The Video Assistant Referee system was once again the cause of controversy at the weekend as Liverpool had a goal, incorrectly, ruled out.
After the latest error, our football writers have their say on what the system’s future should be.
Jason Burt: The officials are not competent enough to use it
I think we have reached a stage where we must pause the use of Var in the Premier League. It is causing too much anger and its implementation is not working. Former referee Mike Dean let the cat out of the bag when he admitted avoiding making a Var call because he wanted to spare the official, his “mate” Anthony Taylor, “more grief”.
Var has unfortunately led to laziness and the officials are simply not competent enough to use it. They all need to be properly retrained and if they cannot do that they should be replaced. There should be Var specialists. Semi-automated offside needs to be introduced, decisions need to be more transparent and properly explained and officials should be paid more to encourage higher standards.
Chris Bascombe: Get rid of it
Scrap it in its current form. Var is doing the opposite of what Howard Webb promised - it is consistently intervening when unnecessary and malignantly influencing the on-field calls. Just keep the goal line technology and introduce automated offside once it is proven to work.
John Percy: It removes the instant moment of joy
My biggest issue with it? When I was a supporter of my club going up and down the country, it was always the celebration of goals that meant the most to me. That sheer feeling of bedlam and elation when you lose yourself to celebrate a last-minute winner or 20-yard worldy.
Now there are delays after delay, and that instantaneous moment of joy is removed while a goal is “checked” by people hundreds of miles away in air-conditioned offices. To remove that magical experience for the paying supporter is absolutely appalling, and a stain on the game.
Sam Dean: Get the best referees in England… before the Saudis do
The Premier League has been improved immeasurably by the influx of foreign talent, to the point that it is now widely accepted to the best domestic competition in the world. Why has the same not been done with referees? The best players in the world are able to come to England, so why not offer a similar opportunity to the best referees?
Australian Jarred Gillett moved to these shores a few years ago and now officiates in the Premier League, but his move came about because he was relocating to study at university in Liverpool. The PGMOL should be scouting other international leagues and attempting to sign the leading referees in the world. They certainly need to do so before the Saudi Pro League snaps them all up.
