THE arrival of the video assistant referee system is the latest big story in English football.

But the experience in Germany serves as a warning not to get overexcited.

CRITICISM OF VAR IN GERMANY

The arrival of VAR has garnered plenty of excitement in England.

But in Germany, it’s a different story.

The VAR has been criticised for a number of reasons since its Bundesliga introduction, including delays in play and its use to make calls on 50-50 decisions, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

“I was full of positive curiosity about it at the start of the season,’ Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller told Sky.

“Now, after half a season, my verdict on it is not good. And I doubt it is going to get any better.”

After a controversial decision in which Caglar Soyuncu was sent off for a handball as the last man — when it wasn’t clear whether he prevented a clear goal scoring opportunity, the system earned further ire.

“The decision went against everything I was told in the workshop about how VAR would work,” Freiburg sporting director Jochen Saier said.

While the VAR has garnered attention for its own issues, the system has also hurt the German FA and Bundesliga’s image.

VAR project manager Hellmut Krug was sacked in November following matchfixing allegations.

Germany’s biggest-selling newspaper Bild claimed Krug twice influenced penalty decisions in favour of Schalke, who he supports, during their 1-1 league draw with Wolfsburg.

Former top referee Lutz Michael Froehlich replaced Krug, pledging “transparency in the procedures”.

“For me, it is important that the referee keeps his responsible role on the field and players, as well as spectators, have confidence in him,” added Froehlich.

But the saga created more dramas, with a number of club directors and German football personalities criticising both the system and the process.

VAR USED FOR FIRST TIME IN ENGLAND

VAR was deployed for the first time in a competitive match in England when Brighton & Hove Albion defeated Crystal Palace.

Glenn Murray scored a late winner as Socceroo Mat Ryan’s Brighton & Hove Albion beat Crystal Palace 2-1 on Monday to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup. Dale Stephens put Brighton in front after 25 minutes but Bakary Sako equalised midway through the second half before Murray snatched the winner three minutes from time.

Murray benefited from the use of video replay as referee Andre Marriner was seen listening to instructions in an earpiece he got on the end of Uwe Hunemeier’s header.

Some television replays were initially unclear whether the ball brushed against Murray’s arm before falling into the net.

Murray told BT Sport: “It wasn’t my arm, I think VAR would have pulled me back if it was. I just needed to get something on it and luckily I did, I think I got my hip or my knee or something on it.

“As soon as I did it I knew it wasn’t my arm, there was no doubt about it for me.” Brighton boss Chris Hughton said: “I couldn’t see it that clearly, obviously I saw it go in but I didn’t know what the circumstances were.

“I knew that Hunemeier rose at the far post and did really well, so no I couldn’t see it and had to wait until we came in, but obviously it’s been very clear that it didn’t need VAR.”

Crystal Palace counterpart Roy Hodgson initially had a different view, saying: “From where we were standing and watching it looked for all the world like he’d handled it.

“The players close by thought so too, but to be fair when you see it lots of times it’s a very good case for the VAR and the referee to make. If he didn’t actually handle it, it was very, very close, so I have no complaints about that.

“I think what confuses it is it does come off his thigh but of course he throws his chest and arm towards the ball.

“But I don’t think it actually touches it, so on this occasion, having seen it several times myself, I think he made the decision correct and congratulations to them.”

— AAP

PENALTY CALL THAT ENRAGED WENGER INCORRECT: REF

REFEREE Mike Dean has reportedly told colleagues his decision to award a West Brom a late penalty against Arsenal — a decision that later saw Arsene Wenger suspended for three games for an outburst — was incorrect.

Arsenal’s Calum Cambers was penalised for an 88th minute handball — when he didn’t appear to deliberately handle the ball.

According to the Daily Express, Dean texted fellow officials to say he had got the decision wrong.

“I know Mike would have overturned it. He messages people, and he’s a very honest guy, and he goes, ‘I got it wrong’. He knows he did,” one former top referee told the outlet.

Meanwhile, Premier League referees boss Mike Riley confirmed VAR would have overturned the penalty.

“You award the penalty because what you have seen on the pitch is the arm coming towards the ball,” Riley told the Daily Express.

“What is handball can look to you on the field of play if you get one look at it. But immediately there is evidence from another camera angle which shows actually the opposite happened. That is the safety net of the VAR.

“I think Chambers would have been overturned. The question you ask is, is it an act of deliberate handball? And the reverse angle shows him trying to bring his arm out of the way of the ball, rather than the reverse.”