VAR VOW TO KEEP FANS IN PICTURE

Changes promised after clubs’ anger

VIDEO technology is “alive and kicking” after Premier League bosses promised to give fans more information.

Referees’ boss Mike Riley spoke for nearly two hours at a “feisty” meeting of the 20 top-flight clubs in London yesterday, with some even wanting to scrap it completely.

It is understood that Riley was given a grilling by clubs unhappy with inconsistencies, wrong decisions and also a lack of information for fans inside and outside of grounds.

But they have tried to reach a new compromise by putting up more information on giant screens for fans inside stadiums so they are kept in the picture, which is expected to start next month. Current

messages such as “checking penalty” will be replaced by “checking penalty – possible handball” to give more detail.

But there will be no change to the use of pitch-side monitors, with referees discouraged from using them unless absolutely necessary.

West Ham co-chairman David Gold, right, said: “There’s not going to be any significant change. There is going to be an investigation. What I can say is that VAR is alive and kicking.

“There was a lot of debate.

“We are making good progress. This is a new system. We have to be a bit more patient. We’ll get it right.”

But Gold made it clear he is against the idea of using pitch-side monitors, which some have called for to allow referees to check their own decisions. Gold said: “I hate the idea of a referee that has been running around for an hour having to run over to a pitch-side monitor. I’m absolutely against it. Some like the idea but, I don’t think it’s supported.”