VAR Must Rein Its Neck In to Save Football’s Spirit

Published: 12 November 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online

After more than 50 years in football—as a player, coach, and manager in what I still believe is the world’s greatest team sport—I’ve seen countless changes on and off the pitch. But one thing remains constant: football belongs to the fans.

There’s a reason legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once called football “the people’s game.” Today’s supporters spend huge sums on season tickets, replica shirts, and long journeys up and down the country to support their teams. That’s why any change to the game must start with what benefits the fans—not administrators or broadcasters.

My biggest frustration is that referees and VAR have become more important than the game itself. VAR is here to stay, but it needs to rein its neck in.

Television has transformed football—bringing in massive investment, improving facilities, and attracting the world’s best talent. But with it came forensic replays, pundit panels, and eventually, VAR. It was meant to correct obvious mistakes like Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” or Thierry Henry’s handball against Ireland in 2009. Used properly, VAR could have been a blessing.

Instead, it’s become an obsession. Referees now wear microphones and body cameras, and every goal seems followed by long pauses while Stockley Park examines every possible infringement. Celebrations are subdued, and fans are left waiting in confusion.

Decisions that seem obvious to anyone watching take several minutes to confirm. That’s why I believe any VAR review should last no longer than two minutes. If it takes longer, it’s not “clear and obvious”—and if the officials can’t decide quickly, they shouldn’t be there.

Each VAR booth should also include an ex-professional—someone who’s played or managed at a high level. They might not know every law perfectly, but they understand the rhythm and flow of the game far better than a pure official.

Timekeeping also needs reform. Every match should have a visible clock that stops for injuries, VAR delays, or deliberate time-wasting. Then everyone in the stadium would know exactly how long remains—no more guessing at stoppage time.

I sometimes laugh remembering my Premier League days—if we were beating one of the big clubs, there’d always be five minutes added; if we were losing, it was three.

Referees are too prominent now. They’re controlled by governing bodies, micromanaged by laws that make their jobs harder, and often scapegoated for chaos they didn’t create. We must make referees “invisible” again, as they once were—facilitators, not protagonists.

The offside and handball rules have become so convoluted that even experts disagree. After Manchester City’s recent win over Liverpool, all anyone talked about was Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal. Once upon a time, offside was clear-cut. Now it’s about “interfering with play” and “lines of sight.”

Likewise, no one really knows what constitutes handball anymore. The rules have become so subjective that consistency is impossible.

It’s time to simplify football again—to restore its joy, spontaneity, and humanity. Fans should be talking about goals, not waiting nervously for VAR checks or dissecting refereeing interpretations. Let’s bring the game back to the people and stop overcomplicating what was once so beautifully simple.