Like many of you reading this, I just finished watching the Sydney derby, one of the most anticipated games of the A-League season.
The derby brings a different element to the sport compared to most other A-League matches. From the players to the atmosphere, they make it a great experience to watch.
However, like many of you, I am confused and angry at about one element of that game.: the video assistant referee.
The decision to overturn Roly Bonevacia’s goal was a disgrace. Last season and this season the VAR has been used poorly. I thought the decision to have the VAR in a room doing all games on a given day would lead to more consistent calls. However, this season it just seems like the headline everyone is seeing after a game is VAR.
It is a complete debacle. Fans aren’t happy. Players aren’t happy. Coaches, the media – you name it, they’re not happy.
Last year there were numerous examples of when the VAR could and should have been used, time it shouldn’t have been used and examples of it leading to the wrong calls.
One example last year was Ryan Strain’s handball against the Jets in the last minutes of the game. Not only did Strain have his hand behind his back, but the ball hit his shoulder. In that situation, if there were no VAR, considering the speed of the ball and position of the referee we would have just accepted the referee’s decision.
Instead, now we have the technology to overturn the decision, it is just not good enough. That handball led to a penalty, which led to the Jets winning the game. That decision should have been overturned and was a shocking example of where the VAR should have been used to overturn it, yet the referee was not even directed to have a second look on the screen, which was most disappointing.
(Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
But perhaps the most costly of the VAR so far was Kosta Barbarouses’s goal in the 2018 A-League grand final. I take nothing away from the Victory, who played well and deserved to win, but it was an offside James Donachie who headed the ball back to Barbarouses after a Leroy George free kick, which led to the goal.
Donachie was clearly offside and the goal should have been overruled, but there was a technical problem and the VAR did not get that footage until several minutes later. Had have the VAR worked, the goal would have been overturned and we could have had a different grand final.
The on-field decision was a goal, and if there were no VAR, we would have had to accept the decision – but when we have access to the technology to make the correct calls, the FFA and the A-League have to put in precautions or do something to prevent this in the future. The VAR cannot make wrong decisions in such an important game.
This year we have had three controversial decisions that have impacted the results of games. The penalty in the Melbourne derby, the penalty in the Wellington versus Newcastle game and the overruling of the goal in the Sydney derby.
The two derbies are promotional games for the league. New fans and more people go to these game because of their importance and that added bit of intensity and atmosphere. However, when the VAR delays the game and makes wrong decisions new potential new fans and current fans will choose not to go to games.
(Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The VAR is killing the game. In a league where attendances have slowly declined over the past few seasons the last thing the federation and the league need is more fans being put off. Fans are what makes football and going to football games enjoyable. The chants and atmosphere is one of the best parts of football games and is why I love going to them. The league needs to do something about this before more fans are put off.
There is the argument for the correct decisions the VAR makes, and last season there were times the VAR correctly awarded goals and penalties or justly took goals away. But when these decisions are made incorrectly it makes you wonder why we ahve the VAR in the first place. It is a long process, slowing the game flow, and has led to inconsistency in decision-making that has infuriated fans and players.
We have heard many commentators have their say. Mark Bosnich has openly stated his support the VAR in the past, but recently he said that it needs to be suspended before more wrong calls are made. Others have said that it should be scrapped all together.
It is affecting the mental wellbeing of players – those who watched the Fox Sports coverage of the game would have seen the devastation on Wanderers captain Brendan Hamill’s face in his interview when the VAR was discussed. He knew that if the goal had stood, they would have had the chance to get an equaliser and earnt a point, satisfying their fans. Instead he was devastated at the fact he let his fans down.
The VAR has been a complete failure this season and hasn’t satisfied anyone. It is turning fans off watching the league.
If the VAR wasn’t used, we would have to accept the on-field referee’s decisions, and I would much rather accept an on-field referees decisions than an incorrect VAR decision where the technology should be used to make the correct calls.
Suspend it, change it, get rid of it. FFA and the A-League, please do something to change this horrible system. I do not want another big game, ladder place or final impacted by an incorrect VAR decision.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Is that a joke? Is ‘Craig Zetta’ a play on words? How do you even know who is VARing each game? But, if you’re serious, finally we have a VAR scapegoat and a surefire solution - sack Craig Zetta now!
Kangas
Roar Rookie
agree
Lynn Hoey
Guest
All the crap decisions have been made by Craig Zetta who was the idiot in control in the grand final and failed to mention to the Referee that there was a problem with the VAR
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
by all accounts he also told the players on the field it was a foul, so it wasn't confusion in the heat of the moment.
