Effect of VAR System on football history

[Enugu II]

The VAR is doing a good job. For me there are two areas of concern though: a) when to request a review, and b) balancing referee's discretionary power.

Hi, EII. Do you think the VAR protocol will eventually lead to all goals being reviewed as in Rugby? or a challenge system as in Cricket, Tennis?

folem,

TBH, yes. I hope it goes that way. The most frustrating to me is the fact that the coaches are not allowed to call for a review which allows officials too much power. What is FIFA afraid of in allowing the teams a limited number of challenges to a refereeing call? Right now, the match officials continues to retain much of the power and can disregard the VAR or so it seems.

If it goes all the way, who should have the power to challenge between the captain and the coach?

For me it should be the coach in contact either VAR official. That to me will help have the system operate optimally.

I think the captain can do it by contacting the referee who is in charge of the game to check with the VAR officials. What other sport uses the coach to initiate video challenges?

Hi EII, from what we have seen so far, it seems the players are all now influencing the referee to check VAR on all controversial decisions that the referee doesn't give in their favor and showing dissent in many cases. Isn't it obvious now, that the VAR protocol has to be amended to give only the captain the ability to challenge the referee and within a time limit for the incident and how many times it can be done per half and if successful with a challenge can as well have the option to retain one more challenge within the period.

Folem

I think that is the way to go eventually. I also believe that it takes away the accusation of referees conspiring on what to look at and what not to look. Simply limit number of calls that can be challenged per half or game. BTW, you asked for a sport where it is the coach that challenges a call and requests a video review. That is what happens at American gridiron football.

[theYemster]

The VAR is doing a good job. For me there are two areas of concern though: a) when to request a review, and b) balancing referee's discretionary power.

Hi, EII. Do you think the VAR protocol will eventually lead to all goals being reviewed as in Rugby? or a challenge system as in Cricket, Tennis?

folem,

TBH, yes. I hope it goes that way. The most frustrating to me is the fact that the coaches are not allowed to call for a review which allows officials too much power. What is FIFA afraid of in allowing the teams a limited number of challenges to a refereeing call? Right now, the match officials continues to retain much of the power and can disregard the VAR or so it seems.

If it goes all the way, who should have the power to challenge between the captain and the coach?

For me it should be the coach in contact either VAR official. That to me will help have the system operate optimally.

I think the captain can do it by contacting the referee who is in charge of the game to check with the VAR officials. What other sport uses the coach to initiate video challenges?

Hi EII, from what we have seen so far, it seems the players are all now influencing the referee to check VAR on all controversial decisions that the referee doesn't give in their favor and showing dissent in many cases. Isn't it obvious now, that the VAR protocol has to be amended to give only the captain the ability to challenge the referee and within a time limit for the incident and how many times it can be done per half and if successful with a challenge can as well have the option to retain one more challenge within the period.

I'm not sure it's the players who make the ref decide...it was my understanding that it's the VAR team that contact the ref to have him take a second look at any controversial call.

[theYemster]

Hi EII, from what we have seen so far, it seems the players are all now influencing the referee to check VAR on all controversial decisions that the referee doesn't give in their favor and showing dissent in many cases. Isn't it obvious now, that the VAR protocol has to be amended to give only the captain the ability to challenge the referee and within a time limit for the incident and how many times it can be done per half and if successful with a challenge can as well have the option to retain one more challenge within the period.

Folem

I think that is the way to go eventually. I also believe that it takes away the accusation of referees conspiring on what to look at and what not to look. Simply limit number of calls that can be challenged per half or game. BTW, you asked for a sport where it is the coach that challenges a call and requests a video review. That is what happens at American gridiron football.

Coaches are allowed to challenge a maximum of two/three calls up until the last two minutes of each half after which it's done automatically. Also now, all game changing plays (scores/turnovers) are automatically reviewed so that eliminates the need for coach's challenge.