Brentford manager Keith Andrews has voiced concerns over the growing reliance on video assistant referee (VAR) technology, arguing that it has stripped match officials of the confidence to make their own calls on the pitch.
Andrews' comments came after his side edged past League One outfit Reading 2-1 to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, a match that itself was overshadowed by a contentious refereeing decision. Reading defender Paudie O'Connor saw what would have been a spectacular first-half overhead-kick goal chalked off by referee Tom Nield for a high boot. The call drew a furious response from Reading boss Leam Richardson, who described it as among the worst decisions he had witnessed in a football career spanning thousands of matches and hundreds of appearances as a player.
With VAR not in operation at this stage of the League Cup, Andrews used the incident to reflect on a wider issue he believes is affecting the English game. He suggested that officials have become hesitant to trust their own judgement in matches where technology is available, and that this hesitancy has crept into games without VAR support as well.
"It's been a tough week for officials as everybody is probably aware," Andrews said. "I think we just need to let them ref the game and be human beings and make decisions."
The Brentford boss went further, suggesting that the presence of VAR in recent seasons has altered the way referees approach key moments in matches, even leading them to hold back from making decisive calls inside the penalty area. "We have gone through a period in the game where I feel like they weren't actually making decisions in both boxes because of the technology we have in the game and I feel like that is a real shame," he said.
Andrews' remarks followed a separate controversy from the weekend, when the body overseeing professional refereeing admitted an