Sport letters: Readers have their say on football's great handball controversy
Var has gone too far this time
Why do we persevere with the Var experiment? It does not work and we do not want it. Had the Brighton v Manchester United match taken place in front of a full house, with emotions running high, it is likely that Var could have sparked serious crowd trouble. Instead of criticising it, the pundits and reporters seem happy that Var can be allowed to “assist” a referee after a match has already finished.
Graham Potter would have been within his rights to take his players off the pitch and refuse to accept a post-match penalty. I suspect that the likes of Clough, Ferguson and Mourinho would have done just that. Brighton should have appealed to the FA to uphold the laws of the game and have a point awarded and two deducted from Manchester United.
Clive Pilley, Westcliff-on-Sea
Who decides these handball rules?
Roy Hodgson has branded the handball rule in football as nonsense and he is right to say so. Handball must be deemed to be deliberate and, while that will lead to occasional disputes, it is infinitely better than the current law which says it is handball if the player has made his body bigger. Have any of the people who concoct these rues ever played the game? It looks unlikely.
Mick Ferrie, Mawnan Smith, Cornwall
Hodgson was completely right
It is correct that the current interpretation of the handball rule is a mess, but I would have more respect for all the former professionals protesting about it if it were not for the fact that their current epiphany on the subject was not at odds with some of their earlier pronouncements.
I clearly remember occasions on Match of the Day in years past where incidents not dissimilar to those now causing so much outrage were proclaimed as “stonewall penalties”.
Similarly, the hypocrisy of current professionals who appeal vigorously when a decision might go in their favour, but complain loudly when it goes against them.
Hodgson got it right when he simply stated that the all important factor is intent: deliberate hand to ball is an offence, accidental ball to hand is not. How hard can it be!
John Wainwright, Tingley, Wakefield
Technology is ruining football
Another day, another game (in this case Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United), another disastrous decision. Football has been taken away from the players and the fans and turned over to technology.
When is the football bureaucracy going to wake up to the fact that this nonsense is driving supporters away and making a joke of football as a sport?
Bob Schweizer, Ramsgate
Falling out of love with the game
As a young child, I was fortunate to watch the Matthews 1953 Cup final on television. I have been an avid follower of football ever since.
However, I am sorry to say that the increasing influence of Var on matches is gradually destroying my enjoyment of the game and the authorities do need to urgently review the process.
It seems to me that Var officials must be reviewing every aspect of play in the hope of finding some minor misdemeanour that was unseen by the referee.
The objective of Var is surely to support the referee in deciding whether his initial decision was correct, not to find issues on which he should adjudicate. Var should only be involved if the referee requests advice.
Raymond Short, Baughurst, Hants
Everyone has an opinion
Surely every football fan understands perfectly the handball rule: If my team are attacking, it’s handball. If my team are defending, it’s not.
Brian Gedalla, London N3
