VAR

[gkmacca]

There are times in cricket when a stump mic picks up some exchange of words between bowler and batsman that wouldn't bother anyone, but because it's broadcast it causes such a who-ha that disciplinary action follows. In football I wouldn't want every overheard expletive to lead to some similar punishment. I'm a bit torn between having it recorded but only 'dipped into' as and when a broadcaster thinks it's worthwhile, and using the rest for ex post facto investigations, or having the mic open all the time and, as has been said above, put pressure on players AND refs to grow up a bit.

 

[Woland]

I'm against VAR simply because it fucks up the match going experience. Sitting round waiting to hear if a goal has been given or not is bollocks. I appreciate no one gives a fuck about people who attend the games anymore.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I'm against VAR simply because it fucks up the match going experience. Sitting round waiting to hear if a goal has been given or not is bollocks. I appreciate no one gives a fuck about people who attend the games anymore.

I like the idea of var, but when it was first mooted I prefaced that with the fact there had to be a screen on which the fans could see the same thing the refs were seeing, with the exception of slow motion leg breaking tackles (actual leg breaking tackles) cos "won't someone think of the children", & hear their conversation.

If it's genuinely about transparency of correct decisions then there should be no issues with that whatsoever.

 

[Woland]

The rugby version is a piss take. Anything vaguely 60/40 goes to the video ref and everyone in the stadium just stands there for a minute waiting for a whistle and the ref pointing. Just scared it will go like that. If they can do it so it's all sorted in a few seconds then maybe it wouldn't be so shit.

 

[gkmacca]

If it was me doing it I'd probably get bored of most games and start channel-hopping, so that when they ask me what happened I'll be in the middle of a scene from The Blacklist or Harry Hill's Tea Time. Most embarrassing.

 

[Modo]

I think it's a necessity and they'll get better at it with time.

 

[Woland]

I was always taught to think that footy has the same rules whether you're playing Sunday league or in the CL final, and I like that idea. Goal line tech has ended that and now we go down this route. Not the best.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I was always taught to think that footy has the same rules whether you're playing Sunday league or in the CL final, and I like that idea. Goal line tech has ended that and now we go down this route. Not the best.

I always used that argument until about ten years or so ago, when it became perfectly clear that referee's in the top leagues use very different rules whether they are the same written down or not.

Watching a Sunday league game refereed by a premiership ref would be amazing, if enough players stayed on the pitch to play the game to 90 minutes I'd be gobsmacked.

 

[Woland]

True

 

[Frogfish]

The rugby version is a piss take. Anything vaguely 60/40 goes to the video ref and everyone in the stadium just stands there for a minute waiting for a whistle and the ref pointing. Just scared it will go like that. If they can do it so it's all sorted in a few seconds then maybe it wouldn't be so shit.

I'm pretty sure with rugby they show it on the screen for all to see .. from multiple angles. So the crowd are involved to an extent and from what I see and hear it's actually a positive experience, especially because they can now understand the referee's decision and see (in most cases) that it's the correct one.

 

[Insignificance]

I always used that argument until about ten years or so ago, when it became perfectly clear that referee's in the top leagues use very different rules whether they are the same written down or not.

Watching a Sunday league game refereed by a premiership ref would be amazing, if enough players stayed on the pitch to play the game to 90 minutes I'd be gobsmacked.

But the idea/feeling for it will never die.

 

[Woland]

The only way I'd be having this is...

The ref has got a big phone or something on him. Another ref is watching the match on the TV. If the ref isn't sure he makes some kinda signal and he gets three replays from different angles instantly. If the ref has given something which the other dude sees is obv wrong on the telly he pushes a big red button and the ref gets an electric shock or something and instantly watches the three replays. Should all take about twenty seconds. Mightn't be too bad.