Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou issues passionate VAR warning after latest change in win over Liverpool

Evening Standard

·8 gennaio 2025

Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou issues passionate VAR warning after latest change in win over Liverpool

Spurs boss believes football has changed more since introduced of VAR than in the previous 50 years

Ange Postecoglou gave a passionate plea to football authorities to “leave the game alone for a bit” after fearing the sport has changed more in the era of VAR than in the 50 years prior.

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The Tottenham manager has been a long-time critic of video assistant refereeing technology in football, and was speaking after his side beat Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie on Wednesday night.

The winning goal was scored by Lucas Bergvall just seconds after Liverpool felt the Swede, who was on a booking, was fortune to avoid a second yellow card for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas which plenty felt merited a second caution.

Last weekend, Postecoglou said he felt his side would have won “on a fair and even playing ground” after they conceded a highly contentious goal in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle where Joelinton was not punished despite the ball striking his hand in the build-up.

Speaking four days on, Postecoglou said: “My comments [after Newcastle] were misinterpreted. I said that it is very hard at the moment to understand certain elements of the game.

“We’ve been told consistently, if the referee plays advantage, as long as it’s not a cynical foul the player doesn’t get cautioned. That has been relayed to us on a weekly basis, because that’s one of the things I was bemoaning last week.

“I’m really surprised at how people in this country are so easily letting the game change so much so quickly. It’s changed more since VAR came in than in the last 50 years. We never used to debate offsides, we never used to debate handballs, we never used to debate holding in the box. We never used to debate so many things.”

Referee Stuart Attwell announced via loudspeaker the reasoning (offside) why Dominic Solanke’s goal had been disallowed as part of a VAR trial that sees decisions explained via broadcast around the stadium.

Stuart Attwell explained to the stadium the decision to rule out Dominic Solanke’s goal for offside

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Postecoglou wryly asked: “Did everyone really love the announcement today? Did that give you a buzz? I mean, seriously.

“My understanding of it is that this is what the people want. That’s what I keep being told. I understand that VAR and technology is going to be there. It’s like my wife and my kids. We know technology exists but she limits screen time. Why? To lay things down.

“We’ve just got to be a bit careful about constantly changing the game so much. And I know I’m going to be the old guy in the stands who keeps shouting ‘boo’ every time.

“But I just thought people would be a bit more protective over the sanctity of the game. That’s what I was talking about. I wasn’t criticising referees. I just think there’s a lot of confusion at the moment and [that] the game is changing on the basis of technology.”

The Spurs boss added: “Why isn’t anyone speaking out about it? Especially in this country. For all intents and purposes, you guys feel you’re the custodians of the game. You’ve got a song that says ‘It’s coming home’. This is your game, and yet it takes an Aussie from the other side of the world to be the one that’s most conservative about changes.

“I wasn’t saying there was a vendetta against Tottenham when I spoke last week; that’s not what my comments were about.

“I could be on a lone crusade here, but I’m happy to do that. I’m happy to just be the lone voice, saying: ‘Just leave the game alone for a bit’.

“I can see why Arne [Slot] is very disappointed [about Bergvall not getting a second yellow card]. I’d be very disappointed if that was me. But apparently they are the rules.”