Former Newcastle United and England striker Alan Shearer has delivered a blistering assessment of video assistant referee technology, arguing that VAR has severely damaged the standards of match officials. Shearer's comments came following Newcastle's 3-1 FA Cup victory over Aston Villa, a match where VAR was not in operation until the competition's fifth round, forcing referees to rely solely on their own judgement.
Controversial Decisions Spark Outrage
The all-Premier League clash at St James' Park was marred by several contentious calls that left pundits and fans alike bewildered. Most notably, Newcastle were awarded a free-kick instead of a penalty when Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne clearly handled the ball well inside the penalty area. Additionally, Digne escaped a red card for a dangerous high challenge on Jacob Murphy, while Villa's opening goal from Tammy Abraham appeared to be offside but was allowed to stand.
Shearer's Withering Assessment
Speaking on BBC One's coverage, Shearer offered a particularly damning critique of assistant referee Nick Greenhalgh, whose performance he described as having "an absolute nightmare." Shearer emphasised that while match referee Chris Kavanagh might have had some excuse for missing incidents, Greenhalgh had none, being positioned just 10 to 15 yards away from the critical handball incident.
"If you ever needed any evidence of the damage VAR has done to the referees, today is a great example," Shearer declared. "These guys looked petrified to make decisions because they didn't have a comfort blanket. That's the damage VAR has done to officials. For me they are actually getting worse."
The legendary forward argued that the officials' apparent reluctance to make clear calls demonstrated how dependent they have become on technological assistance, ultimately eroding their confidence and decision-making abilities in real-time situations.
Rooney Joins the Criticism
Shearer was not alone in his condemnation. Fellow former England captain Wayne Rooney expressed equal fury over the failure to award a penalty against Digne, describing it as "one of the worst decisions I have ever seen in football."
Rooney pointed out that Digne was clearly three or four yards inside the penalty area when the handball occurred, with the linesman positioned directly in front of the incident. "The referee looked like he blew and looked like he was listening to someone in his ear, so I'm assuming the linesman gave the decision, and it's an absolute shocker," Rooney added, highlighting the collective failure of the officiating team.
The Broader Implications for Football
This incident has reignited the intense debate surrounding VAR's role in modern football. Proponents argue that technology reduces errors and ensures fairness, but critics like Shearer contend that it creates over-reliance among officials, diminishing their innate refereeing instincts and authority on the pitch.
The match served as a rare case study in how officials perform without the safety net of video review, and according to Shearer, the results were deeply concerning. As the FA Cup progresses and VAR becomes available in later rounds, the performance of referees will undoubtedly come under even greater scrutiny, with this match serving as a potent reference point in the ongoing discussion about technology's place in the beautiful game.
