‘This is an absolute disgrace’ – VAR chaos at Bournemouth leaves broadcasters furious
Bournemouth and Wolves fans both made their feelings known during a chaotic, seven-minute VAR review in their FA Cup clash. Players from both teams were left confused as officials conducted a lengthy review into Milos Kerkez’s goal. Kerkez thought he had doubled Bournemouth’s lead against WolvesGetty Images - Getty It took around eight minutes for VAR to rule out the goalAFP or licensors The full-back thought he had doubled the Cherries’ lead after scoring at the back post. Evanilson had already put Andoni Iraola’s side in front after 30 minutes. However, a VAR review into a possible handball and offside followed, only for the decision to take around seven minutes to be reached. It is understood the delay was caused by the semi-automated offside technology at the Vitality Stadium not working. The incident was met with chants of ‘this is embarrassing’ and ‘it’s not football anymore’ from both home and away supporters, while players were forced to do drills to stay warm. Veteran commentator Ian Danter, covering the game live for talkSPORT 2, called on the PGMOL to ditch VAR once and for all. “Get rid of it,” Danter said. “Get rid of VAR. I don’t care who I upset when I say that, but it’s got to go from this game. “It is a useless commodity in the game, adding a layer of subjectivity onto another layer of subjectivity. “It’s pathetic. It’s a waste of money. It’s part of the PGMOL gravy train to keep people employed who otherwise wouldn’t be working on a Saturday afternoon. “It is about as much use as a broken pencil.” Danter labelled the VAR check an absolute disgrace Match Stats The semi-automated technology had been introduced to English football for the first time from the fifth round onwards. But the VAR officials were forced to draw the lines instead to reach their decision. There were also reports of issues with communications between referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR. They were finally able to rule the goal out for VAR before Kavanagh’s microphone initially did not work as he went to announce the decision. Officials are also now announcing the results of VAR checks to the stadium when a decision is overturned. The delay from the goal review prompted seven minutes of added time at the end of the first half. The Cherries’ goal was finally disallowed for offsideRex Features Watching the chaos unfold, talkSPORT host Adrian Durham labelled the farce an ‘absolute disgrace’. Speaking on GameDay Live, he said: “All we’ve got on our screen is checking possible offside. “I personally can’t see it. I don’t know why they’re taking so long. They’ve drawn lines already. “I mean this, ‘it’s not football anymore’ is another song and seriously they really should just stop VAR right now. “Just withdraw from it and try to see if there’s a better way of doing it because this is an absolute disgrace. “We’re in the middle of a great game and now we’ve got to wait five minutes because somebody in a box at Stockley Park can’t do the job properly.” Meanwhile, ex-Arsenal winger Perry Groves insisted VAR was sucking the enjoyment out of football. Groves said: “This is not football anymore and we sound like dinosaurs, [but] I don’t like VAR because it takes the joy out of the game and the spontaneity. “That’s exactly what we’ve seen here today.”
Bournemouth and Wolves fans both made their feelings known during a chaotic, seven-minute VAR review in their FA Cup clash.
Players from both teams were left confused as officials conducted a lengthy review into Milos Kerkez’s goal.
The full-back thought he had doubled the Cherries’ lead after scoring at the back post.
Evanilson had already put Andoni Iraola’s side in front after 30 minutes.
However, a VAR review into a possible handball and offside followed, only for the decision to take around seven minutes to be reached.
It is understood the delay was caused by the semi-automated offside technology at the Vitality Stadium not working.
The incident was met with chants of ‘this is embarrassing’ and ‘it’s not football anymore’ from both home and away supporters, while players were forced to do drills to stay warm.
Veteran commentator Ian Danter, covering the game live for talkSPORT 2, called on the PGMOL to ditch VAR once and for all.
“Get rid of it,” Danter said. “Get rid of VAR. I don’t care who I upset when I say that, but it’s got to go from this game.
“It is a useless commodity in the game, adding a layer of subjectivity onto another layer of subjectivity.
“It’s pathetic. It’s a waste of money. It’s part of the PGMOL gravy train to keep people employed who otherwise wouldn’t be working on a Saturday afternoon.
“It is about as much use as a broken pencil.”
The semi-automated technology had been introduced to English football for the first time from the fifth round onwards.
But the VAR officials were forced to draw the lines instead to reach their decision.
There were also reports of issues with communications between referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR.
They were finally able to rule the goal out for VAR before Kavanagh’s microphone initially did not work as he went to announce the decision.
Officials are also now announcing the results of VAR checks to the stadium when a decision is overturned.
The delay from the goal review prompted seven minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
Watching the chaos unfold, talkSPORT host Adrian Durham labelled the farce an ‘absolute disgrace’.
Speaking on GameDay Live, he said: “All we’ve got on our screen is checking possible offside.
“I personally can’t see it. I don’t know why they’re taking so long. They’ve drawn lines already.
“I mean this, ‘it’s not football anymore’ is another song and seriously they really should just stop VAR right now.
“Just withdraw from it and try to see if there’s a better way of doing it because this is an absolute disgrace.
“We’re in the middle of a great game and now we’ve got to wait five minutes because somebody in a box at Stockley Park can’t do the job properly.”
Meanwhile, ex-Arsenal winger Perry Groves insisted VAR was sucking the enjoyment out of football.
Groves said: “This is not football anymore and we sound like dinosaurs, [but] I don’t like VAR because it takes the joy out of the game and the spontaneity.
“That’s exactly what we’ve seen here today.”
