West Ham chief Karren Brady slams decision and calls for major rethink in rant about VAR which actually makes perfect sense.
West Ham and Newcastle were due to meet on Sunday in a clash of the clubs so ludicrously robbed by two of the worst VAR decisions yet last weekend.
Referee Andy Madley and VAR official Jarred Gillet combined during West Ham’s clash at rivals Chelsea for what is being dubbed the worst decision since the introduction of the technology.
West Ham’s VAR derby with Newcastle has – like the rest of the weekend’s football calendar – been postponed in the wake of the Queen’s passing on Thursday.
But while football fans the length and breadth of the country debate whether that was the right call or not, it is clear the topic of VAR is still playing on the mind of West Ham vice-chairman Brady.
The Baroness has been speaking on Hammers matters in her latest column for The Sun.
In it West Ham chief Brady slams the decision at Chelsea and calls for a major rethink in a passionate rant about VAR which makes perfect sense.
In the wake of the Stamford Bridge debacle Brady says she has demanded the Premier League adds VAR and referee standards to the agenda for its next meeting.
Brady revealed West Ham are still deeply angry with the VAR decision which cost David Moyes’ side a crucial point and has called for big changes.
“The decision to disallow our goal on Saturday at Chelsea was one of the worst I have seen in over 30 years in football…” Brady said in The Sun.
“Truth is that VAR is below an acceptable standard, is bringing the league into disrepute and is financially damaging for clubs…
“The highest levels of football are being undermined when clubs are robbed of points by grossly inaccurate decisions.
“Those points will have been costly in terms of place money in the Premier League and possibly European competition. Far from aiding mission creep, we should be examining ways of cutting VAR influence.
“It is not justice being seen to be done. It can never be accurate to the nearest shirt button or shoelace. And long delays for VAR decisions are becoming a vast bore for supporters, who must often wait minutes to see whether a goal is allowed or a penalty given.
“What with these delays and the long hold-ups for player treatment, never mind the squirming acts of pretenders, five to ten minutes of added time have become common.
“To many of us, the answer is clear. VAR has a place for offside decisions and goal-line rulings. Otherwise leave all decisions to refs with a player’s rights of appeal for sendings off.”
Brady may not be universally well liked by West Ham fans. But she is absolutely spot on here.
There have been many opinions put forward about how VAR must change with a large number calling for it to be scrapped altogether.
There is a place for it. But only in the areas outlined here by Brady. We would have our fast, exciting, free-flowing game back.
Look how much more enjoyable the games in the Conference League have been without VAR. The matches, like those against lower league sides in the cups, are almost nostalgic already such is the vast change VAR has inflicted on the beautiful game in the short time since its introduction.
As Brady suggests, stick to the key, major incidents or stick it altogether.
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