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"It will fragment the whole game" - Cunningham on VAR

Resident panelist Kenny Cunningham joined the lads on OTB AM today and gave quite a staunch stanc...



"It will fragment the whol...
Soccer

"It will fragment the whole game" - Cunningham on VAR

Resident panelist Kenny Cunningham joined the lads on OTB AM today and gave quite a staunch stance on where he sits on the VAR debate.

The former Ireland captain is firmly against the introduction of VAR technology and he told us today that he's happy with the decision for it not to be implemented in next season's Premier League campaign.

“Oh no, don’t get me started,” began Cunningham.

“I think it’s a great decision they’ve made not introducing the VAR next year.

“They're taking a big step back [introducing it].

“The World Cup this summer in particular will be an education. I think it’s going to go belly-up.

“I’ve never been in favour of it. People think that’s it now, can’t go back. I’ll go back in an instant.

“I just think it’s a slippery slope. The end game is the game will change into a game that we just don’t know in terms the amount of stops, starts, the inconsistencies.

“I don’t think it'll ever be working properly. I can’t see that eventuality ever arising.

“It will fragment the whole game, we’ve seen it already.”

When speaking on how significant an impact VAR will have, Kenny pointed to it's off-field problems too, citing a loss of atmosphere as a big reason for his dismissal of the technology.

"It will fragment the whole game" - Cunningham on VAR

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“Inside the stadiums, the stadium just goes flat, uncertainty around players and people are talking about putting up big video screens. My god, that would make things ten times worse.

“Some supporters would be looking at it thinking hold on, that’s no free-kick or that’s outrageous, of course it’s a penalty kick.

“I’m not a fan of it at all, I can’t see where it’s going.

“Absolutely they’re going to role it out. At the moment it’s like it’s a goal-scoring opportunity, it’s a red card, penalty-kick, let’s just limit it at that. No way, people are going to be pushing the envelope out.

“What about that free-kick we should have been awarded at the other end of the pitch, that was a key moment. If we'd have got that they would have never counter-attacked.”

Kenny was also asked by Adrian on what he would think if a key match decision went against him. The former Birmingham defender said he'd have no problem letting that mistake slide, citing human error is part of the game and he accepts that.

“No problem, I’ll suffer it. Yeah the game hasn't suffered up until now because of it. Human error is part and parcel of the game.

“It’s boring. I can't even engage a conversation with someone about it. We’re getting to that stage where I don’t even want to talk to people about it, apart from you two this morning obviously.”

 

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