KAZAN, RUSSIA - JUNE 16: Referee Andres Cunha reviews the VAR footage, before awarding France a penalty during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group C match between France and Australia at Kazan Arena on June 16, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
KAZAN, RUSSIA - JUNE 16: Referee Andres Cunha reviews the VAR footage, before awarding France a penalty during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group C match between France and Australia at Kazan Arena on June 16, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Managers have been united in condemnation after a series of controversial decisions and Telegraph Sport can reveal that:
The International Football Association Board (Ifab) has begun a series of consultations over what changes should be made ahead of their first serious review of Var since its introduction seven years ago
The game still faces another year of Var chaos, with trials of any proposed amendments almost certain to be carried out before they are introduced
There is growing confidence one change that will be made is the introduction of semi-automatic offside ahead in the Premier League ahead of next season
The href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/all-whites-v-costa-rica-world-cup-dream-ends-as-var-plays-role-in-all-whites-defeat/6EPLKUSSQVHJQM724DM3WWYO7I/" target="_blank">issue of Var has dominated the Premier League this season, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Wolves boss Gary O’Neil both furious after decisions went against their sides last weekend.
The League Managers’ Association this week called for changes to be made, with Ifab – who set the rules that national bodies such as the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) follow – confirming a fortnight ago that a “protocol review group” would examine whether it required any modification.
However, it can be revealed that consultations have already begun that will feed into the body’s work. Telegraph Sport has been told talks have so far been limited to a small group including representatives of Uefa and other continental confederations but they will be joined by the likes of the Premier League in the coming weeks.
Formal recommendations would then be presented to Ifab itself, potentially in time for its annual general meeting in March.
However, any proposed changes are extremely unlikely to be rolled out in time for next season, with Ifab historically having staged trials before making amendments to the Laws of the Game.
That may not be enough to appease Premier League managers amid a litany of controversial Var decisions in the English top-flight and European matches.
That has been compounded by an inconsistent application of protocols domestically and in Europe, particularly when it comes to handball and red cards.
Liverpool's Luis Diaz heads the ball to score his side's first goal during the English Premier League match between Luton Town and Liverpool. Photo / AP
Any Premier League input into the consultation is likely to include lobbying for live Var audio to be aired, with Howard Webb, the head of Professional Game Match Official Ltd (PGMOL), having previously confirmed he had been “pushing” for that.
Webb has already been forced to change PGMOL’s own communication protocols following September’s Liverpool offside goal fiasco, a saga senior figures are banking on convincing top-flight clubs to adopt semi-automatic offside next season.
This summer saw Premier League teams vote against introducing technology already in use at the World Cup and in the Champions League, however confidence is growing that clubs will vote to bring in automated offsides ahead of next season.
PGMOL is also facing calls from managers for a referee to be paired with the same Var as often as possible, as they currently are with assistant referees, and to clarify the threshold for overturning “clear and obvious” errors.
Some managers have not held back in their criticism of Var and West Ham United’s David Moyes proclaimed on Friday that more had not spoken out because they were ignored, fined or both.
“We feel that we’re not getting an awful lot back when we’re giving it back to the officials or whoever,” he said.
“There have been a couple of big incidents that have been highlighted, but it’s mainly at the top clubs. It’s as if people don’t think that some other clubs have the same problems, the same Var problems, the same decision-making. It doesn’t get the same highlight. We’re all pretty disappointed by what we’ve been getting back.
“We don’t want to do it because managers will be fined for speaking out of turn. Most managers don’t want to say anything about it because we know we’re locked down.
“If clubs or managers choose to have an outburst then that’s their choice and they can choose to do that.”
Four ways to fix Var
By Ben Rumsby
Simplify what is a “clear and obvious error”
In their list of demands for an overhaul of Var during talks with Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), Premier League managers called for “a review [and simplification] of the interpretation of the term ‘clear and obvious’ in Var decision-making, as this is a cause of much confusion at present”. That followed frustration with what they perceive as an inconsistency in such errors being overturned, with highly-controversial decisions such as the award of Newcastle United’s winner against Arsenal on Saturday being allowed to stand despite a push by Joelinton on Gabriel when Vars have intervened in seemingly less clear-cut incidents. This has been compounded by a different interpretation in Uefa competitions, with Manchester United on the wrong end of questionable penalty and red-card calls on Wednesday and Liverpool denied a last-gasp equaliser on Thursday for a debatable handball.
Train up more specialist Vars
Howard Webb, PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer, had already committed to doing this even before Premier League managers called for a referee to be paired with the same Var whenever possible, as is currently the case with assistant referees. Webb’s efforts are being hamstrung by International Football Association Board rules that state only a current or former referee can perform the role. Regardless of whether they are paired with the same referees or not, more and better-trained Vars can only be a good thing.
More technology, not less
September’s Liverpool offside goal fiasco provided a compelling argument for Premier League clubs to end their opposition to the adoption of semi-automatic offside technology. The powers that be are now counting on teams voting on bringing it in for next season. That would also allow footage of the technology to be shown on a stadium’s big screen, as is currently the case in the top flight for any decision that has been overturned. Why not expand that to allow spectators at games to view what the referee is watching when he comes to the touchline to check the pitch-side monitor?
Conversations between officials aired live
Calls for discussions between match officials to be broadcast long predate Var but the Tottenham Hotspur-Liverpool game made arguably the most compelling case yet for it. Indeed, allowing as many people as possible to hear such a conversation might even have seen the alarm raised before it was deemed too late. Being able to listen in on discussions between referees and television match officials or third umpires has done nothing but enhance the likes of rugby union and cricket but football, the most popular of all sports, continues to live in the dark ages in this regard.
