I prefer the illuminated “strip-lit conference room” to the dimly lit backstreet parlour where your arguments originate Sean. The whole point of VAR is to bring more fairness to the decisions made and the only sensible questions relate to the application and use of VAR. Those trying to argue that it shouldn’t even exist are defenders of a status quo that has enabled corrupt ‘officials’ to manipulate the results of games to suit their own agendas.
VAR was used during the Russia World Cup, to widespread acclaim. It resolved many contentious points and the only disappoinment was that it wasn’t used more, to sort out the MMA that went on in penalty areas during corners and free kicks.
We have seen so many controversial situations over the years, from whether the England goal completely crossed the line (I have hated Hunt since that day because, as the nearest player, all he had to do was stick out his foot and remove all possible doubts, instead of raising his hands in elation and turning away; likewise Hurst - hero to villain - for letting the ball run between him and the post because he thought the 3rd goal that would’ve finished Germany off in 1970 was going in anyway) to how the match officials were apparently the only ones in the stadium who didn’t realise Maradona had put the ball in with his hand, and I can only think it’s your modern media mentality that considers ‘interesting talking points’ to outweigh ‘fair result’.
What is more, a rule such as offside can only reasonably be monitored using technology, since it requires the linesman to be looking simultaneously along the back line of the defence and at the player on the ball. Often they are far apart and by the time a head is turned everything has changed and perhaps a player who was onside is now one-on-one against the keeper. It’s an impossible task and the amazing thing is that they get it right so often. I greatly admire that, but they should never be asked to perform that task without technological back-up, since we have it
I do appreciate that you don’t want football to turn into the sort of media farce much American sport has become, but there are ways to combat that, such as banning commercial interruptions (there’s a reason so many people use equipment that edits out or jumps the commercial breaks) and perhaps limiting the total number and/or time VAR can be used (like other sports have limited reviews). But the discussions really have to be about how to improve the technological assistance to ensure greater fairness but without interrupting too much of the flow of the game. Until you take that on board you are indeed a Luddite — with all due respect ;o)