Keith Hackett writes…
With a minimum of 22 cameras at each game and Premier League transmitted to 211 countries around the world, there is a huge ask for English referees to perform well in every game.
I was in charge of the professional referees for a numbers of years and introduced Sports Science, Nutrition Experts and a Performance Review System that was used by most Premier League clubs.
I am a massive supporter of the use of technology and introduced the use of communication kits used by referees.
I persuaded the Premier League to bring on board Goal-Line Technology and worked closely with Hawkeye in its development and acceptance by the sport’s ruling body IFAB (the lawmakers).
Last weekend was yet another where VAR came in for criticism and rightly so. When will the Managing Director of the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Board) -who are the body responsible for the referees and VAR operators – allow it to be operated in the same way as in other countries?
Referees are always going to be called upon to make tight decisions and Law 5 states that the referee is the ultimate decision-maker.
With a lack of use of the pitch-side monitors, decisions are brought into disrepute. Yet again I found myself asking why penalty kicks are not awarded for clear fouls inside the area?
These issues will only be resolved if a review of how VAR is operated takes place.
I would therefore request to the PGMOL or Premier League to adopt the following suggestions:
1. Referees MUST review decisions by making use of the pitch-side monitor
2. Big screens in the stadiums should be used to highlight the process and allow the spectators to see and listen to what is being reviewed and said between VAR and referee.
3. Appoint a panel of specialist VARs and train them. The more you do it, the better you become.
4. Technology around offside should be improved.
Before we start to lose faith in the use of VAR, PGMOL need to use the same criteria and protocols used by other countries.
Keith
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