🔗 Share this article The Great VAR Debate: To Keep, To Abolish, or To Reform? Might the beautiful game benefit in the absence of the VAR protocol? Top-flight supporters, coaches, and footballers were given a taste of what life was like without VAR during the Football Association Cup fourth round – and it is true that this matchday was far from free of its controversies. For this season and the previous FA Cup campaign, VAR has not been implemented until the fifth round, with numerous supporters looking forward to a reversion to football without interruptions from video review. After a season riddled with controversy, delayed decisions, and uncertainty driven by VAR, its continued use has been scrutinized repeatedly, with many claiming the sport would be better if it were scrapped. In fact, after a day characterized by long delays, confusing signals, and irate managers in early February, a former Tottenham midfielder commented: "For the good of the game, you'd have VAR gone." "The problem is what it is doing to the games, to the entertainment value, with the length of time it takes to get there." "Is it preferable to have increased accuracy or do you want a more free-flowing football product that is authentic and spur of the moment?" After a couple of offside goals being permitted to stand, a blatant penalty not being awarded plus several other controversial decisions, the weekend certainly thrust the topic to the forefront of the public eye. 'Improved Entertainment' or 'More Precise Decisions'? We have all heard the criticisms of VAR. Decisions taking too long, celebrations being halted while deliberations take place, bewilderment as goals are given – or disallowed – for marginal reasons, denying referees the ability to use their own judgment. But Newcastle's controversial win at their opponent's ground on Saturday could scarcely have been more favorable for advocates for VAR – or worse for those who contend football is superior without it. The first goal was obviously offside, a full-back somehow avoided conceding a penalty for handball, and the same player could arguably should have been sent off for a reckless challenge as well. One manager commented: "I am conflicted because the game is better without VAR regarding excitement and the viewing experience for the fans." "But it does give accurate results. It does make the game fairer in terms of decision making. You have to value those moments." The opposing manager went further, saying "VAR is necessary. It's necessary to assist the referees". Additionally, there was some dispute at a different stadium during a different fixture. A young substitute had a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside, while the opposition were furious a penalty was awarded against them. Another top manager remarked: "Overall, I prefer watching football without VAR because if you then score you're like 'it's a goal'." "I support VAR only for the clear and obvious things... So let's stay away from that judgment calls and only go to offside checks." A further manager was uncertain whether football was improved with VAR, despite witnessing a goal chalked off for a debatable offside in his side's win. "Sometimes before I thought it was preferable and sometimes I think VAR aids us to have a fairer game," he said. "To be honest I don't know." Have Referees Too Reliant on VAR Now? According to some pundits, it is straightforward – rather than VAR being a solution for errors, they would argue officials just need to get things right. When asked whether the errors witnessed put him in support of VAR, a former striker said: "No. I would like the officials to perform their duties correctly. It is not an unreasonable request, is it?" "If you ever needed any proof of the damage that VAR has done to referees, I think that match is a great example of that." "These guys look terrified to make a decision because they didn't have a safety net." A former goalkeeper commented: "It shows you why we use VAR. A lot of decisions the officials got wrong... VAR is like a security blanket for referees." "The decision is removed from the officials. The linesman has been told all season not to put their flag up, so their brain has been trained." When asked whether football had become too reliant on VAR, a manager had some sympathy with the argument. "There is an argument to say yes," he said. "Because when VAR is there, there is a inclination to think 'oh well I won't give that because VAR is there to check it'." "Then your decision making isn't as decisive as it would otherwise need to be. Maybe there is a difference there." But a former referee feels it is unfair to claim officials use as a crutch VAR. "I genuinely disagree that's accurate," he said. "Obviously I work with them closely and I know these guys and they're not like that." "I spent a portion of my career with VAR and half without it... And your approach fundamentally stay the same." "What has changed though is with VAR you don't have that spell in a game where you know you've made a really big error and you now have to recover and go again." 'Superior Without It' or 'Chaotic' – Supporter Views Against VAR: James: Football without VAR is authentic football. As a long-term attendee, the last few years have been dreadful in comparison. I don't bother cheering goals any more as the officials are far more interested in finding ways of ruling goals out than the entertainment of the supporter in the stadium. Frank: I supported the introduction of VAR, but it was great not having it. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many VAR ridiculous errors. Alan: Much, much better [without]. VAR has ruined the game, thankfully I now support grassroots football where there are humans, making human mistakes. Stephen: Much better without VAR. No waiting for obvious incidents that everyone can see immediately but takes VAR forever to decide. Time for return of refs and linesman to start officiating the game again. Mike: Better, even though a goal was probably chalked off incorrectly. Right or wrong, its so much better to just know straight away if its a goal or not. VAR is a joy-killer. Les: The game is so much better without VAR. It moves without problem like it used to do. The officials are there to make decisions rightly or wrongly. VAR are always making wrong calls so I can't see the point of it. In Support of VAR: Bonnie: As a supporter, that is exactly the decision that VAR doesn't get credit for. VAR gets it right 100%. Roger: That was so blatantly offside, have linesman forgotten how to spot stuff like this since the introduction of VAR? Poor decision. Peter: There's an simple solution for VAR offsides. If you can watch one TV replay and see the on-field decision is clearly wrong, you intervene. Stephen: That's what you all wanted isn't it? More goals irrespective of whether they're actually legitimate or not? Liga: It's these types of situations and these types of situation only where VAR should and needs to be used for offsides. Not those hairline millimetre pointless situations. Callum: This season is proving 2 things. 1) VAR is a necessity. 2) Attacking football is dead. Ben: What are linesman for exactly? Having no VAR is another shambles, who makes these decisions?
