Inconsistent reviews a huge Cup mistake
VAR should only be used for calls beyond subjective interpretations
I SAID before the tournament started I didn’t want VAR used at this year’s World Cup, and after a week of football I feel justified.
Not because the Socceroos got the rough end of the stick against France, but if FIFA is hell-bent on using VAR, then use it for everything, not just here and there with seemingly no rhyme or reason to when a referee stops to review footage.
I could count a dozen times already where, based on the video-related officiating we’ve seen thus far, the original decision would have been overturned.
The most striking one, maybe because it only came a few hours after enduring the penalty call against Australia, was a moment in Argentina’s match against Iceland.
One of Argentina’s players gets into the penalty area, beats his opponent and then is upended with the ball rolling out for a goal kick
It was tough to determine if there was a foul from the initial television vision, but a few moments later the replay shows definite contact from the defender on the attacker’s ankle.
No doubt the referee should have pointed to the spot.
The ball is already out of play, the game has effectively been stopped, and yet, instead of heading for the video box, the referee allows the Icelandic goalkeeper to restart play.
Surely someone upstairs could have buzzed the on-field referee and told him to take a second look?
VAR was used in the preceding game to determine a 50-50 call, but in this instance, where there is no doubt a foul has been committed, play is waved on. Sorry, but you’ve lost me. Let’s keep the video strictly for those decisions that are beyond subjective interpretations, such as if the ball crosses the goal line, offsides and blatant foul play such as a deliberate elbow to the face.
I have seen plenty of commentators suggest VAR will get better; they even refer to the use of video in the NRL, but I tend to disagree.
Only last weekend rugby league commenter Phil Gould gave video referee Ashley Klein a spray following a controversial bunker ruling late in Canberra’s 48-12 thumping of Wests Tigers.
“Sack him and don’t let him back in the box,” Gould fumed as Klein overturned the onfield referee’s call and ruled no try.
I rarely agree with Gould, but having seen the same footage, I understand the former NSW coach’s frustrations.
In the majority of cases the referee gets it right, so let’s give them the benefit of the doubt.
If there is a howler, sure, let the VAR step in, but otherwise let’s leave the 50-50 calls to the referee’s discretion.
The end result is nothing really changes, except which fans will be doing the complaining. VAR won’t change that.