Fears major VAR delays could lead to INJURIES after Spurs star Van de Ven left exhausted after a seven-minute break
The PFA fears that long VAR checks will lead to more player injuries.
Spurs defender Micky van de Ven will be out for weeks after suffering a hamstring strain while sprinting after a SEVEN-MINUTE break from play in Monday’s 4-1 defeat to Chelsea.
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Tottenham fans suggested the delay may have contributed to the Dutchman’s injury, while Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou admitted he hated how VAR had changed football.
And PFA chief executive Maheta Molango explained: “Intuitively I would say yes – that the disruptions like we saw on Monday will lead to injuries because players will cool down and then have to sprint straight away.”
“Player welfare should be a big issue.
“But we are destroying the product right now and that should be everyone’s biggest fear.
“I would rather talk about facts and figures and clear evidence than just a feeling.
“One of our ideas is to create a group of experts who can provide data so we know for sure. So these will be physiotherapists, trainers and doctors who can look at everything on the performance side.”
Van de Ven’s injury occurred after the game was stopped in the 27th minute for THREE reasons.
VAR initially ruled out a goal by Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo for offside.
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It was subsequently recommended that referee Michael Oliver investigate a tackle by Spurs defender Cristian Romero on Enzo Fernandez during the same period of play.
When Oliver Romero gave the red card, the game had already been interrupted for five minutes.
And it took another two minutes for Cole Palmer to convert the resulting penalty.
Van de Ven suffered his injury a few minutes later, while there were more than 21 minutes of added time in both halves.
Molango added: “We are playing a game where the decisions are made by Ifab (the International Football Associations Board).
“That means referees and players are paying the price – because the voices of the people affected by these decisions are not being heard.”
“They have to suffer from the decisions made by people who are out of touch and not really part of the day-to-day happenings of football, so they don’t realize what they mean in practice.”
“I agree with Ange Postecoglou. What kind of football do we really want?
It’s very difficult to understand when these mistakes are made by people just watching on a screen
Maheta Molango
“When you include VAR, it also has consequences for the way the game is played.
“If we want to achieve a flawless game, we will fail.”
Mikel Arteta has been vocal about his demands for change and has put pressure on referees with his public rants.
The Arsenal manager was furious that Newcastle’s winners were allowed to compete on Saturday, describing the decision as an “absolute disgrace”.
And he added to his anger by calling on his rival managers to speak out against the “stench of football”.
Molango added: “Even with VAR we see errors. I would rather have mistakes from someone who is on the pitch, even when they are under pressure to make decisions.
“It’s very difficult to understand when these mistakes are made by people just watching on a screen. That makes things even more frustrating.
“What suddenly seems to be the most important thing is playing time or effective playing time.
“But is that what we should really worry about?
“As a fan, you don’t think about effective playing time, but about entertainment and quality.”
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