David Elleray says lessons have been learned by Premier League in first season with VAR

Former referee David Elleray believes “many lessons have been learned” by the Premier League during their implementation of Video Assistant Referees [VAR] this season.

Elleray, the technical director of football’s law-making body, expects English football’s referees to use pitchside monitors more regularly next season.

Football lawmakers are also considering whether to allow audio between referees and VARs to be relayed to supporters during a match.

“I think most people would say that it hasn’t been a howling success [in English football],” Elleray told Sky Sports News, following an annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board [IFAB] in Belfast.

“But many lessons have been learned and those lessons will be put into place next year.

“I think we’ve been aware, over the last four years or so, of VAR that any competition that has started using it, it hasn’t always gone well at the beginning. They’ve adjusted, they’ve modified.”

Elleray says he would be “astonished” if the Premier League maintained its policy of using pitchside monitors sparingly next season.

He believes video referees can be “too forensic” in the decision-making process.

“I think English football’s use of pitchside monitors has been different from most other competitions in the world,” he said.

“It rarely works when one group is doing something very differently from the rest of the world so I would anticipate some changes in the future.

“It’s impossible for any major changes to take place during this season because, clearly, the integrity of the competition means that the way matches are being controlled so far couldn’t change. But I would anticipate a change next season.

“The benefit of the pitchside monitors is very much that the referee remains at the centre of the decision-making process. The referee’s authority is maintained and, also, the referee on the field feels the atmosphere, understands what goes on.

“Whereas somebody away in a van can be in a slightly more, almost, antiseptic, hermetically sealed environment where, perhaps, they can be too forensic.”

IFAB reviewing in-game audio to fans

Lawmakers will review whether to allow any communication between the referee and VAR to be heard by supporters during a game.

Sky Sports News revealed in December that IFAB may allow competitions to broadcast a direct audio link involving match officials to fans.

The present laws of the game prevent in-game communication to be relayed during a match, but competitions can release audio after the final whistle.

“We’re going to review how much we should publicise, and open up, any discussion between the referee and the VAR,” explained Elleray.

“There are positives and negatives to all these things. We have to understand that referees and VARs are under huge pressure, particularly at key moments when they’re reviewing.

“It could generate more upset than not. Competitions can, post-match, release video and audio of the conversations so people understand the process. So, the debate now is ‘does the game benefit from that being done live or not?’

“Supporters want to understand what is going on and then understand why the final decision has been made. Whether you do that by letting them hear the conversation or whether, actually, we give more information about how the review process is taking place.

“I don’t think exposing the communication between the referee and VAR is the only solution to what we need to do, which is to allow the in-stadium spectator to have a better idea of what’s happened and why decisions have been taken.”

(c) Sky Sports 2020: David Elleray says lessons have been learned by Premier League in first season with VAR