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[fansagainstvar]

I would rather scrap the officials and replace them with competent uninterested ones. PGMOL is a huge issue in professional football. Their “elite” are incompetent which implies a lot about those at lower levels

This is the reason why fewer and fewer premier league officials are getting on the roster for international tournaments. For years there was a real chance a premier league official would get the World Cup final as they had a decent reputation and England were never finalists. Now as the team edge closer to the big game, the officials are drifting further away.

I’m sure there is a huge group of fans that are in the scrap VAR camp. I would argue that there is another, probably larger, group that can live with VAR but cannot stand how eye-bleedingly poor the officials now are.

Note Dermot’s little half hour on Mondays on SSN is ref watch not VAR watch. Not looking at the officials and shouting about VAR is blaming the machine for the shit output and ignoring the person delivering shit input.

Where I absolutely think VAR is bad is delay and communication. Fans in the grounds are given no information. I read some IFAB gonk saying comparisons with rugby and cricket are not helpful as football is a different game. I’m sorry that’s nonsense. Take your margin for error and grey areas point earlier - that’s basically umpires call in cricket.

Look at how the whole process with TMO in both rugby codes is public. Everybody knows what is being debated and hears the arguments. That simply works.

100% agree on that, "linesmans call" on offsides can't come in soon enough. You'll have a minority of people moaning, it would make the spectacle so much better though. You could be "level" for years, only since VAR are marginal offsides even a thing.

 

[Alan]

Surely offside could be mostly automated? They already put a microchip in the ball; stick one in the players' boots, as well. Probably takes care of a lot of those calls (armchair "stats", I admit).

 

[The Bear]

Surely offside could be mostly automated? They already put a microchip in the ball; stick one in the players' boots, as well. Probably takes care of a lot of those calls (armchair "stats", I admit).

Where do you put it though. The toes? The heel? What about their shirt, or their head?

 

[Alan]

Where do you put it though. The toes? The heel? What about their shirt, or their head?

“Mostly” is doing a lot of work in that post, I admit.

 

[Stan Hullis]

I see VAR as daft and flawed.

Different perspectives, neither of us are definitively right.

For me football is primarily about community and the fan experience. And I'm sure not everyone sees it like that.

Only if the community are people you agree who can go to football matches though?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1719032890250481863

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I don’t think the change in demographic in the stadia can be disputed. Crowds are getting older and a lot of the traditional fans are getting priced out.

 

[Johnny75]

Surely offside could be mostly automated? They already put a microchip in the ball; stick one in the players' boots, as well. Probably takes care of a lot of those calls (armchair "stats", I admit).

Don't need to microchip the boots.

The camera angles are used to model the pitch in seconds which is why the automated version works at the WC.

I have no idea why the PL don't use this system.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

PGMOL don’t want it

 

[Johnny75]

Only if the community are people you agree who can go to football matches though?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1719032890250481863

It's always about control.

 

[Johnny75]

PGMOL don’t want it

I don't think that's true

 

[Kenny]

There was something bouncing around on Twitter about how they don't want the live talk broadcast because there a lot of voices and it would be confusing to the fans.

I would agree with that when you listen to the audio from the Liverpool offside goal fuck up BUT do we need that many voices involved?

Cricket - Its one man who starts his chat with what the decision is. Then speaks with the those in charge of the video to get his decision. Loads involved but 1 voice heard

I don't watch rugby but isn't that 1 person?

So is part of the problem having the main VAR, his assistant, the vid tech, 4th official all talking at the same time and confusing those involved. Take our non penalty at OT, the first voice basically says its a foul then within 30 seconds and with others chatting bubbles he talked himself out of it.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

100% agree on that, "linesmans call" on offsides can't come in soon enough. You'll have a minority of people moaning, it would make the spectacle so much better though. You could be "level" for years, only since VAR are marginal offsides even a thing.

You say you've watched or monitored the performance of VAR in 4 different countries (if the UK makes that 5 all the better), so how is VAR used in the other countries?
Is it as flawed as it is here?
Is there any country that sets itself up as 'as good as it could possibly be?

