The very worst thing about VAR..... hyperbole to one side for a change..... is that folk cannot accept the outcome of any decision with VAR in the background. Why didn't it get reviewed? Why wasn't the Referee sent to the screen? Why didn't the Ref get afforded a second look at that? Why did this one get reviewed, but that one didn't? And, the worst of all, when folk don't agree with VAR's intervention and final outcome
It simply all leads to nonsense. Like the AFCON final. But more routinely, conspiracy and suspicion. We can usually (and very very reluctantly and at some point in time long after the event) accept a refereeing mistake, but we can't accept any contentious KMD when VAR is a factor. And we never will. The culture simply cannot accommodate VAR and it never will. Coupled with the subjective nature of the game. It's an art, not a science and I can't see the dynamics of the game ever meeting any other description
Yes, we get more 'correct' decisions (from a purely neutral perspective), but neutral perspectives barely exist in football
Instead, what we gain is far outweighed by what we lose
The only form of VAR I can ever envisage being accepted, is GLT, ball in/out play and offside, but only if the tech can identify such things as offside position as quickly as it does will ball over the line. Otherwise, it's broken and cannot be fixed and I'll be saying the same thing for as long as they persevere, the same thing I've been saying since that first World Cup when the shambles first appeared on TV and FIFA embarked on their campaign of misleading everyone
Thing is, people still dont accept offside as they go on about "its just a toe" or the 5cm allowance that Dale Johnson mentioned as if its literally fact and from PGMOL.
Its from a journalist who has said its from PGMOL.
The next argument is when do VAR know exactly when the ball was played, the previous frame he was onside etc...
I'd love to go down the route of each team gets 2 VAR checks a game, if they want to use them.
Because, then, the burden lies with the manager of the team and the supporters should then cast their complaints to them and not refs.
We go back to referees making calls as they see fit and not relying on VAR (as what the appearance looks) to bail them out. We can hopefully go back to a referee has made a mistake. It happens. Why didnt the manager challenge the call if it was so wrong?
Managers go in to press conferences and have moaned about a decision or two, but now, if they have the power to ask the ref to check (and it should be pitch ref checking screen if its subjective, and not the ones in the office as they're not on the pitch with the emotions and temperature of the match etc), then you should be questioning them.
This applies to both decisions for you, and against you (so if a penalty was awarded against you and you disagree, then ask for it to be reviewed).
Oh, and put a time limit of when you can review, not just when the ball leaves the pitch. If you cant decide to appeal in, say, 15 seconds, then clearly you don't think its an obvious error.
And finally, if you do make an appeal, no player is allowed near the touchline whilst checking.
The appeal isn't a time out to chat to the team.
You must also state exactly what you want checked (foul on x, handball in penalty area etc). Not just say I disagree with something. Go find it.
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