Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi believes that the implementation of VAR next season is too distant, suggesting that by then, some teams may have already been relegated or lost championships due to incorrect officiating.
Mngqithi shared his thoughts following a 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns on Wednesday night at Loftus Versfeld.
Earlier that day, South African Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie confirmed that payment had been made to SAFA for the introduction of VAR in PSL matches.
While Mngqithi accepts that the system could be rolled out next season, he emphasizes that officials should receive VAR assistance immediately due to the ongoing issues with poor officiating.
“Next season is too far,” said Mngqithi in the press conference.
“The game, I keep saying this thing because the game is becoming too dynamic for the referees. Today I even saw a sniff of VAR [referee consulting with assistant referee]. I don’t know because the truth is I think the linesman, if there is an offside, he raises the flag. I didn’t see the flag [on Iqraam Rayners’ goal] but I saw the negotiations and then there is no offside.
“I am not saying it was offside or not offside but I expect the right thing to happen in a football match. Every week we will be talking about this topic because we are running one of the biggest leagues in the continent and thus we should understand the investment that is put on these clubs. The investment that is put in training should be worth accepting the result and saying at least the VAR checked and they made a mistake.
“But when you are going to see mistakes regularly…I have moved away from even blaming them [referees] because I have realised they are human beings and most of the time the complaints we have as coaches, as club administrators are based on the second opinion that we have from the stand or someone else. I look at the iPad and I say, this was offside. Then I am able to make noise and say, hey, this was offside.
“But the reality is when it happens first sometimes you don’t see. The handball of Khuliso Mudau [penalty awarded to Arrows], I will not say it was a handball or not. I did not see, I will be lying if I say I saw.
“And these things are happening every week. So, if we say next season, I don’t have a problem but the reality is that somebody would have been relegated with wrong decisions and somebody might lose the championship with those decisions.
“Maybe when that happens, that’s when you will say, hey, maybe we should have applied this thing early. Because in my opinion, I know and I am not expecting the PSL to be the one who will run the show. Most clubs in South Africa don’t own stadiums.
“The stadiums are owned by the municipalities. And if the municipalities want football to go to their cities, they should pay for the VAR in those stadiums. So, that it’s easier to make sure that all football matches, we fight for all football matches to be televised and the stadiums are equipped with VAR.
“And it becomes a precondition for a stadium to be used for a PSL match. And the municipalities can easily finance this. There is a lot of money that goes somewhere else in the municipalities. So, at least it will be doing something.”
