QotW: What's the verdict on Video Assistant Referee (VAR) so far?

[ChungaHungry]

Goal-line technology seems to be going well. VAR, on the other hand, has been a divisive topic.

We've had "experiments" in the Club World Cup, the U-20 World Cup, and now the Confederations Cup. It's correctly overturned some decisions, but it's been controversial with others, and problematic elsewhere.

There are three major concerns from my experience:

1) It absolutely RUINS goal celebrations.

In a sport that usually has low scores, immediate and uninterrupted goal celebrations are crucial for the entertainment value.


2) It is not always clear what specific decision the VAR is being used for.

There needs to be clear rules on what VAR can be used for, what it is being used for, and what the outcome of the review is. All the confusion we've seen is because no clear explanation was given in real time about the review, or the interpretation of VAR that leads to the upholding/reversal of a decision.

3) It is still subjective.

Hawkeye for ball-tracking uses an objective technology, and goalline decisions benefit for it. VAR is a referral system, and still involves the human element. I'm personally OK with that, so long as point #2 is addressed.


How does everyone else feel about this? Are there other concerns with VAR that need to be addressed?

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

I haven't watched any of the confederations cup or seen a single game with it to be honest - so I can't judge - but I've heard pretty bad things. It seems like to work and not disrupt the flow, there will have to be some kind of limit on the number of times it can be used or the situations in which it is brought up - maybe something like in cricket where each team gets a strictly limited number of challenges.

 

[Back Door Skip]

Just watched my first Confed Cup game and the goal-line technology is a great addition, but the video review is ridiculous.

In the Mexico - New Zealand game it took the ref 5 minutes while the clock ticked to review a scuffle between players. He then took two more minutes to discipline them. That shit is ridiculous. I'd be more for sanctions after the game than stopping mid-game to review shit that aren't goals. They either need to get on it and make it as quick and seamless as possible or scrap it altogether.

 

[WhoDaWhat]

So that's why the VAR is getting so much hate.
In cricket time isn't that important but in football time is the primary constituent of the game. If 5 mins or more are being wasted then I believe that the VAR should be dropped.

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

It is also terrifying that there is a huge propensity to stick tv commercials in during the deliberations, and give us American football

 

[Arnau]

It helps the referee

 

[ChungaHungry]

Kaka got sent off for innocuously messing around with a former team mate after a video review. wtf....

http://www.espnfcasia.com/orlando-c...card-for-joking-incident-with-aurelien-collin

 

[marcas]

I think it's a great addition and we certainly have the right technology these days to pull this off. If it were to be invested in seriously, and with the correct staff - it could be awesome.
If they'd only invest in making it quick and seamless, and also that viewers at home ALSO got to look at the same review in real-time.

 

[ChungaHungry]

I think it's a great addition and we certainly have the right technology these days to pull this off. If it were to be invested in seriously, and with the correct staff - it could be awesome.
If they'd only invest in making it quick and seamless, and also that viewers at home ALSO got to look at the same review in real-time.

100% agree.

 

[chygry]

In order not to waste time, why don't they have somebody watching every situation live at all times, so they could tell the referee within like 5-15 seconds whether it was a penalty for example, or not.

Instead of the referee asking for it and stopping the play?

From what I've heard they've had pretty good success in the Bundesliga with it so far. Quick and professional, German efficiency, so not surprising really.

 

[MaSsiVe]

Complete joke in the portuguese league so far, benefitting Benfica as usual.

2 examples to make my point clear:

Legal tackle, followed by a murderous two-foot stomp on the defender's body.
Ref verdict: foul against Belenenses.

Clear dive.
Ref verdict: penalty and a red card for the defender.



VAR did absolutely nothing about these...fucking clowns.

 

[marcas]

Complete joke in the portuguese league so far, benefitting Benfica as usual...
....
...VAR did absolutely nothing about these...fucking clowns.

From the looks of it, it doesn't look like the VAR was even used. I take it that the ref. has to "call it in" and ask for a VAR review - and in these cases, he didn't.
But if I am wrong; we can't blame the VAR technology for corrupted and/or incompetent human referees.