FOOTBALL’S under-fire governing bodies have been told they can end growing anger and confusion over the use of VAR – by following the lead of the NFL and getting referees to announce why they have made a major decision on a microphone.
Scotland fans were incensed last Thursday night when a spectacular Scott McTominay free kick in the Euro 2024 qualifier against Spain in Seville was disallowed after Dutch referee Serdar Gözübüyük had watched a replay of the strike on a pitchside monitor.
Their outrage increased when the reason for the controversial ruling changed – it was initially stated that centre half Jack Hendry had fouled goalkeeper Unai Simon and then it was declared the defender had been offside and interfering with play.
The SFA have written to their UEFA counterparts asking them to provide clarity about a number of calls made by the match official in an important match in La Cartuja which the national team ended up losing 2-0.
However, the use of the new technology provoked fury during the Group A encounter between Spain and Norway in the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo on Sunday evening as well.
Fans inside the ground and watching at home on television were baffled when an Alvaro Morata goal for the visitors was ruled offside in the first half – and irked when it took almost five minutes for a Gavi strike to be given early in the second.
Steve Conroy and Des Roache are former Category One match officials who now offer their opinions on refereeing matters for the Get Involved Referee podcast and both men can understand why supporters, players and managers are becoming increasingly unhappy with VAR.
The NFL first put wireless microphones on their referees way back in 1975 so they could make penalty announcements to the stadium – and since then the level of communication with grid iron enthusiasts has risen greatly.
“Look at what the NFL do in the United States,” said Roache. “The referee actually hits a button and tells the entire stadium why a major decision has been made through a microphone.
“I am not sure we have got the money to do that here. At the end of the day, it all comes down to finance. Different stadiums have got different capabilities. Some of the Premiership clubs’ grounds have giant screens which display why a decision is being reviewed, some do not.
“Do you want to hear what is said between the refereeing team? I would be quite happy with that if I was still refereeing, I would have nothing to hide. But I am not sure the SFA and SPFL want that. That is why transcripts are not being made public, as has happened down in the England.
“But announcements in real time? Yes, I would like there to be complete clarity so every fan, every player, every manager, knows exactly what they are checking for and why a decision has been made. Let’s be honest, there should be nothing they should be scared of. They should be able to say, ‘I have given this decision because . . . ’.
“If they get it wrong, they get it wrong. These things happen. Players don’t find their team mates with every pass, don’t score with every shot. So there will be errors made. The Premier League in England is the biggest and best in the world – and their officials got it wrong at the Spurs v Liverpool game earlier this season.
“But if you at least have clarity and tell people what you are checking for then I think they will accept that. They have to be doing more to inform people what is going on when there is a VAR check.”
The French Football Federation received permission from the International Football Association Board, the organisation which determines the laws of the game, to have a referee “mic’d up” in a French Cup match between Lyon and Nantes match back in April.
Top flight match official Benoit Millot could be heard interacting with players – including when he told them to stop complaining and focus on the game - throughout the 90 minutes and the experiment was declared a resounding success after the 1-1 draw.
“I am not one for Americanisms,” he said. “But maybe when a referee goes to his monitor or when his VAR colleagues get in touch with him, that should be audible. If not to the whole crowd, then at the very least to both management teams.
“Because sometimes people look at decisions and don’t know why they have been given. I am in WhatsApp groups with my ex-ref pals. On Thursday night we were watching the Scotland game and asking each other why the McTominay goal had been disallowed. Even we don’t know what is going on and we have officiated in these matches.
“If there was an announcement of some description in a stadium explaining what was being checked it would go some way towards quelling the unhappiness that people are feeling. I don’t think it would end it entirely. There are a lot of other issues which need to be addressed. But you definitely need to tell the crowd what is happening.
“They are the paying public. If we treat them with contempt then there is only one outcome – they will stop coming. That will be to the detriment of the game. You can have the best match in the world, but if there is nobody there watching it because people are fed up about not knowing what is going on or fed up with having to wait five minutes for a decision to be made it becomes irrelevant.”
