The introduction of video assistant referees has been controversial and questionable, but could football find answers from other sports?
The use of VAR in the Premier League once again stole the headlines on Tuesday evening after two red cards and penalties were awarded, causing significant bewilderment among both players and fans.
Minimal contact in dangerous penalty area situations resulted in straight red cards for Arsenal’s David Luiz and Southampton’s Jan Bednarek, following reviews from VAR.
Add to this the controversy surrounding the complicated lines used to determine an offside, which resulted in having to amend and clarify the handball rule, and football fans are becoming increasingly more frustrated with the use of the technology.
These kinds of decisions go a long way to deciding the outcome of matches and there is a significant group of people who feel that VAR has been a step backwards, and therefore it should be scrapped.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Other sports, such as the two rugby codes and cricket, also use similar technology, using video replays and an off-field official to review significant decisions.
The calls are slightly less subjective than in football, but one principle governs the use and intervention of the technology: there needs to be significant evidence to overturn any on-field decision.
The football equivalent of this is the phrase clear and obvious error. Even determining what is clear or indeed obvious has been a struggle to define.
The way that the two rugby codes and cricket use language to govern the use of the technology already provides better clarity and guidance for match officials, players and fans, so football could start by learning from them in that regard.
Furthermore, cricket uses the umpire’s call when using ball tracking technology for LBW dismissals. In a football context, the idea of an umpire’s call could be used when determining offsides.
Given that the offside rule was brought in by the FA to prevent attackers from benefiting from goal hanging, so if we start having to draw lines and use geometry sets to determine whether someone is offside by a matter of centimetres, are they really gaining an unfair advantage?
If VAR intervenes and can see that a forward is within a certain width (say one yard) of the deepest defender, that could be what is effectively umpire’s call, where it is difficult to accurately determine if the forward is offside or not, and therefore the on-field decision stands. This could still work both ways, regardless of whether the on-field decision is offside or onside.
It may not be as accurate as possible, but it provides more objectivity and clarity in football law, which anyone in football would find easier to understand and agree upon.
Cricket can live with the doubt, so why can’t football?
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
That would be a good move, to rein in some of the carrying on by players and coaches. The TV commentators annoy me, always call as though they are the ref - they scored but ref disallowed, a pen not given. They should just call the game.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Reality check - I don’t disagree with you. However as an ex player who coaches and referees I have never been one to be openly critical of refereeing decisions as I understand the difficulties, angle of view etc. If we didn’t have VAR and anyone who criticised decisions out loud received a severe penalty it wouldn’t bother me - in fact it could add to the evening’s entertainment.
At work
Roar Rookie
The A League should run this exact poll and act on the response. I’d bet that option 2 would win.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
1. but exactly will never happen in a changing world. I think my original thoughts were more a reflection of how I see it is perceived by fans. But how could one go back to the days of moaning and groaning about bad ref decisions, even though they still abound, they are becoming fewer.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Lionheart - are you honestly supporting the idea that it is good as long as you are benefitting from the decisions? If you were asked to vote in a referendum: vote 1 or 2 1. Maintain VAR exactly as is being used currently. 2. Scrap VAR completely and bury the technology in a time capsule! Which way would you vote?
At work
Roar Rookie
I like this idea, if we’re to be stuck with dreaded VAR then maybe limiting it to a captains challenge could be an agreeable middle ground. My preference is to kill VAR completely though, before it kills the spectacle.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Cricket's umpire's call is but the half-diameter (radius) of the ball based on its 'projected' (read guessed) travel, and has a contradictory flaw. Nonetheless, I think your idea has merit, although your suggested one yard is a but far I'd have thought. VAR is a bummer when it robs you of a goal you've already celebrated, but it's great when it robs your opponent of a goal, or even better when it awards you a pen.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
the only thing that needs to change is the speed of VAR decisions, if they were quicker that would be beneficial for the players, fans at stadium and fans at home. The delays are painfully long when they shouldnt be. you have 3-4 people sitting in the var bunker with multiple screens and different angles. It shouldn't take 2-3 minutes to reach a decision! also the ref should come out after the match (like the coaches and selected players do) in a press conference and give there reasons for decisions theyve made or VAR has made. this will give some understanding to what has happened
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
As the World Game, the only thing we need to pay attention to is the rest of the World and the game itself.
Tony Hodges
Roar Rookie
I’d go further, and restrict VAR to a captain’s review system, like tennis and cricket use. It stops complaining pretty quickly, too. If you think the ref got it wrong, put your money where your mouth is and challenge. If you don’t, well...
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Sport is often described as being the moment and technology brought into any sport for the purpose of reviewing play has a tendency to destroy the moment. That destroys the spontaneity that fans love and ultimately I believe people will “vote with their feet”. On a personal note I stopped watching cricket on television thanks to the reviews and just listen on the radio these days and “The Bunker” just about destroyed my viewing of Rugby League. I am growing increasingly frustrated with attending A League games that are delayed either by the pay tv provider or VAR reviews. I imagine there will be a time when I’ve had “enough” and will go and watch games where humans make errors and technology does not intervene and nor do we worry that a re-interpretation is actually correct. Doubtless some people can live with it and maybe even enjoy the extra drama that comes with a yellow dot flashing on a screen. I belong to a different group. No right or wrong imo, just personal preferences.