A cross-section of football enthusiasts in Ibadan on Wednesday expressed mixed reactions to the proposed introduction of Video Assisted Referee (VAR) during the upcoming 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Some of the football enthusiasts told the News Agency of Nigeria in their responses that introducing VAR would be a welcome development.
Others, however, said it would however not achieve the desired results, given the power sector problem and the need to have started training the referees on its application.
Femi Amusan, a football coach and sports consultant, lauded the development, which was announced by Sani Zubair, President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), some days ago.
Amusan said the move, if it becomes a reality, would bring some level of sanity to the officiating of league matches in the country.
“For a long time now, every football-loving Nigerian has been yearning for the introduction of this technology.
”It will to some extent reduce the controversies surrounding decisions made by football referees during matches.
“Also, Nigeria will be at the same level with the rest of the world in the area of being ready for a progressive change.
“It is a known fact that most of the countries of the world involved in football have embraced the innovation and Nigeria cannot afford to continue to lag behind,” he said.
Amusan however pointed out that pessimism and scepticism should not be allowed to drag the football community in Nigeria back from moving with the rest of the world.
“We cannot begin to talk about the workability or otherwise when something has not been practised.
“It is difficult to tell whether it will be successful or not, or if the time is now or not. We should first of all take the first step,” he added.
In his contribution, ex-Super Eagles forward and current Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) General Manager, Dimeji Lawal, described the VAR proposal as a positive development for football in Nigeria.
Lawal, who did not hide his excitement, stated that there would no longer be hiding places for clubsides with the intention to cheat on the field.
“If the football authorities and the league organisers can afford it, it will be in the interest of Nigeria because it is currently the norm throughout the world.
“Then, the win-at-all-cost syndrome by home teams could be eliminated because every movement on the pitch would be revealed for all to see,” he said.
However, Gideon George, an electrical engineer, submitted that the Nigerian football culture was not ripe for the introduction of VAR due to inadequate supply of electricity.
George stated that the technology depended solely on electricity to function efficiently and there was no short cut to its operation.
“Most of the leagues where the VAR is being used have sufficient power and Nigeria is not yet there in the power sector.
“I think both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the NRA should first perfect the manual refereeing we have, by fixing all forms of inducements and acts which do not allow for fair officiating,” he said.
A football viewing centre operator, Dapo Agbabiaka, on his part said it was already too late for the NRA to be making such plans.
“Since the new season is now ahead in a matter of weeks, it is a bit late to be talking about the 2023/2024 season because of the special training that will be required for the referees.”
He said the video cameras and monitors that would be applied for usage would be new to the referees who would operate them.
“There is the need to allow them to undergo some special training on the usage.
“Besides, most of the clubsides are poorly funded. Where will they get money to purchase and install the VAR machines?
“As at today, it is only the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, and maybe another stadium in the whole of Nigeria today, that has the facility.
“How possible therefore could it be in a league that will commence in a matter of few weeks from now?” Agbabiaka said.
NAN reports that the NRA President had on Monday reportedly said the Association planned to introduce the VAR technology in the upcoming 2023/2024 NPFL.
However, just about two days after he spoke, the NPFL board postponed indefinitely the season’s kick-off from the earlier date of this Saturday Sept. 9.
