Video Assistant Refereeing - Too VAR for the short sighted

Before the Premier League was formed football could have been justified as a game for the fans. But since the villainous tyrants of Sky and The Premier League joined forces it has and always will be about "Da Money". The Premier League is seen by many Professional footballers outside of the Mediterranean countries as the holy grail. Partly due to the opportunity to put your skills against some of the best but mainly because of the lucrative salaries, fame and women it brings with it. And why not? A footballers career only lasts between 10 and 15 years on the playing side if you're lucky. So you should be looking to earn as much as possible in a short space of time before you have take up a new career outside of football or in a non-playing capacity. For those that want to increase their chances of being a football manager or even a top pundit, you really want to be playing at the highest level for as long as possible, which means staying in the Prem and doing well! Nothing new so far but there is a method to this very obvious madness.

We have all watched a game on Sky. It's been around for donkeys years. Every time there is a goal or a debatable (not always if you're a Souness or a Shearer) incident, then Sky will replay it at least 3 times and talk about for about 30 seconds. I estimate the entire time for the goal/incident, replays and debate at about 1min. And when you are watching this from the comfort of your home, with a beer in your hand, a domino's on the way and your hand scratching your sweaty bullocks, you could not give 2 shits about the time elapsed. You're paying monthly for Sky and haven't spent a fortune on a ticket, a match day pint, a shit hotdog and sitting next to some fat cunt that is probably screaming "Hit it long, this tippy tappy shite is boring". Then during the game that big incident happens. A great through ball (triangle) and finesse finish into the top corner by Danny Welbeck (LOL). But wait, Welbeck looks a bit offside, let's watch that 3 times on the replay and go over to our expert pundit Alan "He doesn't need tactics" Shearer. The first replay shows Welbeck is half a yard offside but the linesman and the ref have missed it. Shearer has to watch the replay 3 times before coming to the conclusion that it's "marginal and we should give him the benefit of the doubt." (Eye roll). The goal stands as the ref and linesman have missed it. The game continues and finishes 1 nil. Great for entertainment. You go off to the pub or what'sapp your mates about the game.

For the players it's a completely different story. The losing teams Defenders clean sheet bonus can not be paid because of a mistake by the officials. Danny Welbeck is now a false Prophet for the scoring team and has been overpaid a goal scoring bonus. The losing team happen to be in a relegation battle and had the officials done their impossible job properly that team would be 1 point closer to safety. Skip forward to the end of the season. The losing team were relegated by 1 point, a number of players now have to take a pay cut or move on, they're stressed, may have to move house which is also a burden for their family, the manager gets fired. Alright, I'm painting the worst case scenario but it's still all very real shit that does happen.

You now have a picture of the players perspective and the typical English fan with an IQ of 105. That's still better than Shearer and Souness combined to be fair. 

Now, Enter VAR.

VAR is a basically the ability of hindsight. A team of officials get to watch the game like the fan at home with all the replays, and then provide assistance to the referee via an earpiece should an injustice happen on the pitch that leads to the incorrect decision. It basically stops game and sometimes career changing mistakes from happening. It protects the participants and there is absolutely no arguing, debate or bullocks that can go against it. Oh if only that were true.

Fans are moaning it's killing the game, pundits (most of whom are ex employees) are saying the same dumb shit and even some managers are echoing this too. Yes, it's a little slow, yes the controversy has been taken out of the game for the fans but this is no longer a game for the fans in the stands. This is a game about money and above all for the participants who have a career in it. The rules are now enforced with 100% accuracy for the key decisions either by the officials at the time or the officials in hindsight. There is no longer a sense of injustice when Danny Welbeck scores a goal....... that should not have stood. OK. Terrible example. Teams that would have been relegated on the last day of the season because the ref made a mistake in another game. That will no longer happen. Is that not great for you as a fan to see your team remain in the promised land?

I am disappointed to say the least and in the most at ex-footballers who don't seem to grasp the bigger picture here. They should be driving improvements to protect those playing the game with correct decisions instead of talking absolute dogshite about it. 

I watched Derby vs Southampton last season on TV. I think it was a cup game. One of the goals scored was offside because part of the players body was ever so slightly in front of the last defender and therefore gaining a slight advantage. VAR made the call and the goal was disallowed. Shearer said something along the lines of giving the attacker the benefit of doubt....what the actual hell was he smoking bruh. If it's offside it's offside. If someone breaks the law they break the law and hopefully go to jail. You don't let them off because he's a fucking lad and he was off his head last night so you know.... So. Come on man.

I'll finish with this. VAR is there to uphold the rules of the sport, assist the referees and protect the players/managers/clubs. It's nothing new. They've had this in cricket, rugby, formula 1 and even fucking curling for ages. If you can't accept that football needs to get with the times and should rightly be putting it's participants interests first, then please keep your head in the sand until you pass out because your moaning is taking up valuable air.

Rant over.