I never normally agree with anything that Graeme Souness has to say but he has just slated VAR and reckons the rules need changing. To clarify this was in response to a disallowed Wolves goal
Just switched the match off. Integrity of the game has gone. VAR completely ruining it in my opinion. Only protest I’ve got is to cancel Sky and I’m seriously considering it.
Can you imagine if it was in the Championship how many goals we’d have chalked off if penalties given a yard stick
VAR is ruining the game. It was supposed to improve it but the way it is being utilised and the amount of time it takes to make a decision is absolutely crazy. With an incompetent ex ref running the show it's not surprising that VAR is having the impact that it is.
Imagine your arm being at full stretch and a disallowed goal is still allowed to stand. Wolves can feel hard done by.
Ooh that'll show them. "Mr Infantino, this is David from Sky. I have some terrible news. Barry from Barnsley has just cancelled his Sky package. He says it is our fault." "Grave news indeed. Let's call an emergency meeting immediately."
If Barry from Barnsley is the only one to cancel, then obviously Sky won't care. But what if people start cancelling in numbers? And citing VAR as the reason. Or even if they just phoned up in numbers and started complaining that the coverage wasn't worth the cost and asking for discounts when it's renewal time. I'm not saying that Sky can change VAR in isolation, but let's not underestimate their influence. And lets not underestimate the Barrys of this world.
I don't like VAR but it has nothing whatsoever to do with Sky. It is used in over 30 different football leagues worldwide plus the likes of the Champions League and major international competitions that Sky don't even show. To suggest people cancelling subscriptions will make any difference is daft. I agree with the sentiment, just not with targeting a specific company that has nothing whatsoever to do with VAR. BT, Amazon and BBC show MOTD with it on yet I don't see anyone slagging them off. It must be evil Sky.
VAR needs changing so that the managers/ coaches who feel aggrieved have to initiate it. Say, they have two VAR cards to play per game they would have to use them thoughtfully and it would not impinge on the referee still running the game per se most of the time. Just my thought on how to still use it whilst not having it spoiling the game.
Souness has the best idea and it would prevent all the controversy All the players body has to be offside . Then nobody could complain, but offside with your Hand only is mental.
The offside rule was introduced to prevent an attacking side from gaining an unfair advantage, by 'goal hanging'. The laws of football should be and are intended to be interpreted within the spirit of the game, not applied to 'the letter of the law'. The Wolves goal just before half time perfectly illustrated the absurdity of VAR to rule out a goal because the attackers shoulder was half an inch in advance of the defenders toe. Back in the day the forward would have been adjudged level and the goal would have stood.
Sky was the company referred to originally above, so I stuck with it. But you could easily use the same argument with BT, etc. In fact, when my current BT Sports deal runs out, I'll be phoning up to renegotiate, and as part of that I'll be complaining that they no longer offer the same level of basketball coverage (my son watched it, not me). I know that's not quite the same thing, but the point is that people can make a difference if they act in numbers. Let's face it, if you were offered a few free matches on a trial basis, and every game was cheapened by the use of VAR, you might not bother with a full subscription. Anyway, Sky are evil, aren't they? I thought that was a given...
If it was in the championship I reckon Chaplin’s goal would’ve counted. Looked onside to me. But the prem is well and truly dead to me, I don’t watch any games anymore. 12 months ago I never thought I’d be like this too, loved football and watched nearly every game no matter the league on the tele. But since VAR has come in it’s taken all the enjoyment out of the game. Honestly I can’t even remember the last time I watched match of day never mind a live game.
It was like the Boris Christmas message thread the other day... I'm all for hammering people or companies when they deserve it but to aim any blame at companies who have no say in the governing of a sport is frankly ridiculous. Sky are a morally dubious company but it doesn't mean they are to blame for all the ills of the world does it? Their news channel has probably shown bombs being dropped in Afghanistan at some point in the past- are we going to blame them for that war and cancel our subs while we're at it? Petition FIFA, the FA or Premier League by all means. The more voices heard the better. Shooting the messenger however is totally pointless.
