VAR fetched

Video technology was hailed as the saviour of football, until the next day when it was a shambles. Maybe the change we really need is in the culture of blaming the referee.

- Sean Cole

The first goal ever awarded on the basis of review by the video assistant referee (VAR) was heralded as a truly historic moment and a triumph of modern technology. Leicester City were playing Fleetwood Town in an FA Cup third-round replay at the King Power Stadium when it happened.

Already leading 1-0, Riyad Mahrez threaded the ball through to Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored. The flag was raised on the far side and celebrations were cut short. An additional shrill peep of Jon Moss’s whistle followed and he raised his hand to his ear, proceeding to discuss the decision with video assistant referee Mike Jones, who was holed up in a London office around 100 miles away.

Following a 67-second delay, Moss signalled the shape of a TV screen and reversed the decision. Fleetwood now had to kick off from two goals behind. After the game, the club’s manager, Uwe Rösler, expressed his reservations about the system. “Some situations you can’t be 100 per cent on VAR – is the decision right or wrong?” he said. “My opinion is don’t complicate the game – it’s beautiful as it is. People try to make it different for some reason. I don’t like it, it interrupts the flow. Today we were on the wrong side but in general I don’t like it.”