Tony Pulis column: 'VAR has to rein its neck in' - how I'd change football for the fans

Football has become a game where the referees and VAR are more important than the actual game itself. This is largely due to the extensive television coverage and forensic analysis that has brought about VAR, which was initially intended to rectify clear and obvious refereeing mistakes.

The use of VAR has led to an increase in stoppages throughout the game, with every phase of play being checked for even the slightest of incidents. This has resulted in games being delayed for extended periods as officials deliberate over decisions made by on-field referees.

The problem lies not with the technology itself but with how it is used and its impact on the overall experience of the game. Referees are now under immense scrutiny, with VAR often overshadowing the actual action on the pitch. This has led to a culture where officiating is seen as more important than the game itself.

To alleviate this issue, Pulis advocates for limiting VAR's use to only the most egregious errors and introducing a strict two-minute time limit for reviews. He also suggests including an ex-professional player in the VAR booth to provide a different perspective on decisions.

Furthermore, Pulis believes that referees should be made invisible again by reducing the emphasis on refereeing decisions and focusing more on goals scored or conceded. The current laws have led to a plethora of subjective interpretations, making it difficult for officials to make accurate calls.

The issue at hand is not with VAR technology but with how it has altered the dynamics of the game. To restore the essence of football, Pulis proposes simplifying the rules and letting players compete rather than worrying about officiating decisions. This approach would allow fans to enjoy the game without the constant interruptions caused by VAR reviews.

Ultimately, Pulis' suggestions aim to strike a balance between technology and tradition, allowing referees to focus on their core responsibility: enforcing the laws of the game. By limiting VAR's use and introducing more simplicity to refereeing, we can reclaim football as a beautiful sport that is both entertaining and enjoyable for everyone involved.
 
I'm so over this VAR drama 🀯! It feels like they're more concerned with getting it right than actually playing the game. Newsflash, guys: football isn't just about being perfect, it's about strategy, skill, and excitement! The constant stoppages are killing me 😩. I mean, what's the point of having a referee if you're just gonna debate every little thing? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ Pulis has some solid ideas though - less VAR, more focus on goals, and maybe a player or two in the booth to give them some context would be great! πŸ€” Let's get back to what matters: scoring goals and enjoying the ride! ⚽️
 
I don’t usually comment but... I feel like Pulis has a point 😊. It's gotten to the point where you're more worried about who's gonna get sent off than actually watching the game 🏟️. And yeah, those VAR reviews can be really frustrating and take ages, it feels like you've lost an hour of your life ⏰. I think simplifying the rules would be a good idea, it'd allow players to just play the game and have fun without all that extra pressure πŸ€Έβ€β™‚οΈ. And having someone in the VAR booth who's played the game before would definitely give you a different perspective πŸ’‘. It's all about finding that balance between tech and tradition, right? βš–οΈ
 
omg u dont wanna watch a match anymore cuz of all those stoppages?? i feel u! its like the refs are just a bunch of noobs trying 2 make the right call lol. but seriously, pulis has some good points about simplifying the rules n focusing on the goals scored. btw, wut happend 2 all that time wen players cud just play n enjoy? now its all bout who can get da most time out of VAR. i wish pulis' suggestions would b implemented ASAP so we cn go back 2 watching a game without all those annoying reviews πŸ€”πŸ€
 
VAR is takin' over the game πŸ†πŸ˜©, and it's gettin' old. It's like, what's the point of watchin' a match if everythin' stops every 5 secs? πŸ•°οΈ I'm all for helpin' out with bad calls, but do we really need to slow down the whole game? Can't they just trust the refs to get it right most times? πŸ€”
 
omg u think var has gone 2 far lol its like they r more worried bout lookin good on tv than lettin the players play lol Pulis makes total sense tho! i mean if VARs only used 4 super obvious errors we could get back 2 the flow of the game. & idk wut ppl dont get about ex-pros in var booths lol they cud bring a diff perspective & make it more transparent 4 us fans. btw, referees shdnt b so stressed bout makin calls all day its like dey r tryna be heroes or sumthin lol lets just let dem do their thing & focus on scorelin!! πŸ‘
 
I totally agree with what Pulis is saying here πŸ€”. The VAR thing has taken over the game and it's just not fun anymore πŸ˜’. I mean, you're out there watching your favorite team play and they make a good point but then the ref or VAR throws it back to zero and it's like "wait, what?" πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. It's all about the drama now instead of the actual game. And the delays! Ugh, I've lost count of how many games have been delayed because of some tiny call. It's just not right 😑.

I think Pulis has some good ideas here πŸ‘. Limiting VAR to only major mistakes and having an ex-pro in the booth could really help. And yeah, referees need to be invisible again πŸ™Œ. The game is about skill and teamwork, not just about who can spot a tiny infringement πŸ”.