 

[Alan]

You say you've watched or monitored the performance of VAR in 4 different countries (if the UK makes that 5 all the better), so how is VAR used in the other countries?
Is it as flawed as it is here?
Is there any country that sets itself up as 'as good as it could possibly be?

Dean Blandino is a piece of shit but he knows replay officiating.

The question is, how do you relay this level of transparency to those at the stadium?

 

[Johnny75]

Dean Blandino is a piece of shit but he knows replay officiating.

The question is, how do you relay this level of transparency to those at the stadium?

At the risk of derailing this thread why is Dean Blandino a pos?

 

[Alan]

At the risk of derailing this thread why is Dean Blandino a pos?

POS maybe strong in hindsight; he was always very cozy with the Cowboys and Jerry Jones. There were rumors Jerry was slipping him money on the side; nothing was ever proven though.

The whole narrative got weird when Blandino was the one who ruled that Dez Bryant didn’t complete a crucial catch in the playoffs in 2015 (I think). At that point Blandino became public enemy number one and in 2017 he left the NFL.

I may have let the media outrage after the Bryant incompletion color my memory of him.

 

[Paul]

It used to be just Jazz - its moved on since those days.

This post was not given the credit it deserved

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Where do you put it though. The toes? The heel? What about their shirt, or their head?

There is a song in there somewhere, just can't put my finger on it.

 

[fansagainstvar]

Only if the community are people you agree who can go to football matches though?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1719032890250481863

Football clubs represent their communities. They were not built for rich people or tourists, they were built to give the working people of the city or town an affordable form of entertainment. I am sure Wolverhampton Wanderers included. This goes for the vast majority of cases in the UK.

It is not fair that traditional fans are priced out. Anyone should be able to go, but what about the people's who's families supported the club for years? They deserve to watch their football team, affordably.

Really weird some of the things you guys have issues with.

 

[fansagainstvar]

You say you've watched or monitored the performance of VAR in 4 different countries (if the UK makes that 5 all the better), so how is VAR used in the other countries?
Is it as flawed as it is here?
Is there any country that sets itself up as 'as good as it could possibly be?

Hey mate, the first country I saw VAR used was Portugal, I actually think it came there before it even came here. It was farcical there. I was at Portimonense v Vitoria Guimaraes, Portimonense scored, the ref blew his whistle and went to the monitor, and Guimaraes were given a penalty at the other end for an earlier incident. Set the campaign up not long later.

In the Netherlands it is similar, judging by this forum though the guys in the stadiums there are more universally against it. The Dutch version of my account invited me into the Bunnikside for their game v Ajax (4-3, quite some game even with VAR). The guys I met out there aren't as concerned with "correct" decisions as many PL fans I meet, they just believe football should be for the fans and entertaining. They can't stand the offsides in particular, the guys I met there are convinced it's worse than in England but I think that's subjective.

In Scotland it's been universally panned by supporters.

In Italy I've been contacted by a guy in Milan Ultras who tells me they are against it and it is a big problem.

In England HF at Palace have protested as have Norwich City

Palace fans brand VAR 'failed experiment' and promise more protests

Crystal Palace’s Holmesdale Fanatics supporter group have called on the Premier League to end VAR, branding its introduction a “failed experiment”.

www.standard.co.uk

Norwich fans may turn backs in 22nd minute of Crystal Palace match in VAR protest

Calls are growing for Norwich City supporters to stage a protest over the use of VAR, after Teemu Pukki's 'goal' against Tottenham was…

www.pinkun.com

In Norway there have been protests

Protest and resist: fans in Scandinavia lead backlash against VAR

Supporters of clubs in Norway have demonstrated against the use of a video assistant referee, while Sweden continues to hold out against introduction

www.theguardian.com

Further reading on VAR in Europe - https://www.independent.co.ug/var-remains-controversial-amongst-european-fans/

 

[fansagainstvar]

Surely offside could be mostly automated? They already put a microchip in the ball; stick one in the players' boots, as well. Probably takes care of a lot of those calls (armchair "stats", I admit).

Hi Alan

Semi-automated offside technology

Semi-automated offside technology is a support tool for the video match officials and the on-field officials to help them make faster, more reproducible and more accurate offside decisions.

www.fifa.com

I believe PGMOL voted against using this.