23 November 2023 , 21:52
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The Premier League is so desperate to sort out VAR it has taken the drastic action of calling in British Airways pilots for help.
The system has been savaged this season following a string of high-profile blunders, most notably during the Tottenham vs Liverpool clash in September. Wrongly thinking that a goal from Luis Diaz had been allowed to stand despite him being flagged offside, officials at Stockley Park ordered referee Simon Hooper that the decision be upheld before belatedly realising their error.
This month's clash between Newcastle and Arsenal also proved controversial, with Anthony Gordon's winner allowed to stand despite three potential infringements in the build-up. PGMOL chief Howard Webb has taken to releasing audio from divisive decisions in a bid to be more transparent to fans, but it's prompted mixed responses.
And now The Times has reported that qualified pilots presided over a presentation to top-flight referees with the view of helping them communicate with more clarity under pressure. Chris Heaven and Pete Nataraj addressed a group of officials and stressed the need to keep dialogue short and clear.
They also advised that informal talk, as well as congratulatory exchanges after a decision, should be stamped out. The two pilots also underlined how they have to communicate with a series of people in different roles before taking off, focusing only on what's imperative to discuss.
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Top-flight referees were also told that when a pilot is landing abroad, a short communication process is even more crucial due to potential language barriers. And Heaven and Nataraj also stressed that how each official involved was addressed needed to be decided in advance, to avoid further confusion.
VAR officials are taking advice from air pilots (Jürgen Fromme/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Should VAR be binned? Comment below.
The 45-minute session was requested by Webb, in order to help his refs work more concisely under pressure. And it was reportedly well received by those present, with the Premier League to resume this weekend following the international break.
Webb, who took charge of the 2014 World Cup final, this month admitted he was targeting better dialogue between those in charge on the pitch and those operating VAR. Speaking on Mic’d Up, he said: "We're asking the VARs, going forward with our instruction to have a look at it, to see where the considerations sit and if they don't like the decision on the field, ask the referee what they saw.
"And if it's significantly different to what's been shown on the video, then recommend a review so that the referee can go to the screen and look at it again for himself. The starting point that the VAR thinks it's a clear error."