My view on VAR and officiating in Football/Soccer!
So, the one thing I love talking about, VAR!!!!! Gotta love it, don't you?
First off, I want to say that all of this is purely my own opinion on VAR and officiating as a high-level match official myself, but there are facts in between.
So, what do I think of VAR? When I think of VAR, I think of progress and I think of how far our game has come. But of course, VAR has had its controversies since it's beginning back in 2017. When VAR was being trailed in places like Australia, Germany, France, USA etc, it was rubbish, and only because the officials were still beginners in how to use the technology correctly. These countries have now had VAR for 2,3,4 seasons now, and it is starting to get better. Where in England, it's there first season using it, so there was always going to be this many mistakes. However, in an England vs rest of the world with 1st season of using VAR, I have to say that England has been the worst so far.
I would say about 75% of the decisions that come from VAR are correct. But when it comes to KMI (Key Match Incidents), this is where the Referee needs to make the call. VAR is not made to re-referee the game, it's meant to be a tool for the onfield match officials, but what we are seeing in England is that it is re-refereeing the game. I'm not sure if these are still in place, that the 4 things referees look for in VAR are: 1) Goals, 2) Penalty Decisions, 3) Direct Red Cards, & 4) Mistaken Identity.
For goals, the role of the VAR is to assist the referee to determine whether there was an infringement that means a goal should not be awarded. As the ball has crossed the line, play is interrupted so there is no direct impact on the game. This can be a game-changing situation and the referee should be instructed to go to the RRA (Referee Review Area) and have a look themselves, and not being pressured to disallow/allow the goal.
For penalty decisions, the role of the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with the award or non-award of a penalty kick. This is again another game-changing situation and the referee should be instructed to go to the RRA and make a decision is the VAR feels like the original decision is incorrect, and again the should be pressured to reverse their call.
Direct Ref Cards, the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with sending off or not sending off a player. Again if the VAR feels like referee has made an incorrect decision, they should instruct them to head to the RRA and look at it themselves and again, not to be pressured to overturn their original call.
And finally Mistaken identity the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player, or is unsure which player should be sanctioned. The VAR will inform the referee so that the correct player can be disciplined.
The only times the referee should have to make a factual review (a review where they don't go to the RRA) should be when 1) a clear offside has occurred 2) an attacking player commits a handball offence leading to a goal being scored/a goal being scored (as per the new LOTG) 3) mistaken identity. These are the only time the VAR should ask the referee to make a factual review, everything else should be made at the RRA, with the main decision being made by the referee.
You have to also remember a few things, 1) this is new for all referees, it will take a long time for it to be good. 2) You notice how I haven't used the word 'perfect' yet? That's because the game we play, we coach, we officiate will never be 'perfect'. Everyone, players, coaches, officials, are all human, they will all make mistakes, players will make a bad pass, a coach will put out the wrong team. No one likes it, but it's apart of the game. When the referees make a mistake, it's seen as something that shouldn't happen, ever.
So now let's ask, why are officials, especially young officials, abused, so so much? Well, I bring it down to a few things. 1) Coaches, players and spectators, don't know the LOTG (Laws Of The Game). They don't understand what the difference between a careless, reckless and excessive force challenge is, they don't understand how much the referees have to focus on during a match. And especially doing like a U13 NPL game, all they do is copy what they see there "superhero" do on the TV, or what mum and dad do. Professional player or mum and dad yells at the referee, young kid must think that it's ok to do that. They don't listen to the "proper" professionals of the game, they listen to Mark Bosnic and Robbie Slater and Adam Peacock on FoxSports who give false and untrue information and facts about referees. At the end of the day, the referees don't mean to make mistakes, and if they do, no one feels worse then the referee themselves! 2) The understanding of Law-enforcer vs Game manager. Mark Bosnic wants common sense and consistency when it comes to decision making, and all I can say is, I'm glad he is not in charge of our referees! Common sense is Game manager, managing the game the best the referee can vs consistency which is Law-enforcer. At times referees will have to law-enforce the game, for example, give a red card for DOGSO, but referees, especially in the first 10 minutes of the game, don't want to go booking people because that's what the LOTG says, they want to try and manage it as they want to start the game with 22 and end the game with 22. We as match officials don't know how the game is going to be played out, so if we book someone at the wrong time, it can have the wrong effect on the game, and ultimately make it harder for that referee to control, then they have to keep it consistent as well. If they book a reckless challenge in the 1st minute, every time there's a reckless challenge, the referee is going to have to book the player and it ruins the game.
I'm going to continue this another night. To end though, I'm going to leave a few clips for you to watch.
"Feel for the game MLS Referees" ~ https://vimeo.com/144439741
"Be a Referee: From the low-leagues to the Premier League" ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K74b892XW3g
"TSN Original: Ref, You Suck! - Part 1" ~ https://www.tsn.ca/video/tsn-original-ref-you-suck-part-1~1884299
"TSN Original: Ref, You Suck! - Part 2" ~ https://www.tsn.ca/video/tsn-original-ref-you-suck---part-2~1884707
I found them interesting, let me know what you think.
