Time for football to adapt to the use of VAR and take a look at the laws of the game

Football is now firmly in the Video Assistant Referee age and as much as one might want to scrap it, it is here to stay. The least that can be done is to adapt the laws of the game to make the best of the technology.

The introduction of VAR is the most significant change to football in decades, and as a result there have been minor tweaks to the interpretation of the laws but the impact on the field has been far more dramatic than most imagined.

During VAR trials in 2016, Fifa anticipated that checks would take six seconds and would be needed only once every four or five matches. If only!

That level of interference would have been acceptable but the use of VAR has become a monster of players', managers' and fan's own making.

The constant moaning about decisions, haranguing of referees and calls for technological assistance have led us to this point. Here is a plan to make the best use of VAR and improve it for the match-going supporter.

Firstly, address the disproportionate impact of penalties. As things stand the punishment often does not fit the crime and VAR has seen a dramatic increase in the number of spot-kicks awarded. That an attacking team can receive a 79 per cent chance of a goal for any infringement, deliberate or not, inside the penalty box is ludicrous. 

VAR was introduced to the Premier League four seasons ago, three of those seasons feature in the top ten for penalties awarded, and the Champions League has seen a similar increase. Three of the top four seasons for spot-kicks have come since 2019-20 when VAR was fully introduced, including a 50 per cent increase in handball penalties last season. 

Maintain penalties for deliberate fouls, handballs, violent conduct and denying of a clear goal-scoring opportunity, but awarding an indirect free-kick for a foul in a non-goalscoring position or an accidental handball would suffice. It would also give us the glorious sight of a defending team lining up on their goal line and sprinting out as an attacker launches a thunderbolt goalwards. 

That will lead to controversy about what a clear goalscoring opportunity is, or what is deliberate or not. Still, it is surely better than the ridiculous situation we are currently in.

Secondly, make matches two 30-minute halves of action. In the Premier League this season the ball-in play time is 58:32, far higher than the other major European leagues, while in League Two matches average 48 minutes of action. Guarantee 60 minutes across the board and eradicate time-wasting. 

Then here are some other simple changes that could be made:

• Introduce semi-automated offsides to the Premier League. This will not solve all the issues but will be an improvement. 
• Use goal-line technology for the entire pitch perimeter.
• Implement a ten-minute sin bin for dissent.
• Stop using still images on the pitchside monitor. The game is played at full speed so referee it as such with the use of slow-motion if required.
• Introduce an orange card, resulting in a spell in the sin bin for tactical fouls and infringements that sit between a yellow card and a sending-off. 

Fans are not after a perfect game but where improvements can be made they should be. Treat supporters in the stadiums like adults and inform them of the decisions. Show what the VAR is watching and saying to the referee and explain the outcome. This will not mean the supporters will necessarily agree with the call but at least they will understand what is happening rather than being left in the dark as an afterthought to the television audience.

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