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The Sports Buff is a family-friendly website, but three words in the world of football are close to profanity. Video Assistant Referee or VAR as it’s commonly known.

VAR is as literal as it sounds, it’s video assistance for the referee.

After incidents such as Frank Lampard’s goal against Germany being disallowed, the calls for technology in football have been loud.

Goal line technology has seamlessly fitted into not just English football, but into football across the globe.

The same can’t be said with VAR. Why it doesn’t, it’s baffling.
Football and technology not being compatible with each other isn’t entirely true, especially since there is the example of goal-line technology, which works nearly perfectly.

The need to mention this point is to dispel issues that some have raised about VAR and that it won’t work as football isn’t compatible with technology.

What the real issue is, is implementation, and how the people are using the technology. Yesterday’s evening game between Spurs and Liverpool quite simply was ruined by VAR.

Do I sound like a bitter football fan? Well, I am not a Liverpool fan I have you know, but even I was bemused by Simon Hooper’s (yesterday’s referee) performance.

Not only did Mr Hooper and co disallow a good goal and didn’t use the tech to rescind the decision, but they incorrectly sent a Liverpool player off (Curtis Jones).

The Liverpool man was sent off for a tackle on Yves Bissouma, which was initially given as a yellow, as Jones got some of the ball.

Hooper was instructed to look at the monitor and instead of booking Curtis Jones, which would have been the correct decision in the opinion of many, the referee decided to send him off!

What promised to be a good game was ruined by the referee, with barely a quarter of the game gone. VAR if used correctly and efficiently can be football’s saviour.

O and Manchester United have been robbed by VAR decisions too, like they were in their game against Crystal Palace.

Wolves were hard done by when your side pinched an unconvincing 1-0 win at old Trafford. They too like Liverpool got an apology. Ok, thank you, but that doesn’t remove a loss and potential three points.

I thought I would mention that, as we’re inclusive like that here at The Sports Buff.

What VAR is currently, is a laughing stock. Rugby and cricket although not always perfect are more good than bad.

I will leave you with this, VAR was so bad yesterday in the Liverpool game, PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Ltd), issued a statement mentioning how badly they got it wrong. Ouch.

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