Strong VAR Opinion From Alan Shearer Will Split Newcastle United Owners, Players, Coach, And Supporters
Fans of football still find VAR controversial, even after it was used at the 2018 World Cup.
Alan Shearer, who takes potshots at the contentious technology, feels that football fans are “stuck” with VAR.
2018 saw the public release of VAR, a technology developed after years of referee dispute. After Frank Lampard’s “ghost goal” for England against Germany at the 2010 World Cup, calls to watch other sports intensified.
Before video assistant referees (VAR) became the standard less than ten years later, goal-line technology was the first step toward an equipment-driven game. VAR assessed everything from red cards to penalties and offsides. But the system hasn’t exactly been a huge success.
Almost five years after the program was introduced to the Premier League, discussions over it still dominate post-match discussions. According to a BBC survey conducted last summer, 63% of respondents were against technology in its entirety.
Legendary Newcastle United player Shearer believes VAR will remain because of the money provided by the football authorities, who are also under fire. His remarks follow further controversy during Arsenal’s match against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Shearer said to the podcast The Rest Is Football, “We’re stuck with it (VAR).” “We’ve overexposed ourselves on it. I am aware that it hasn’t been utilized as instructed or hasn’t performed nearly as effectively as it should have.
