Football is evolving and as competitions become keener, so are the errors. FIFA, in an attempt to rid the competition off some of those errors, has undertaken some initiatives with the aid of technology, which the football governing body believes would help make the game better.
FIFA introduced Goal Line Technology a few months ago which has received positive response across the globe, with the latest being the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). The VAR though has been met with a myriad of reactions from football players, coaches and fans alike. Whereas some see it as a good innovation, others consider it as a nuisance and an attempt to make football overly scientific.
The VAR technology which was approved in June 2016 has been tried in a number of competitions with the Australia A-league being the first professional league to adopt this technology.
The technology looks at four critical situations in football. Firstly it will review penalty decisions, check Red card decisions, goals and whether there was a violation in the build up and lastly mistaken identity in awarding a yellow or red card.
Samuel Amoesi of Onua FM collated some comments made by some coaches and players.
France head coach Didier Deschamp’s comments after his team scored but was disallowed, but Gerard Deulefeu’s goal for Spain supposedly offside was ruled a correct goal .His team lost by 2-0, in a friendly between Spain and France.
“It is verified and it is fair, why not. It changes our football a little. It is against us today, but if we have to go through this, it will be the same for everyone.
“It is the evolution of football. That is how it will be.”
Coach of Chile Juan Antonio Pizza’s comment about the VAR when it ruled out Eduardo Vargas’ goal against Cameroon in the ongoing FIFA confederation Cup on the stroke of half time:
“We are conditioned to having an immediate emotional reaction in football,” Pizzi said after the match. “We went from a high of having finally broken the deadlock to, 20 seconds later, going into the dressing room at 0-0. Players play on emotion, they channel it, it’s what drives them. When you have that sort of emotional comedown, it can have a major effect in the dressing room. It did for us, anyway.”
