Newcastle boss Howe: VAR should only be used offsides

Football
2 Dec 2023 • 5:58 PM MYT
Tribal Football
Tribal Football

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Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe admits he wants to see "less of VAR".

Newcastle were denied a famous Champions League win at PSG due to an injury-time penalty for hand-ball.

"I'd like to see less VAR," Howe said. "I don't have an issue with offsides, because that is as close as it can be to being right. The rest, I'm not in favour. I still think it's just another person's opinion against another person's opinion. It's very subjective. I'd like to see less. I definitely wouldn't want to see more, because I think it would ruin the game.

"I think if the referee makes a decision and he is taken by VAR to look at the screen, I'd love the referee to keep it more from his perspective, rather than be told what to give.

"What's the point in going over to the screen? You know the result as soon as he goes over. Now, 99 per cent of referees go with the VAR decision, rather than his own opinion.

"He's looking at the screen and I'm thinking, 'Please be strong enough to go with your initial decision'. Unfortunately, he didn't. That for me, with VAR, is an issue, not enough power is given to the on-field decision, which in this case was correct.

"The on-field decision should be given a little bit more strength because the referee is there, he's feeling the game, he's managing the game in the middle, and I think that is worth something."