Fan groups to meet with Premier League over VAR concerns
Tuesday 29 October 2019 11:18, UK
Football fans' representatives will demand answers from the Premier League on how they plan to improve the communication of VAR decisions inside stadiums.
Supporters from eight Premier League clubs will meet the league's executive director, Bill Bush, on Tuesday to ask if fans can be better informed, using screens and public address systems.
"The communication inside stadia is simply not good enough and is not what we were promised at the start of the season," said a spokesman for the Football Supporters' Association, which boasts 500,000 members.
"We attended a presentation at Stockley Park (VAR Headquarters) at the start of the season and we believed there was going to be more explanation on the big screens. Fans are not being helped.
"VAR is here to stay, so we need to find a way for it to work for everyone."
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Supporters continue to voice their concerns over VAR at matches, with decisions being overturned without explanation.
Earlier this month, Brighton chief executive Paul Barber wrote to the Premier League asking them to address the "nonsense" where fans in stadiums are being kept in the dark over VAR decisions.
"Imagine going to the theatre and not being able to hear one of the characters," Barber said.
"If fans feel they will have a better understanding of what's going on by watching the game at home, then that's not going to be good for the game in general."
Premier League clubs could seek greater use of VAR monitors
Premier League clubs could push for increased use of pitchside monitors by referees when they gather for a shareholders' meeting on November 14.
There have been increasing calls for the on-pitch official to have the final say on decisions by using the monitors after a series of debatable incidents.
It is understood that the policy to use the monitors sparingly was endorsed by top-flight clubs, managers and captains to keep the game flowing when they were consulted over the issue before the season, and again at their last meeting in September.
Interventions made by the video assistant referee (VAR) over the weekend attracted criticism, with Arsenal having what would have been a winning goal by Sokratis Papastathopoulos ruled out by the VAR for a foul in the build-up.
Officials from referees body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) are due to meet on Thursday but this is understood to simply be a routine weekly gathering rather than something prompted by any specific incidents.
It is unlikely any noticeable change in policy on the use of pitchside monitors - which have not been utilised once in 100 Premier League matches so far - would come in advance of the shareholders' meeting.
