referees provides valuable insights on the VAR. Remember, this is a FIFA trial, so the FFA cannot just decide they must change the process & protocols, because Strayian fans demand it. Despite what couch experts say, the VAR saw the same video of the Diawara alleged off-side and could not conclusively rule and, in such cases, VAR will give advantage to the attacking team. But, that shouldn't stop couch referees from continuing to think they know the better about application of LOTG & coaching than those doing the jobs. https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/aleague-director-of-referees-ben-wilsons-verdict-on-var-over-controversial-weekend/news-story/a4ffb32eadd75fc3d65fe39782c7972d
Post_hoc
Guest
I think you are pretty close Fadidia, but then is there any real worry with what the crowds are? I think 14-15K would be awesome week in week out. Big games draw more, Wellington draw less, We keep going forward, more people playing, more professional teams etc etc all forward momentum
Post_hoc
Guest
I like to think the marching orders for Simons on Saturday was karmic balance being restored, he should have gone on tuesday night, leaving the field of play and violent misconduct.
Fadida
Guest
My take on crowds; Sydney - the city with a short attention span. Solution - a new shiny marquee each season. Can't be the same one. Lure Beckham out of retirement. Event watchers won't care about results. Who wants to watch Matt Simon? MV - poor on field performances will lead to a downturn. Patient and loyal fans still have a limit Roar - poor on field performances and a general dissatisfaction. WSW - Football refugees waiting to go home. Has affected attendances. All of the bigger drawing clubs have reasons as to why their attendances are down. Their drops are why crowds are down, nothing to do with simulation or VAR.
Fadida
Guest
They did realist. An embarrassment for this "sunburnt land" hey Lee?
Fadida
Guest
The first Adelaide goal was clearly offside. Diawara was both interfering with play and played the ball. He wasn't level with the last man. He was clearly in front. A mistake was made.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Its all VAR's fault.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Itys the end of the A-League as we know it, all caused by the VAR. "We'll all be rooned" said Hanrahan.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
What mistakes. They are interperting the rules of the game. Its the fans who are using terms like "soft" penalty, "harsh penalty", "not deliberate" "accidental". The rules are the rules and every VAR decision so far in the A-League has been a correct interpertation of the rules.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
The rules don't allow for "deliberate" or "not deliberate". Referees are not mind readers. If the arm/hand is moving away from the body towards the ball then its a penalty, whether it was deliberate or just a reflex action.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
The VAR will make players think twice about spitting, studs up tackles and hand balls. If they know they are being watched and the referee can replay the incident then they may think twice about trying to get away with things. I think the VAR should even be used more extensively to review diving and simulation and help clean up that blight on our game.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
I thought all the VAR decisions so far have been spot on. You can see quite clearly in slo mo replays whether the ball has touched the hand, whether the tackle was reckless, whether someone spat at the player or not, etc, etc. It’s picking up things the referee, the players and the fans didn’t see in real time. For me the VAR has been an outstanding success form the day it was intoduced into the A-League. I'd rather have it than not and have to rely on semi-amateur referees.
Nemesis
Guest
People are walking away because of VAR? And Straya thinks it's the sporting capital of the World? And, don't the big TV ratings comps have Video Refs? BBL, Test Cricket, AFL, NRL, SoO? Are people walking away there? Or, just walking away from ALeague because of the VAR? Ignore the hysteria, if you follow the facts: VAR has only been used in 9 out of 39 matches. I get the feeling players will be a bit less reckless with their tackles in future & keep their spittle to themselves, or in a downward trajectory, rather than horizontal. What happened to Riera, I think should've resulted in a penalty for being dragged down. Sadly, the same happens in every match at corners all over the world & refs just look away. I don't know why it's ignored, but if refs started awarding penalties for that, it would soon stop.
Waz
Guest
I’m kinda getting over this “you don’t understand how it’s meant to be used” bit; largely that is irrelevant - it’s what it is doing to the game that is the problem. And then people try and explain its there to correct the “howler” and it’s not meant to be “subjective”. Again, largely irrelevant because of the damage it is doing to the game. The VAR is like communism, fine in theory but problematic when applied. Take the non-penalty for WSW. Either the referee watched a defender pull the attacker to the ground, contrary to the rules of the game, and the and let it go (which constitutes an obvious error) or he didn’t see it because his attention was elsewhere, in which case it was a howler. Neither are subjective. It was a foul. And the VAR did nothing. So it has not improved the officiating of the game at all. It’s just made it worse because now, not only do we have a refereeing error, but we have a refereeing error being fully endorsed by another referee watching on tv. And fine, you can pick those two incidents apart but what about: - the Adelaide goal scored following a foot over the last ne at a throw. That is both an obvious error and a howler. Not corrected - or when the flag incorrectly went up for offside when it wasn’t, how can a VAR correct that howler? There are too many instances. Too many. And it’s only R8. Think about what problem the VAR was meant to solve and ask - is it? And then there’s the other consideration - how do fans feel? Is the VAR attracting new fans to the game? I don’t think so. But is the VAR deterring existing fans? I think it is. People over use the word “hate” but that’s certainly the word they are using. People said they were turning off the AU/WSW game in disgust as it was broadcast. That’s not good. And to try and explain to fans “you don’t understand” isn’t cutting it, they’re walking away because they hate it.
punter
Guest
Loving what the Matildas are doing Sam Kerr would be the no 1 women sports person at present with Ellsye Perry.