Liverpool exposes VAR as secret behind Man City success

With the recent ‘human error’ by VAR Liverpool has exposed how FA uses VAR to robe other clubs vital points and tactically handing over the premier League title to Manchester City in the past years. This has cost Liverpool to loss the title by tiny margins to City on at least two occasions.

Liverpool’s statement caused a stir and tribalism came to the fore despite initial support the club got over VAR farce, writes Ian Doyle

The outrage over Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening became almost universal once the scale of the blunder from the officials began to slowly emerge.

That, though, swiftly dissipated when, barely 24 hours later, Liverpool released their statement suggesting sporting integrity had been compromised by the mistake while deeming the subsequent apology from the authorities was unacceptable.

As with many things in life, it’s easy to attract sympathy for a wrongdoing – quite another to retain that support when the decision is taken to actively do something about it.

Such is the tribalism that has since emerged, Liverpool’s considered reaction regarded in some quarters as not helping matters while others even claim it hints at a dark conspiracy working against Jurgen Klopp’s side.None of that is true. Instead, the reality is the ongoing discontent at the implementation and process of VAR indicates an error of this magnitude was always in the offing. Unprecedented, yes, but not wholly unsurprising. If it hadn’t have been Liverpool, it would have been another team soon enough.

This situation, then, shouldn’t be proving so divisive. Everybody wants the same end result – a better VAR, far fewer avoidable mistakes and much less pressure on officials. The sport doesn’t function without laws, rules and those who ensure they are implemented – and those people deserve clear, straightforward assistance that is going to help them make more accurate calls.

Indeed, it’s worth remembering on Saturday the right decision was swiftly determined by VAR Darren England. Diaz was clearly onside to the naked eye, and the check proved as such. The issue is the process that somehow allowed an obvious miscommunication between the VAR and referee Simon Hooper, compounded by either a failure to swiftly address the blatant error or Hooper feeling as though he was restricted by protocols to not recall play and award the goal.

Matters will become much clearer once the audio exchange between England and Hooper is finally released by the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), although the delay in it becoming public has inevitably led to speculation it will not reflect well on the involved parties. But the fact is nobody – whether the matchday officials or their relevant authorities – is going to avoid the renewed criticism and scrutiny that will surely follow.

Transparency has now become the chief concern. Football has been strangely reluctant to embrace the open communication between officials that has become commonplace in other sports such as cricket and both codes of rugby, where those watching are given a clear indication of what is being discussed whether at home or inside the stadium.

None of this guarantees 100% accuracy. But it at least shows the process and explains how a decision has been reached. Why, then, don’t the football authorities want their officials to be heard? After all, the chance of being caught on air has markedly increased the respect shown by players towards officials in those sports.

Yes, the stop-start nature of cricket and rugby makes it easier to debate matters properly and find time for appropriate graphics to inform those present what is happening. However, checking offsides and red cards offer obvious breaks in play in football. And often those inside a stadium at a Premier League match have no idea how a decision has been reached – another serious failure to communicate properly that has yet been uniformaly addressed.

There have been claims it would be unfair on VAR England in particular to release the audio of the Diaz offside exchange for fear of him becoming a public lightning rod for criticism. That is not without credence, even if the ultimate responsibility lies with his superiors, chief of which is Howard Webb. But that wouldn’t be a problem if the officials were all aware their conversations were being broadcast live. And that means all, and not just the pick-and-mix retrospective of the ‘Match Officials: Mic’d Up’ show which, while a step in the right direction under Webb, is still very much controlled by the authorities.

VAR is here to stay, whether we like it or not (cards on the table here, this correspondent thinks it has way too much influence). It therefore needs to enhance the game, not bring it into disrepute. One worry is that, several years since its introduction in the Premier League, it is getting worse not better. Do those working in the VAR booth, which is a different discipline to regular on-field officiating, need more specialist training? Tellingly, the VAR coach at the PGMOL is Phil Bentham – a former rugby league referee and video referee. His job is perhaps bigger than first realised.

If Liverpool’s rebuttal of the usual “whoops, sorry about that” rhetoric from the PGMOL ruffles a few feathers, then so be it. It’s not as if they are the first team to complain. Many clubs have written letters demanding explanations for certain decisions and been offered apologies, but the incident on Saturday demands greater level of explanation. What exactly was the “significant human error” claimed by the authorities? And how can it be avoided in the future?

Then there is the question of quite why England and VAR assistant Cook were permitted to officiate in the United Arab Emirates just two days before the game at Tottenham, another grey area the controversy has unexpectedly brought into sharp focus.

Contrary to either paranoid or inflammatory opinion on social media and from some people who should know an awful lot better, Liverpool haven’t asked for the game to be replayed. They want transparency and clarity, and only once that has been realised can they consider their options. The unique nature of the situation means there is no precedent for what could come next.

In any case, such debate serves only to detract from the main issues – and, of course, provoke the tribalism which will help solve absolutely nothing. And if this latest VAR-related debacle is merely brushed under the carpet in the hope it will go away, then nobody will win – regardless of allegiances. Things have to change.