Might the beautiful game benefit in the absence of the VAR protocol? Top-flight supporters, coaches, and footballers were given a taste of what life was like without VAR during the Football Association Cup fourth round – and it is true that this matchday was far from free of its controversies. For this season and the previous FA Cup campaign, VAR has not been implemented until the fifth round, with numerous supporters looking forward to a reversion to football without interruptions from video review. After a season riddled with controversy, delayed decisions, and uncertainty driven by VAR, its continued use has been scrutinized repeatedly, with many claiming the sport would be better if it were scrapped. In fact, after a day characterized by long delays, confusing signals, and irate managers in early February, a former Tottenham midfielder commented: "For the good of the game, you'd have VAR gone." "The problem is what it is doing to the games, to the entertainment value, with the length of time it takes to get there." "Is it preferable to have increased accuracy or do you want a more free-flowing football product that is authentic and spur of the moment?" After a couple of offside goals being permitted to stand, a blatant penalty not being awarded plus several other controversial decisions, the weekend certainly thrust the topic to the forefront of the public eye. 'Improved Entertainment' or 'More Precise Decisions'? We have all heard the criticisms of VAR. Decisions taking too long, celebrations being halted while deliberations take place, bewilderment as goals are given – or disallowed – for marginal reasons, denying referees the ability to use their own judgment. But Newcastle's controversial win at their opponent's ground on Saturday could scarcely have been more favorable for advocates for VAR – or worse for those who contend football is superior without it. The first goal was obviously offside, a full-back somehow avoided conceding a penalty for handball, and the same player could arguably should have been sent off for a reckless challenge as well. One manager commented: "I am conflicted because the game is better without VAR regarding excitement and the viewing experience for the fans." "But it does give accurate results. It does make the game fairer in terms of decision making. You have to value those moments." The opposing manager went further, saying "VAR is necessary. It's necessary to assist the referees". Additionally, there was some dispute at a different stadium during a different fixture. A young substitute had a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside, while the opposition were furious a penalty was awarded against them. Another top manager remarked: "Overall, I prefer watching football without VAR because if you then score you're like 'it's a goal'." "I support VAR only for the clear and obvious things... So let's stay away from that judgment calls and only go to offside checks." A further manager was uncertain whether football was improved with VAR, despite witnessing a goal chalked off for a debatable offside in his side's win. "Sometimes before I thought it was preferable and sometimes I think VAR aids us to have a fairer game," he said. "To be honest I don't know." Have Referees Too Reliant on VAR Now? According to some pundits, it is straightforward – rather than VAR being a solution for errors, they would argue officials just need to get things right. When asked whether the errors witnessed put him in support of VAR, a former striker said: "No. I would like the officials to perform their duties correctly. It is not an unreasonable request, is it?" "If you ever needed any proof of the damage that VAR has done to referees, I think that match is a great example of that." "These guys look terrified to make a decision because they didn't have a safety net." A former goalkeeper commented: "It shows you why we use VAR. A lot of decisions the officials got wrong... VAR is like a security blanket for referees." "The decision is removed from the officials. The linesman has been told all season not to put their flag up, so their brain has been trained." When asked whether football had become too reliant on VAR, a manager had some sympathy with the argument. "There is an argument to say yes," he said. "Because when VAR is there, there is a inclination to think 'oh well I won't give that because VAR is there to check it'." "Then your decision making isn't as decisive as it would otherwise need to be. Maybe there is a difference there." But a former referee feels it is unfair to claim officials use as a crutch VAR. "I genuinely disagree that's accurate," he said. "Obviously I work with them closely and I know these guys and they're not like that." "I spent a portion of my career with VAR and half without it... And your approach fundamentally stay the same." "What has changed though is with VAR you don't have that spell in a game where you know you've made a really big error and you now have to recover and go again." 'Superior Without It' or 'Chaotic' – Supporter Views Against VAR: James: Football without VAR is authentic football. As a long-term attendee, the last few years have been dreadful in comparison. I don't bother cheering goals any more as the officials are far more interested in finding ways of ruling goals out than the entertainment of the supporter in the stadium. Frank: I supported the introduction of VAR, but it was great not having it. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many VAR ridiculous errors. Alan: Much, much better [without]. VAR has ruined the game, thankfully I now support grassroots football where there are humans, making human mistakes. Stephen: Much better without VAR. No waiting for obvious incidents that everyone can see immediately but takes VAR forever to decide. Time for return of refs and linesman to start officiating the game again. Mike: Better, even though a goal was probably chalked off incorrectly. Right or wrong, its so much better to just know straight away if its a goal or not. VAR is a joy-killer. Les: The game is so much better without VAR. It moves without problem like it used to do. The officials are there to make decisions rightly or wrongly. VAR are always making wrong calls so I can't see the point of it. In Support of VAR: Bonnie: As a supporter, that is exactly the decision that VAR doesn't get credit for. VAR gets it right 100%. Roger: That was so blatantly offside, have linesman forgotten how to spot stuff like this since the introduction of VAR? Poor decision. Peter: There's an simple solution for VAR offsides. If you can watch one TV replay and see the on-field decision is clearly wrong, you intervene. Stephen: That's what you all wanted isn't it? More goals irrespective of whether they're actually legitimate or not? Liga: It's these types of situations and these types of situation only where VAR should and needs to be used for offsides. Not those hairline millimetre pointless situations. Callum: This season is proving 2 things. 1) VAR is a necessity. 2) Attacking football is dead. Ben: What are linesman for exactly? Having no VAR is another shambles, who makes these decisions?