First off, I want to say that all of this is purely my own opinion on VAR and officiating as a high-level match official myself, but there are facts in between.
So, what do I think of VAR? When I think of VAR, I think of progress and I think of how far our game has come. But of course, VAR has had its controversies since it's beginning back in 2017. When VAR was being trailed in places like Australia, Germany, France, USA etc, it was rubbish, and only because the officials were still beginners in how to use the technology correctly. These countries have now had VAR for 2,3,4 seasons now, and it is starting to get better. Where in England, it's there first season using it, so there was always going to be this many mistakes. However, in an England vs rest of the world with 1st season of using VAR, I have to say that England has been the worst so far.
I would say about 75% of the decisions that come from VAR are correct. But when it comes to KMI (Key Match Incidents), this is where the Referee needs to make the call. VAR is not made to re-referee the game, it's meant to be a tool for the onfield match officials, but what we are seeing in England is that it is re-refereeing the game. I'm not sure if these are still in place, that the 4 things referees look for in VAR are: 1) Goals, 2) Penalty Decisions, 3) Direct Red Cards, & 4) Mistaken Identity.
For goals, the role of the VAR is to assist the referee to determine whether there was an infringement that means a goal should not be awarded. As the ball has crossed the line, play is interrupted so there is no direct impact on the game. This can be a game-changing situation and the referee should be instructed to go to the RRA (Referee Review Area) and have a look themselves, and not being pressured to disallow/allow the goal.
For penalty decisions, the role of the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with the award or non-award of a penalty kick. This is again another game-changing situation and the referee should be instructed to go to the RRA and make a decision is the VAR feels like the original decision is incorrect, and again the should be pressured to reverse their call.
Direct Ref Cards, the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with sending off or not sending off a player. Again if the VAR feels like referee has made an incorrect decision, they should instruct them to head to the RRA and look at it themselves and again, not to be pressured to overturn their original call.
And finally Mistaken identity the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player, or is unsure which player should be sanctioned. The VAR will inform the referee so that the correct player can be disciplined.
The only times the referee should have to make a factual review (a review where they don't go to the RRA) should be when 1) a clear offside has occurred 2) an attacking player commits a handball offence leading to a goal being scored/a goal being scored (as per the new LOTG) 3) mistaken identity. These are the only time the VAR should ask the referee to make a factual review, everything else should be made at the RRA, with the main decision being made by the referee.
You have to also remember a few things, 1) this is new for all referees, it will take a long time for it to be good. 2) You notice how I haven't used the word 'perfect' yet? That's because the game we play, we coach, we officiate will never be 'perfect'. Everyone, players, coaches, officials, are all human, they will all make mistakes, players will make a bad pass, a coach will put out the wrong team. No one likes it, but it's apart of the game. When the referees make a mistake, it's seen as something that shouldn't happen, ever.
So now let's ask, why are officials, especially young officials, abused, so so much? Well, I bring it down to a few things. 1) Coaches, players and spectators, don't know the LOTG (Laws Of The Game). They don't understand what the difference between a careless, reckless and excessive force challenge is, they don't understand how much the referees have to focus on during a match. And especially doing like a U13 NPL game, all they do is copy what they see there "superhero" do on the TV, or what mum and dad do. Professional player or mum and dad yells at the referee, young kid must think that it's ok to do that. They don't listen to the "proper" professionals of the game, they listen to Mark Bosnic and Robbie Slater and Adam Peacock on FoxSports who give false and untrue information and facts about referees. At the end of the day, the referees don't mean to make mistakes, and if they do, no one feels worse then the referee themselves! 2) The understanding of Law-enforcer vs Game manager. Mark Bosnic wants common sense and consistency when it comes to decision making, and all I can say is, I'm glad he is not in charge of our referees! Common sense is Game manager, managing the game the best the referee can vs consistency which is Law-enforcer. At times referees will have to law-enforce the game, for example, give a red card for DOGSO, but referees, especially in the first 10 minutes of the game, don't want to go booking people because that's what the LOTG says, they want to try and manage it as they want to start the game with 22 and end the game with 22. We as match officials don't know how the game is going to be played out, so if we book someone at the wrong time, it can have the wrong effect on the game, and ultimately make it harder for that referee to control, then they have to keep it consistent as well. If they book a reckless challenge in the 1st minute, every time there's a reckless challenge, the referee is going to have to book the player and it ruins the game.
I'm going to continue this another night. To end though, I'm going to leave a few clips for you to watch.
"Feel for the game MLS Referees" ~ https://vimeo.com/144439741
"Be a Referee: From the low-leagues to the Premier League" ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K74b892XW3g
"TSN Original: Ref, You Suck! - Part 1" ~ https://www.tsn.ca/video/tsn-original-ref-you-suck-part-1~1884299
"TSN Original: Ref, You Suck! - Part 2" ~ https://www.tsn.ca/video/tsn-original-ref-you-suck---part-2~1884707
I found them interesting, let me know what you think.
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