VAR needs to improve: Masters
Liverpool’s Curtis Jones (right) and teammate Neco Williams celebrate after Shrewsbury Town’s Ro-Shaun Williams scored an own goal during their English FA Cup Fourth Round replay match at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool on Tuesday. Liverpool won 1-0.
London, Feb. 5: Premier League chief executive Richard Masters admits his organisation must try to improve VAR after a season marred by controversy surrounding the review technology.
A recent survey from opinion polling firm YouGov showed more than two-thirds of Premier League fans questioned believe VAR has made the game less enjoyable since it was introduced into the English top-flight.
Players, managers and fans have all complained about the way the system is used, with lengthy review delays and dubious eventual decisions causing widespread frustration.
Masters, who started his permanent role with the Premier League in December, told BBC Sport that VAR would stay in the game, but he hopes it can be improved.
“I don’t think VAR has been damaging but I accept it needs improvement,” Masters said.
“Scrapping it is not an option — what we have to do is try and make VAR better,” he added.
VAR has been brought in to the Premier League to decide on goals, penalties, red cards and offside decisions.
Masters revealed to the BBC that the Premier League would discuss changes to VAR with the clubs in April.
“We are going to have a debate about what sort of VAR they would like next season and what improvements can be made to the system,” he said.
“It’s going to be a work in progress this season and next as we try to rebalance it so you get the positives of better decision-making and fewer of the perceived negatives about delay and sometimes confusion,” he further added.
Meanwhile, in his first major media interviews, Masters said he does not believe homegrown player quotas will improve the fortunes of the England team.
The balance between homegrown and overseas players in a 25-man Premier League squad is back in the spotlight following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, which will affect the way clubs do their international transfer business once the transition period ends at the end of the year.
The Football Association has previously stated in November 2018 that it favoured cutting the number of overseas players per squad from 17 to 13 with a view to boosting the chances of young English talent.
FA representatives are due to present to Premier League clubs at the league’s shareholders’ meeting on Thursday.
“We have to come up with a different system. The FA, the EFL and the Premier League all agree that (system) shouldn’t impact on the competitiveness of the Premier League, that concept of the best versus the best.,” Masters said.
—
AP
— Premier League, Chief Executive
AFP