Harry Maguire calls for VAR to be SCRAPPED in all but one area as Man Utd star labels system ‘not factual’
HARRY MAGUIRE wants to scrap VAR for penalties and red cards – and only keep it for offsides.
Premier League clubs will vote on whether to scrap VAR at their annual meeting next month after a controversial proposal by Wolves to get rid of the technology.
Manchester United and England defender Maguire is the first leading player to speak out ahead of the June 6 vote.
He said: “I think it is going to divide opinion and a lot of people will want to keep it. Equally, the popular thing at the moment is to say get rid of it. It probably does need to be done better.
“The automated offsides are coming in next season and that will improve it.
“It will make things quicker.
“Personally, I would keep VAR but for offsides only. I would scrap it for everything that is opinion based. Offsides are factual and not subjective.
“It is so difficult to lose a game on an offside goal when a player is two or three yards offside.
“Everyone makes mistakes, linesmen make mistakes, so that is why I would keep VAR for that.
“But I would not have it for red cards, or penalties because even now, people disagree if a decision is right or wrong.”
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Throughout this season, VAR has been a hot topic in the dressing room at United and all other 19 top-flight clubs.
Maguire, currently sidelined with a calf injury, said: “There is a split.
“Some players want to get rid of it. VAR offsides do kill goal celebrations a bit. In the back of your mind, players think whether or not it is a goal.
“For sure, I don’t want to see penalties decided by VAR – just let the referee make the decision.
“There have been far too many soft penalties this season. Penalties decide football matches and are such an important part of the game.
“Obviously, I am a defender and I would say that. Strikers might say they want soft penalties.
“For me. I don’t want to see soft penalties win football matches. It should be a clear and obvious penalty. It is the same with the red cards – let the referee decide.
“We want our game to be a contact sport. We want the game to be aggressive. We want people to feel they can go in for hard challenges which are fair and not dangerous.”
Maguire, meanwhile, is still hoping to win his race against time to be fit for the FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley on May 25.
Meanwhile, the big boxing fan is relishing the prospect of watching Saturday’s massive heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
Maguire said: “I am really looking forward to it. It is a fight that everybody wants to see.
“We are both WOW Hydrate ambassadors and I have been in contact with Tyson over the last few years now so I will definitely be supporting him.
“I wish him all the best and hopefully he will get the job done like he has in all of his previous fights.
“He is a great guy. He is obviously like what you see on TV.
“I think it would be an amazing occasion for him to one day fight at Wembley. Maybe he will get an all-English fight against Anthony Joshua which would be one of the biggest fights in English history.”
Pundits' verdict on Ten Hag's future
Where do the pundits stand on Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future?
Michael Owen – He has to go
“He cannot, simply cannot, manage this team next season. He’s not good enough.”
Teddy Sheringham – Might stay if he wins Cup but should go
“If United win the FA Cup, he could stay. But, for me, changes are needed and United need to get it done sooner than later.”
Jamie Carragher – Sacked
“I don’t see how Erik ten Hag stays. It’s just performance after performance.”
Gary Neville – Stay if he wins the FA Cup
“To sack a manager who’s won two trophies in his first two seasons at the club I think would be extreme.”
Louis Saha – On the fence
“I don’t see it as clearly but they need changes from the players but they need changes from him as well.”
Alan Shearer – Sacked
“I believe the future of the Man Utd manager is already determined. Even if they win the FA Cup I think he’s gone.”
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