We need to simplify the rules and let players play πŸ€. It's all about the excitement and thrill of watching live football. Not this VAR drama 🀯. Pulis' idea makes sense and I'm hoping it'll get implemented soon πŸ™.
 
I feel like this is the same problem we have in exams - too much emphasis on the tiny details and not enough time for actual learning 🀯. Like, VAR's supposed to help, but it's just causing more problems than solutions. And referees are already stressed out with so many decisions to make, adding more pressure from VAR is just asking for more mistakes 😬. What Pulis says makes sense though - limiting VAR to the really obvious errors and having an ex-player in the booth could be a good idea 🀝. We need to find that balance between tech and tradition, you know?
 
I think VAR should be banned altogether πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ. I mean, what's next? Are we gonna bring in robots to make decisions on the pitch too? πŸ€– It's already getting ridiculous with all these stoppages and delays. And let's be real, most of those VAR reviews are just a bunch of nonsense πŸ€ͺ. The game should be about the players, not about nitpicking every little thing. Simplifying the rules is key if we wanna get back to what football is all about - pure, unadulterated competition ⚽️.
 
I'm so done with all these stoppages in play πŸ™„πŸ€. I mean, I get it, mistakes happen, but come on! It's like they're more worried about winning the prize for "most interruptions" than actually enjoying the game πŸ˜‚. Pulis has some good points tho, like simplifying the rules and giving refs a break from all this scrutiny 🀯. And yeah, that ex-pro player in the VAR booth sounds like a solid idea πŸ‘. I just wish they could find a way to balance tech with tradition without making it feel like officiating is more important than the actual game πŸ€”.
 
I feel me πŸ€”... The thing is, when we get too caught up in trying to fix everything, we end up fixing nothing. VAR's like that, it was meant to help but now it's becoming this major part of the game. We gotta remember why we started playing football in the first place – for fun! 😊 Not just sitting there waiting for a review to be made. I think Pulis is right on with his ideas, simplifying the rules and letting players compete would bring back that pure energy of the game. We need to strike a balance between tech and tradition, not let one overshadow the other 🀝
 
I don't think it's all bad πŸ€”... I mean, VAR has definitely made some questionable calls, but at least it's forcing officials to review things more carefully. It's just that sometimes the tech takes over and the game gets slowed down, you know? 😐 Like, I'm not saying referees aren't doing their job, but maybe we need a bit of a shake-up on how they're being judged too? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ

I think limiting VAR to only super obvious errors is a good start. And yeah, having an ex-pro in the booth could bring some fresh eyes to the table 😊. It's not like the game needs a bunch of new rules or anything, just maybe we need to focus more on what really matters: scoring goals and having fun πŸ†πŸ’š
 
man i'm so done with how the game has become all about the refs and VAR 🀯!! its like they're more important than the actual players out there on the pitch u know? i mean what's the point of even having a game if ur just gonna stop every 2 seconds to review some tiny thing that probably isn't even worth calling πŸ™„

i'm all for innovation and stuff but come on ppl we don't need var to fix every little mistake its like they're trying to control the game too much u know? Pulis is on point tho with his ideas maybe it's time we limit var to only the really big mistakes and have an ex pro in the booth to give a different perspective 🀝

and can we pls just simplify the rules already?? ref focus on goals scored or conceded not all this subjective stuff that has no place in the game πŸ™„ it's like they're more worried about being right than actually enjoying the game for fans sake lol anywayz gotta say i'm with Pulis on this one πŸ‘
 
I'm so sick of how much time is wasted with all those VAR reviews πŸ™„... it's like they're trying to drive me crazy! Can't they just leave the refs alone and let them do their job? I mean, what's the point of even having VAR if it's just gonna slow down the game even more? And don't even get me started on how ridiculous it is when you gotta wait for two minutes just to find out if that was a foul or not 🀯... it's like they're making us all wait in suspense for no reason. I think Pulis has some decent ideas, though - maybe having an ex-player in the VAR booth could add some sanity to those reviews πŸ˜‚. But honestly, can't we just go back to how things were before VAR was even a thing? Like, what's wrong with a good ol' fashioned refereeing decision without all that tech fussing about? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ
 
OMG did you guys watch that crazy tennis match last week? Like, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time 🎾😲. And have you tried that new coffee shop downtown? Their iced lattes are to die for πŸ’›πŸ‘Œ. Anyway, back to football... I'm so tired of all these stoppages in play. It's like, can't we just let the players play already? 😩 I mean, I get it, VAR is there to help and all that, but come on, a two-minute review limit would be amazing πŸ™ŒπŸΌ. And an ex-pro player in the booth sounds like a genius idea! Maybe they could even have a "player's corner" where we can see the footage again if we want 😊. I'm so down for simplifying the rules and letting the game breathe again πŸ‘.
 
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