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
No they don't, watch the first goal in the Derby
Peter Morgan
Guest
I was a neutral watching last years GF. But the offside goal, the butchered VAR and Melbourne's men behind the ball approach as a result ruined the game totally. I am still so incensed I have not watched any A League this season either in person or on TV. I think VAR has to go. That GF failure should have been the end of it. Won't be back until its gone.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
They are not offside until the ball is kicked. They move back inside before it's kicked and so are not offside.
EJ
Roar Pro
Yeah that’s what I noticed, found it a bit strange considering on field he didn’t signal for offside
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
As I said above every free kick from 25 meters out has attacking players standing in offside positions impeding defending players. Your quote of the rules is black and white, the assumptions referees make is if a player could effect a change to the outcome. Based on those rules, as a defender if I see an attacker offside i will simply need to run into the nearest opposing player and fall over, as he impeded my movement towards the ball
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Chris Beath isn't' sure himself. During the game he awarded a foul arm pointed to opposing goal, his explanation after the game was it was off side, which should have been him with is arm vertical. So his story changed.
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Disagree on a few points. Zullo was blocked, but you are assuming he could have covered the ground and stopped the cross. Unlikely to say the least. The second point, if you base your reasoning on technically Zullo was blocked then Sydney's first goal I believe it was Brosque was off side and impeded players running through, now I don't believe for a minute that any of the WSW players could have stopped the shot, but if we are arguing technically we must be consistent. Further, the result is, any free kick from about 25 meters out have attacking players standing in off side positions which impede defending players, so based on that all of those need to be blown. The fundamental issue is the VAR is not consistent, it is Russian roulette when the referee goes for a review.
c
Roar Rookie
Get rid of it should never have been introduced in the first place wasn't required 150 years prior not required now
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Fornaroli has nothing on berisha for rolling on the turf My 9 year old boy idolised berisha and he is forever rolling around
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Seriously, what would Johnny Warren make of this var , it doesn’t feel like the beautiful game anymore.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Singh was the most obvious handball ever . It’s stunning that they missed it , the penalty from the grabbing was correct but they will never award that type of penalty again. I can’t say the jets were robbed, just that the game was wrecked by technology .
Kangas
Roar Rookie
I agree Chen . At least if Melbourne Victory could get some lucky calls , and good now berisha has left , as his acting would have got penalties. Also lucky berisha didn’t get caught elbowing that jets player and breaking his cheekbone in the grand final. The var didn’t catch him I wish Victory could be as lucky as city .
Kangas
Roar Rookie
In Sydney fc win against Perth glory bobo was offside and interfered with the Perth defence, which allowed Jordy bujls to score. The var intervened and awarded Sydney fc the goal . So basically the rules don’t apply if Sydney fc benefit, or more likely the refs haven’t got a clue .
Voice of Reason
Roar Rookie
Spot on - the delay of game that kills momentum is the problem. I follow a number of teams and sports. My West Coast Eagles won the AFL flag - but might not have if Don Sheed’s winning goal had been reversed for a block. Views on whether it should have been paid as a free-kick are about 50/50, even I can see it both ways. It was one of the greatest grand finals ever. Most People (even Eddie McGuire) accept the umpires’ call on this occasion - there were plenty of calls that could have gone the other way. Every goal is reviewed and if no message gets back to the umpires by the time the game is restarted with a centre bounce, too late for a changed decision. Play on. In soccer, the value of a goal is much greater, so it is even more important to get the right call. Technology can help a referee to deliver the right call. The problem is that the video referee appears to be about the same quality as A-League referees I.e. not much chop. Now - last night’s call in the Sydney derby. At the time I thought it was a terrible call. Reading these comments and listening to the referee’s explanation (well done Chris Beith for coming on TV and telling us why), it appears that technically it was the correct decision. But I still think it’s wrong! Why? How can this be? Am I insane? Because I believe in a principles-based approach with inherent subjectivity and grey areas rather than a black & white Rules-based approach. In the spirit of the game, it should have been a goal. So - keep VAR but improve the referee in the bunker, only overrule clears errors or omissions and limit review time to 30 seconds. Problem solved!
Chen Yang
Roar Pro
It stops Fornaroli from spending half the match rolling on the turf
Chen Yang
Roar Pro
Always felt that its not the system itself but the poor inplementation by the officials thats the problem:(