"Let's have it right" - Exclusive: Don Goodman makes claim on VAR introduction to the EFL | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively to FLW, Don Goodman shares his thoughts on the possibility of VAR being introduced in the EFL.

Since VAR was first introduced into the Premier League during the 2019/20 season, it has become a near-constant point of discussion among football fans up and down the country.

By now, we’ve become accustomed to seeing lengthy delays, as well as goals being ruled out by a matter of millimetres.

While some people think it has been a positive addition to the game and helps get the key decisions right, others feel it detracts too much from the experience of the match-going fan.

With VAR now firmly established at the highest levels of the game, there is always talk about whether it would be feasible to introduce in the lower leagues, or whether that is more idealistic thinking.

Last month, an EFL spokesperson revealed to The Times that they are refusing to rule out the possibility of introducing VAR, even if that may have to take a slightly different form in the lower leagues.

Don Goodman believes most EFL fans wouldn’t want VAR

It’s fair to say that the reaction to VAR since it has been introduced in English football has been very mixed.

Some people swear by it and think it has been a positive addition to the game, others believe it kills the fan experience for little to no benefit.

While the Premier League has become popular as a modernised, global brand and spectacle, there are plenty of EFL fans out there who like the fact that the lower leagues have remained comparatively traditional.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Don Goodman, who covers the EFL for Sky Sports, questioned whether EFL fans would even welcome VAR, if there was ever a possibility for it to be introduced.

Goodman said: “I guess it’s an age-old conundrum, isn’t it. I do know that an awful lot, probably the majority of EFL fans, are glad that they don’t have VAR.

“It splits opinion, there’s no doubt about it. Despite there being video technology, there are still too many mistakes that are made. Let’s have it right, football is probably the most subjective sport in the world.

“It’s a tough conundrum. It costs a fortune and at the minute, I would be confident that the (EFL) clubs would rather have the money at their disposal than what it would cost to implement VAR in the Championship and then in Leagues One and Two further down the line.

“It’s a very difficult question, but certainly I think the fans are happy that they don’t have it.”

Bringing VAR into the EFL would surely be a huge project

One thing that is for certain where VAR in the EFL is concerned, is that it would cost a massive amount of money to implement.

Getting the system in place for 20 Premier League teams is one thing, but to then extend that across another 72 teams is a big ask, and one that certainly wouldn’t come cheaply.

When you then add in the fact that extra officials would be required each week, and across a massive amount of games, it would require a huge level of investment in multiple areas.

You would also question whether some of the grounds in League One and Two would even be capable of playing host to VAR, given the sightlines and variety of camera angles that would be needed.

The latest update from the EFL suggested that there could be the possibility of a tweaked, and slightly downscaled version of VAR for the lower leagues, which certainly seems a more realistic possibility.

However, the EFL would surely have to be careful and ensure they remain attuned to what the fans want. At League One and Two levels in particular, there are clubs who will be very heavily reliant on matchday ticket sales to generate revenue, and without those match-going fans, there are plenty of clubs who would potentially struggle to even survive.

Crowds have been up in the lower leagues over the last few years – the last thing the EFL will want to do is damage those increasing numbers.

Therefore, when you throw in the fact that, even now, there are concerns over how effectively VAR is actually being used at the top level, it seems like a venture which could potentially provide more problems than it solves.