VAR Discussion Thread - 2023/24 | PL clubs to vote on whether to scrap VAR (pg413)

[meltonblue]

We investigate & ban players for bookings but referees get a week off match deciding decisions.

There needs to be a bit more critical thinking.

I also don’t think Dean is that naive saying this, I think he’s thrown a hand grenade.

I agree with that. The podcast is worth a listen.

 

[halfcenturyup]

There really isn’t a lot of questions being asked is there.

They should outsource the whole PGMOL operation to you, me and Seb. We would sort it out in 12 months (if you could stop Seb and me arguing ......).

 

[cheekybids]

Not sure I get your point? If they just missed it it’s incompetence. If they either knew about it or knowingly missed it then I agree it’s corruption.

Like I said earlier, I agree with the idea of an independent body running VAR and also a different one running the assessments as either way, it shows having pgmol doing all of it doesn’t work.

Every decision is scrutinised by VAR & then an assessor. The reason for that is to stop corruption but it didn’t so they accept corruption & yet it’s brushed off as incompetence.

Incompetence is the best cover for corruption & I don’t buy it.

 

[cheekybids]

They should outsource the whole PGMOL operation to you, me and Seb. We would sort it out in 12 months (if you could stop Seb and me arguing ......).

I’m sorry it would be most corrupt ever, I’d have those Rag bastards relegated by Xmas….. err I mean I might make a few mistakes ;)

 

[SebastianBlue]

We investigate & ban players for bookings but referees get a week off match deciding decisions.

There needs to be a bit more critical thinking.

I also don’t think Dean is that naive saying this, I think he’s thrown a hand grenade.

I completely agree. This is not something you just flippantly say on a podcast.

I think he very much knew what he was doing when he very publicly admitted what amounts to an officiating scandal. For what purpose, who knows--he could have many different aims.

But this admission most certainly indicates, simple by the law of averages, that this was not the only time this happened. And I would go so far as to say perhaps half of the baffling decisions involving VAR over the last few years could be explained by "lads protecting their mates". Which, again, is a form of corruption.

VAR needs to handled by an interdependent entity, overseen by the government's sporting regulator, with transparent comms, and weekly updated/published assessment and merit/demerit points system for both the on-field officials and VAR crews to hold them accountable (in the same way coaches, managers, and players are held accountable).

And I think they should actually be paid quite a bit more (and by the government's independent regulator) to compensate for the additional scrutiny/stress involved at this level (it is difficult to get good referees when the pay does not match the bother, and it is too easy to influence their decision-making when their livelihood hinges on keeping the teams and league they are officiating happy), to lessen the risk of illicit influence based on bribery/extortion, and to incentivise fairer officiating (as their generous livelihood would be dependent on the merit/demerit system).

Officials should not be above accountability and consequence.

 

[cheekybids]

We can ask the questions but we'll never get answers.

Of all the investigations we’ve faced & not one journalist is asking the question.

Curious & curiouser.

 

[stonerblue]

Top man admits to cheating to save his mates skin. Wank. Get rid. Where's hammer?

 

[SebastianBlue]

Not sure I get your point? If they just missed it it’s incompetence. If they either knew about it or knowingly missed it then I agree it’s corruption.

Like I said earlier, I agree with the idea of an independent body running VAR and also a different one running the assessments as either way, it shows having pgmol doing all of it doesn’t work.

There really isn’t a lot of questions being asked is there.

They should outsource the whole PGMOL operation to you, me and Seb. We would sort it out in 12 months (if you could stop Seb and me arguing ......).

The five of us (I am including @BlueHammer85) would be the modern day team of rivals.

We'd be fighting all the time, but, by the gods, the officiating for matches would be as fair as it could possibly be.

 

[cheekybids]

I’ll say it again I like VAR cos it exposes corruption disguised as incompetence.

 

[meltonblue]

Every decision is scrutinised by VAR & then an assessor. The reason for that is to stop corruption but it didn’t so they accept corruption & yet it’s brushed off as incompetence.

Incompetence is the best cover for corruption & I don’t buy it.

Well not being able to spot corruption is incompetent in itself too :)

Make all those three independent of each other would be a start and would deal with the root cause of what Dean was saying. Pretty sure that’s what he’s advocating by publicly saying what he has.

 

[half & half derby scarf]

Dean basically admitting that VAR are running the game, not the refs. Hence the game is far more corruptible than it has ever been. Ipso Facto VAR has failed miserably.

 

[halfcenturyup]

The five of us (I am including @BlueHammer85) would be the modern day team of rivals.

We'd be fighting all the time, but, by the gods, the officiating for matches would be as fair as it could possibly be.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemorons. I'll be Connery.

 

[cheekybids]

Well not being able to spot corruption is incompetent in itself too :)

Make all those three independent of each other would be a start and would deal with the root cause of what Dean was saying. Pretty sure that’s what he’s advocating by publicly saying what he has.

A Manager or player calls out an abysmal decision can be banned or fined so they are silenced. Referees are silenced with a pay off when they retire.

Let’s be honest, it’s a fuckin joke.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Dean basically admitting that VAR are running the game, not the refs. Hence the game is far more corruptible than it has ever been. Ipso Facto VAR has failed miserably.

No the ref runs the game, if he misses something then it’s on VAR, in Deans case he should have called the ref to the monitor. He didn’t, he regrets that and deserves the stick for him admission.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

Dean has confirmed what many City supporters, and supporters of other clubs, have believed to the point of certainty from the earliest days of VAR in the PL. Technology has a clear role in officiating football matches but in our league we still give officials freedom to frustrate any benefits from the technology. Many of us have believed that the motive was to favour one team at the expense of others but now we have admission that one official did not refer an incident to VAR to protect a colleague's reputation. If we think back over other reviews we can see that this may not be unusual: how many of us could not understand why the felling of KdB in the cup final was not seen by the ref ... and penalised by VAR? A potentially good system has been perverted to serve all kinds of aims.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

I would like to do a poll but there's so much about VAR already.

But, if we rolled back VAR would refereeing improve?

I think most people would accept that now.

 

[SebastianBlue]

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemorons. I'll be Connery.

I'll be Peta Wilson and keep to myself...

 

[kaz7]

I'll be Peta Wilson and keep to myself...

I love that peta , had a huge girl crush when she was in la'femme nikita

 

[SebastianBlue]

I love that peta , had a huge girl crush when she was in la'femme nikita

"Girl crush"

You don't have to, err, beat around the bush, you can just say it: you questioned your sexuality, like many that were avid watchers of Xena: Warrior Princess.

But I digress...

 

[kaz7]

"Girl crush"

You don't have to, err, beat around the bush, you can just say it: you questioned your sexuality, like many that were avid watchers of Xena: Warrior Princess.

But I digress...

I would happily have turned for her, lol