The day the Premier League gave the green light to introduce VAR I waved a red flag and warned it would become VARcical.
On so many occasions since 2019 it has been just that. Now it has gone beyond farce or shambles. It feels almost criminal.
West Ham’s last gasp ‘equaliser’ against Arsenal on Sunday is likely to have finally condemned the Hammers to relegation and delivered the title to the Gunners.
Obviously we know these scenarios are not just down to this one heinous decision, but the perception is that the outcome of the season has now been forever tainted.
Tainted by a made-for-TV blunt instrument that should have never been introduced in the first place: Video Assistant Referee.
At this point I must declare an interest. My team is West Ham. But this outrage goes way beyond any biased grievance.
It’s about the soul of football. If so called science runs the show then you may as well watch an AI generated game.
VAR will cut out controversy, they said. Improve consistency. Make for a better spectacle. More entertainment. Be fairer. Balderdash.
Actually it has created more bitter contention. It has made things worse.
Events at the London Stadium on Sunday seem like a Rubicon moment.
Just to emphasise that VAR was brought in to judge marginal offside calls and adjudicate on matters of foul play around goals or penalty decisions, if it appeared the ref had made a CLEAR AND OBVIOUS ERROR. Trojan Horse promises.
It’s long gone way beyond that remit.
In real time the only doubt about Callum Wilson’s stoppage time ‘equaliser’ was whether the ball had crossed the line.
Goal line technology - which to be fair has worked superbly - instantly told us it had.
So referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the centre circle and we had a wonderful moment of sporting drama with nothing else to worry about.
Sure, there had been a coming together of plenty of players as the Gunners keeper David Reya fumbled a corner, but nothing clearly or obviously remiss just like plenty of Arsenal goals from set pieces this season.
Suddenly though the PGMOL tech bros decided they needed to muscle in on the action and run an Inspector Clouseau style forensic check, feverishly determined to solve a murder with no dead body or smoking gun.
A zillion replays from numerous angles. But still they needed more time. Five minutes to make up their minds that, in the opinion of the PGMOL nerds, Pablo’s outstretched arm as he jumped had impeded Reya, with a freeze frame as dubious DNA evidence proof.
Evidence still not beyond reasonable doubt however - indeed an opinion espoused by many in the game is that it wasn’t even a foul since physical contact is not automatically an infringement. If you want that, go watch basketball.
Certainly, if it took more than a minute to decide it could NOT be Clear and Obvious.
Five minutes! Marvin Gaye’s seminal protest single “What’s Going On” was 3min 48 seconds. And that got to the heart of the Vietnam War.
What the hell is going on with VAR and its dubious gatekeeper , PGMOL - Professional Game Match Officials LTD?
A limited company? For profit ? An ever expanding payroll? It stinks.
What became crystal clear during the chaotic reruns is that just before the alleged clashpoint, two West Ham players were clearly and obviously being rugby tackled by Arsenal defenders.
So if the phase of play was being dissected in full, ALL the evidence should have been taken into account and there would have been two options open to the ref
1). Consider the evidence NOT clear and obvious. Goal stands.
OR:
2). Goal disallowed due to player interference on the goalkeeper. Therefore penalty to West Ham due to two Arsenal fouls in the box.
But refs now have to put up with something worse than being taunted as ‘That w........r in black.’ They are, in effect, Eunuchs.
In justifying their decision PGMOL, hardly for the first time, actually undermined its own integrity and the credibility of VAR with a gibberish statement, part of which said other fouls in the melee were not as significant. Really!
This by the same geeks who often this season - not least in favour of Arsenal at set pieces - have legitimised degrees of ‘grappling’ and ‘blocking’ which, when blatant, are not allowed according to the LAWS OF THE GAME.
But actually do we really want all this passion killing, semantic debate?
That leads us back to the stink: Are those running VAR simply not fit for purpose?
And how safe is VAR from outside interference?
When VAR came in, I glibly questioned how long it would be before clubs would have lawyers joining linesmen on the sidelines.
Could this ‘crime scene’ prompt legal action from West Ham or Manchester City given the implications ?
After all, as pointed out, PGMOL is a LTD company so could it be exposed to corporate High Court litigation rather than a Premier League inquiry?
Despite my ire around what feels like a massive miscarriage of justice, I hope not. But something has to be done.
And here is a simple question I ask - especially to those fans who attend matches but are left in the dark when the VAR button is pressed and emotions are put on agonizing pause: Is PL football as a sport and entertainment better with VAR - YES or NO ?
If the overwhelming answer is NO. then it’s time to kick it into Row Z.
I for one say, for the good of the game, Go - End this VARce now. Otherwise Video Will Kill The Football Star.