Gary Lineker makes radical proposal in bid to fix VAR and ‘add to the drama’

Gary Lineker has recommended a dramatic appeals system in the face of the Premier League’s unprecedented VAR vote.

The implementation of VAR into the top-flight of English football has been a rocky road. A number of errors has led to Premier League clubs holding a vote over whether to scrap the technology ahead of next season – a call that has been spearheaded by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

At this stage, it appears unlikely that there will be enough votes to see VAR abolished. However, Lineker has a suggestion that he believes could benefit VAR – an appeals system similar to cricket.

Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, the former England striker said: “The only way out of this mess, and I think they should keep offside and goal-line technology. But I think you either scrap the rest of it or, more realistically, you take it to an appeal system.

“You limit the amount of times that VAR can intervene. It can not intervene unless someone appeals. It has to be the captain and they have got to tell you what they are appealing for. It does not mean there is a goal and you have got to find some kind of foul somewhere.

“They have to stipulate what the foul is, the captain does it, and if it is a foul then it is a foul, there is no bar. It is the decision that the VAR and the referee come to. Maybe one appeal a half, but it stops VAR coming into every possible corner that comes in.

“It stops all those things. You can have 20 seconds to do the appeal and it would add to the drama. You can get it on the screens and all that kind of stuff. It won’t be where every single goal is looked at.”

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Amid the upcoming vote – that will take place this summer – a number of players have expressed their opposition of VAR. Newcastle star Anthony Gordon was left furious after being denied a penalty during his side’s recent 3-2 defeat against Manchester United.

The winger appeared to be fouled by Sofyan Amrabat but neither the referee nor VAR deemed the challenge worthy of a penalty. Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, he said: “It’s a clear, clear and obvious mistake, I don’t know how you can get it wrong.

“So either get rid of it or get better. It’s very simple. I don’t mind the referee getting it wrong on the pitch because things happen really quickly.

“But I don’t understand what the point of VAR is, because it’s there to correct mistakes. He goes down my Achilles and pushes me in the back. I just honestly don’t see the point in it.”

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