Town boss Kieran McKenna has admitted he’s no fan of VAR, while CEO and chairman Mark Ashton says referees chief Howard Webb will be hearing a lot more from him.
The Blues have been on the wrong end of a number of VAR calls since making their return to the Premier League in August, most recently the penalty for a foul on Jack Clarke which was overturned during the Everton match and the spot-kick which was harshly given against Harry Clarke at Brentford on Saturday, referee Lewis Smith having initially adjudged that the infringement had started outside the box. It’s difficult to recall any VAR decisions which have gone in Town’s favour.
“In my personal opinion, I’m not a fan,” McKenna told TownTV. “I think I was there for the first two seasons at [Manchester] United when it came in and then I had a few seasons at League One and Championship level without it.
“And, of course, now back having it, it’s a personal opinion I don’t think it adds to the game and preferred the years as a manager when I didn’t have it, knowing that sometimes things would go against you but that’s a personal opinion.
“I get the money involved at the top level at the sport now and the reason why it’s there to make sure that big errors can’t happen that can be so important from a sporting and a financial perspective.
“I understand it, but I’ve not enjoyed the process of it, I think as a club we’ve probably had three or four VAR interventions all that probably fall under the category of things that VAR probably shouldn’t get involved in and zero in the other direction.
“Obviously, from its help to our start to the season, I haven’t particularly enjoyed it. I know there are a lot of managers who come out and speak about it a lot, I’ve always vowed to myself I’m not going to speak about referees too much, I’m not going to hide behind that after a game and I certainly don’t want to spend the end of every game this season talking about VAR, so I’ll try and do it as minimally as possible.
“But also it’s something that I do know a lot of managers, a lot clubs speak about a lot and I am aware that we have to make sure that we get our fair dues.
“It is what it is, it doesn’t add to my experience of the job and I hope over the course of the season it doesn’t go as some people say when they say that clubs coming up get less. I hope over the course of the season everything balances up and we can focus and talk about the things on the pitch.”
Ashton was asked by interviewer and Blues legend Matt Holland whether he’d heard from Webb, the chief refereeing officer for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
“Disappointingly, no,” he said. “But I’m about to be in touch with him. Howard’s going to see my number flashing up on his phone a helluva lot more. I think Kieran’s really eloquently put his position very well there.
“When we came into the division, I was non-plussed because I hadn’t used it before. Last time I was in the Premier League, it didn’t exist.
“The Premier League presented to me in the summer on why we should support and keep VAR and we supported that position.
“I think there are two aspects for me. From what I’ve seen as a fan, it certainly doesn’t add to the entertainment value, it detracts from the entertainment value. The entertainment value in the EFL without VAR was far better.
“And from a decision perspective, I have concerns. I think it’s probably best that I voice those strongly with Howard but I will defend this club with the last breath I have. We will not go quietly into the night.
“Some of the things I’ve seen, I don’t like. I see how hard this man [McKenna] works every single day of the week and Howard’s going to see my number flashing up a helluva lot more.”
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