This has gone way too VAR now!
| Published date | 24 April 2024 |
| Publication title | Birmingham Mail (England) |
The one thing that could possibly change my mind, as I have advocated many times in this column, is the use of ex-players.
The latest example of VAR causing anger, debate and a sense of injustice was the decision that cost Coventry a place in the FA Cup final. It was nothing short of scandalous.
How can the length of a "toe" be classed as a clear and obvious error by the referee? The offside laws are there to stop attackers having an unfair advantage. Please, will someone at the PGMOL explain how that "toe" length was an advantage to Coventry.
It ruined one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the FA Cup and confirmed that VAR has taken the soul and romance out of the game.
I felt for Coventry boss Mark Robins, who consoled every Sky Blues player who did not score his penalty in the shoot-out. He is a manager you would definitely go to war for. He has done a truly remarkable job in getting the team to the semifinals of the Cup and also on the verge of the promotion play-offs in the Championship under some very difficult financial circumstances during his time at the club.
Will someone PGMOL that "toe'' an advantage. one of the comebacks history FA
He joined in March 2017 but could not prevent them from slipping into League Two. Since then: 2016/17: Relegated to League Two. Won the EFL Trophy beating Oxford at Wembley; 2017/18: Promoted through the play-offs to League One; 2018/19: Finished eighth in League One; 2019/20: Promoted as champions of League One to the Championship (while ground-sharing with Blues); 2020/21: Finished 16th in the Championship (while ground-sharing with Blues); 2021/22: Finished 12th in the Championship; 2022/23: Finished in the play-off places but lost out; 2023/24: FA Cup semi-final. Currently eighth with four games to go.
That is a terrific record. Robins and every single Sky Blues supporter has a right to be very angry, hurt and aggrieved with the VAR.
While on the subject, Nottingham Forest have put themselves in the firing line and will almost certainly face FA charges for their accusations of bias against the VAR (Stuart Attwell), who was in charge of their Premier League game at Everton.
Forest issued a statement accusing
Attwell of being a Luton supporter after three appeals for penalties were turned down. Attwell agreed with the referee who waved away the...
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