Your verdict on VAR

[MadAmster]

Face it. The English disease of having to be different to the rest of the world is behind this. The FIFA Laws state that the final decision is with the ref on the field. The FA have issued instructions, against the wishes of FIFA, to refs that they accept the word of the VAR referee and not "waste time" checking for himself on the pitchside screen.

If the VAR thinks the ref got it wrong, the ref is supposed to see for himself. The FA has decided they know better.

[Andy_Faber]

Face it. The English disease of having to be different to the rest of the world is behind this. The FIFA Laws state that the final decision is with the ref on the field. The FA have issued instructions, against the wishes of FIFA, to refs that they accept the word of the VAR referee and not "waste time" checking for himself on the pitchside screen.

If the VAR thinks the ref got it wrong, the ref is supposed to see for himself. The FA has decided they know better.

Video review works fantastically, and adds to the drama of, krikkit, works well in NFL and RU, but seems to 'kill the moment' in footy. Needs a rethink

[AdiSalisbury]

Too much subjectivity in football, it's just shifting the decision to a different ref. In cricket, you can prove an edge, there are fixed camera angles, snicko and heat maps, and a natural gap in play to assess. I'd rather not have it at all in football, the right decision is the referee's decision, end of story.

[ramAnag]

‘The right decision is the referee’s decision, end of story.’

Only it isn’t. You and I may be able to accept that the referee’s/umpire’s decision is final at any level we may have played Adi, but in front of tens of thousands of live fans and millions in the TV audience the referee’s decision is likely to be scrutinised time and time again from a half a dozen or more different angles.

Technology should be providing a cure but is in fact proving something of a hindrance. Officials are still being demonised and mistakes which could ultimately determine who becomes champions and who gets relegated continue to be made.

As GP said, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ but imo it is something we need to get right.

[AdiSalisbury]

We can pour over countless replays on MotD, moan in the car home, argue in the pub, complain to our colleagues the next day... but ultimately, it doesn't change the decision the referee made. It doesn't matter how aggrieved the players / managers / fans might feel, the ref blows his whistle, and the games goes on as he directs, based on his judgement.

Perhaps we (including myself), players and all, just need to grow up, rather than demanding action because things didn't go our way, it is a game and that is the spirit of the game.

[Andy_Faber]

My only hope is they make it retrospective and overturn Jack Taylor's offside decision against David Nish in the '76 semi. If not, the whole system's a busted flush.

[GUNTERYY36]

It's plain stupid. Refereeing mistakes are part and parcel of the game. A good ref will hopefully keep bad decisions to a minimum. To introduce technology into the game to adjudicate on what's right and what's wrong is to take away the human element of the game. For example, we'll talk of Hurst's 'goal' forever and somehow that's not such a bad thing. VAR will kill football as we know it.

[ramAnag]

It's plain stupid. Refereeing mistakes are part and parcel of the game. A good ref will hopefully keep bad decisions to a minimum. To introduce technology into the game to adjudicate on what's right and what's wrong is to take away the human element of the game. For example, we'll talk of Hurst's 'goal' forever and somehow that's not such a bad thing. VAR will kill football as we know it.

I’m puzzled as to how it can be ‘plain stupid’ in football but work perfectly well in both rugby codes, cricket, tennis, athletics etc.

Refereeing mistakes may be ‘part and parcel of the game’ but they’re a bad part imo.

[GUNTERYY36]

I’m puzzled as to how it can be ‘plain stupid’ in football but work perfectly well in both rugby codes, cricket, tennis, athletics etc.

Refereeing mistakes may be ‘part and parcel of the game’ but they’re a bad part imo.

Football is not an exact science, far from it. There are numerous possible interpretations of any given event and after a reviewed decision there are are often differing opinions so the ref might as well have stuck to his original decision. But in any case, cricket and rugby are more civilised sports and in truth can manage without VAR. Players will 'take it on the chin'. A rugby union player would never question a refereeing decision. That's the way it's always been.

Mind you, tennis might have benefited from VAR although in the case of Serena Williams, a bucket of cold water might have done the trick.

[Geoff Parkstone]

I wonder when they will introduce VAR into Polo