Football fans will accept video referee, refs boss says

Referees' chief Mike Riley

Football fans will accept the time delay caused by the new Video Assistant Referee system (VAR), referees' chief Mike Riley says.

Brighton's FA Cup win over Crystal Palace saw the technology used in a competitive English game for the first time.

Former Premier League referee Mike Riley thinks fans will accept time delays of "30-40 seconds".

Newsbeat's had access to the place where those decisions are made.

This is what football geeks are calling the 'technology bunker' in west London.

You're greeted with dozens of huge screens, and a big red button for the operator to speak to the ref.

"The VAR can advise the referee on goals," Mike told us.

"We can look at direct red card offences, penalty situations and cases of mistaken identity.

"So by looking at all of the footage available, the VAR can advise the referee if he's made a clear and obvious error.

"That's quite important, the VAR doesn't re-referee the game and say 'What would I have done?'"

The referee discussed Glen Murray's winner with the VAR

VAR is already being used in the Bundesliga in Germany and Serie A in Italy. But some fans in England are worried the game will be slowed down.

"I don't think it will be (slowed down) if we get it right," explains Mike. "It will take the VAR about 30-40 seconds to look at all the footage.

"But the vast majority of checks during the game, the VAR will just say "the on-field decision is correct" and move on.

"If the delay is 30-40 seconds, I think people will accept that for getting the outcome right.

"It becomes a little bit longer when the referee has to go along and look at the footage themselves.

"That takes about two-and-a-half minutes. That probably happens once every three games."

No one who could influence a decision is allowed in the room

Fans won't be able to see what the referee is looking at during what's being called the "extended experiment".

"At the moment in the stadium what you will see is something displayed on the screens which says VAR review," says Mike.

"In time if that's what the game wants, if that's what spectators want I'm sure that will be accommodated."

"If we have a live Premier League Saturday, you have six or seven games going on simultaneously, and then you really will get the atmosphere of a stadium within this room."

VAR is part of a two-year trial that, if successful, will make it a permanent part of English football, just like goal line technology and the magic spray for free-kicks.

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