Five basic principles to make VAR a success

Although the record-breaking transfer of Neymar has dominated the sports pages over the summer months, one of the biggest debates in the game has been the practicality of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) following its introduction at various levels. From confusion at the Confederations Cup to moments of mixed reaction in Major League Soccer, there is no doubt that VAR requires some serious fine-tuning if it is to ever become a popular part of the beautiful game.

Traditionalists will frown as the basic principles of the game slip further away from the grassroots, but with the financial implications of success and failure at the top level at unprecedented levels, it is inconceivable for crucial decisions to still hinge on the opinion of the referee when the technology is available to eliminate the chance of error.

The introduction of goal-line technology paved the way for further developments in this area, and while this has been a huge success with its flawless and instant calls, using VAR is already proving to be a very different animal to control.

So, if we are to embrace this latest development in a positive way, this is the time to ensure that it is introduced in the best possible way. There are already a number of different procedures in place for making VAR calls, and while these themselves have caused controversy in certain quarters, there are a few basic principles that the decision makers of the game must follow to make sure football doesn't suffer in its search for perfection.

#5 VAR must make refereeing a team game

The arrival of VAR must eventually eradicate confrontation between players and referees

Football is a team game, and even the greatest creative and attacking players in the world cannot succeed without a solid defence behind them. The various elements that make up the perfect team must combine in harmony to bring the best out of each other, and the various strengths and weaknesses must be considered in the thousands of decisions made by players during the course of a game.

In addition, a team of players must have trust in each other to perform each of their chosen roles, and the same level of trust must apply for VAR to be a success.

There is a natural order of seniority in refereeing, and it is the whistle holder who has the final say. However, responsibility must be delegated accordingly. Those officials chosen to watch the match on a monitor away from the action technically have the biggest calls to make, as they are the individuals that must review the decision in question, and then report back their findings.

With regard to the aspect of trust, it is the match referee who must trust the judgement of the voices they hear following a review of the decision, and the next point explains why...

#4 VAR must not interrupt the fluidity of the game

VAR is designed to get the big decisions right

In trial situations, the match referee has stopped the game, possibly consulted with the voices in his ear, and then walked over to the side of the field to replay the action on a monitor. The players stand around and wait, the crowd sit and wait, the television commentators spout cliches without committing themselves, afraid of making the wrong call.

All eyes are fixed on the referee, and during his walk to the sideline, he will receive contrasting advice from both sets of players. This has already happened many times. This must not happen again.

The match referee does not need to watch a reply, he must trust the judgement of the officials reviewing the action from the uninterrupted comfort of their private location. He can talk with them in real time, and with the judgement taken away, there is no reason for the referee to be pressured by players or coaches as he awaits the verdict.

The game may even be continuing as the action is being reviewed unless the referee is advised to bring the match to a pause. The fluidity of the game is an aspect that cannot be lost to the introduction and advancement of technology.

#3 VAR in sport isn't new, VAR in football is new

Video technology now has a huge role in making key decisions in other sports such as tennis

The pressure to bring VAR into the game has largely come from the praise it has received in sports like cricket, tennis and rugby. The difference in these sports is that there are continuous breaks in play that make VAR a practical solution to ensuring the correct decisions are made.

However, the use of VAR in rugby is coming under scrutiny as referees find it increasingly necessary to make decisions via video replay. Any doubt in the mind of the official tends to prompt a review, and while it eradicates errors, it adds to the frustration for all involved.

But football is a very different type of sport, and with counter-attacking action providing huge drama and excitement, we cannot afford to keep stopping play to reconsider decision after decision in search of perfection. Football can use VAR to its advantage, that much is true, but the procedures for making calls in other sports should not be used as a template.

VAR in football is still in its infancy, and it is now football's responsibility to mould it into a system that works, and not let its behaviour in other sports influence how it is finally implemented.

#2 The A in VAR stands for assistant

Referees need all the help they can get

This technology is not here to replace referees, but to assist them in their decision making. When a referee is asked to make consistently correct decisions in a game between 22 players for 90 minutes it becomes a difficult task. When you add into the mix that every player is out to gain any advantage through bending, and occasionally defying the rules of the game, the difficult job can almost become impossible.

The VAR technology needs human interaction to work effectively, and while it will show the facts of the matter, it will always be open to interpretation.

Therefore, we still have to trust the referees, because even with the images in front of them, incidents can be viewed in a number of different ways. Having too many match officials on duty only adds to the range of opinions that will be offered, and the element of seniority again rears its head in the decision making process as a result.

As explained in the opening point, match officials must trust each other to make the right call in their own opinion from the information available, with VAR serving only as an assistant in the entire process.

#1 The V and R in VAR stand for Video and Referee

VAR will never replace the human connection between players, managers and match officials

Refereeing a football match at any level is a challenging and difficult task, but while the decision making and technical elements of managing a game have been heavily highlighted above, there are human aspects to consider too.

To effectively officiate, a referee must command the respect of the players and coaches involved, and there are many psychological ways of doing this. A stern warning or a quiet word together with a laugh and a joke in the early stages can all have a huge effect on the remainder of the match. It is a quality that VAR is unable to provide.

Basically, the human referee is far more important than the virtual assistant, and the thought process must be to not let VAR dictate proceedings. The match referees must remain in complete control, and how they communicate with those responsible for reviewing the action must only be to ensure that nothing significant has been clearly been missed or misinterpreted.

Will refereeing ever be perfect? No. Will VAR eradicate all wrong decisions? No. Will a world-record fee for Neymar make him the perfect player? No. Will any player ever play without making any sort of mistake? No. And that is exactly why we love it so much.