Professional view of VAR from Martin Lipton
Fast forward 12 months to May 18, 2025.
In the 89th minute at Molineux, Wolves, who need to win their last game of the season to stay top, beat Manchester United, who need a point for the Champions League.
A ball over the top makes Rasmus Hojlund run away. The flag remains lowered. Hojlund’s goal. Wolves are demoted.
And on the way home, dejected Wolves fans see the still image on their phones.
Hojlund was offside from 2 feet. Undoubtedly. A shock.
That means at least a year in the Championship, a £100 million drop in revenue, a sell-off for the team. While United bank an extra £50m.
But everything is fine. Every one of those fans, plus smiling boss Gary O’Neil and the Wolves board, will line up to say: “Don’t worry. That’s what we voted for. Rough with smooth.”
Yes. And I have a bridge to Ireland to sell you.
Dan King’s anti-VAR view
THREE cheers and a loud slap on the back for Wolves president Jeff Shi.
For mentioning the unspeakable, for speaking common sense to deaf ears, for proposing that VAR be eliminated.
Shi is doomed to failure. His suggestion is unlikely to be voted on at next month’s Premier League General Assembly.
And if it gets to that point, it will have a good chance of obtaining the two-thirds majority needed to approve such a radical proposal.
But in a statement Wednesday, Shi proved he will be the brightest man in that boardroom.
He stated that VAR “has led to numerous unintended negative consequences which are damaging the relationship between fans and football and undermining the value of the Premier League brand”.
And he is absolutely right.
The argument against VAR is broad and yet completely basic.
If you believe that football is a sport, to be enjoyed in all its spontaneous, fast-paced glory, then you are against VAR.
If you believe that football is a business, that it is much more important than a mere game, that forensic evidence must be applied, that we must reach the closest point to definitive justice at all costs – and if you also believe that going to the supporting games are irrelevant — then you are in favor of VAR.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
