FA chief executive Martin Glenn expects Premier League to introduce VAR
Sunday 4 March 2018 22:27, UK
FA chief executive Martin Glenn expects the Premier League to introduce Video Assistant Referees (VAR) after the system's permanent use was approved by lawmakers this weekend.
The system is being trialled in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, with Premier League clubs expected to discuss technology for match officials at a meeting next month.
"I genuinely feel with the Premier League it's not a question of if but when," said Glenn, following a meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in Zurich. "You need to get more experience and the only way to get more experience is to commit to do it.
"It's the Premier League's decision whether to introduce VAR. They have in my view chosen correctly not to be early adopters because why wouldn't you let other people find things out.
"The Premier League is the most lucrative league in the world so the consequence of a bad implementation of VAR is quite bad but likewise the consequence of not ever running VAR when the stakes are so high, someone getting relegated on the back of a refereeing error, which will happen, that could have been eliminated by VAR is a big deal as well."
He added: "We have six more games - three quarters, the semis and the final - doing VAR and the two England friendlies and that's it. That's actually still not that many, and you only get better at doing these things if you do more of them and the data you see from Germany, Italy and Portugal is pretty compelling and they are all big time in favour of it.
"They may want to take another year to do it but I think it will come in at some time for sure. I'm not going to force it down anyone's throat."
The Premier League confirmed it is "open to considering new technology" but a decision has yet to be made over whether to introduce video referees next season.
A Premier League spokesperson told Sky Sports News: "The Premier League notes IFAB's decision. We are open to considering new technology that assists match officials without disrupting the flow of the game, and are monitoring closely the Video Assistant Referee trials being conducted in other competitions.
"The evidence and learning provided by those trials will inform further discussions with our clubs later this season."
VAR is expected to be used in some domestic competitions next season after a review of trials.
"When the FA Cup has finished we will do a review and decide whether to have it for next season, though I think we probably will," said Glenn.
The FA has also revealed it will consider trialling the use of red and yellow cards to managers who display poor behaviour on the touchline.
IFAB agreed to further trials on Saturday and tests have already taken place in some competitions, including Australia's A-League and W-League.
"It was very successful in the U17 World Cup," Glenn said. "In terms of improving touchline discipline we think it is a good idea and we will see whether we want to test it in the FA Cup or maybe lower league competitions to get a feel for how it works."
