Burnley co-owner JJ Watt has declared that “everybody hates VAR,” urging the Premier League to address their “trash” system.
The incorporation of technology into football was intended to simplify decisions for match officials and remove more contentious issues from the game.
However, that hasn’t been the case, as each round of fixtures appears to bring a fresh wave of controversy.
Nearly every club in the English top-flight, including Burnley, which is currently fighting relegation, has expressed dissatisfaction with VAR and PGMOL at some point this season. Co-owner JJ Watt claims that “everybody hates VAR,” with the NFL legend calling on the Premier League to fix their “trash” system.
The introduction of technology into football was intended to make life easier for match officials and to ensure that more contentious decisions were removed from the game. That has not been the case thus far, with each round of fixtures seemingly bringing with it a fresh round of controversy.
Just about every club in the English top-flight has had a bone to pick with VAR and PGMOL at some point this season, with Burnley, who are scrapping to avoid suffering relegation back into the Championship, falling into that category.
Clarets board member Watt, who is now passionately invested in collective efforts at Turf Moor, told The Pat McAfree Show of why change is needed: “Everybody hates VAR, that’s the problem. VAR has a chance to be successful, a chance to be good and a chance to be legitimate. But everybody hates it because it’s so subjective at the moment.
“We refuse to use the technology that the World Cup uses, which is very clear cut for offside. There is so much stuff that could be good about VAR, but right now it’s trash; it’s a problem; it’s costing people points and costing people enjoyment, taking away from the game. VAR at the moment is terrible and it needs to be fixed; that’s just a fact. The Premier League needs to fix it. VAR is a problem; get it fixed.”
Burnley is currently on its winter break, with the Clarets set to return to action in a visit to reigning champions Manchester City on January 31. Their upcoming fixtures include facing Liverpool and Arsenal, and there is a possibility that Watt will be returning to the United States for those games alongside his wife, former USWNT star Kealia.