Rangers manager Philippe Clement insists he is a “fan” of VAR at the end of a week where Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers called for the system to be binned.
The Belgian manager was talking after Rangers defeated Livingston 2-0 in the Scottish Premiership, with the use of the technology cast into the centre of the game.
Philippe Clement bit back against high profile criticism of VAR in recent weeks, claiming that the technology wasn’t perfect due to “gray” areas in decision-making, but the ex-Belgium international insists the system makes the game more “honest”.
“I didn’t see the images back so I cannot have a good opinion about that (the VAR decisions in the game,” said Philippe Clement.
“I am a fan of VAR, to be clear, because it makes the game more honest. There are less mistakes than there were in the past
“The times when I was player there were much more mistakes because now everybody can see back in slow motion, can make the right decision.
“And still at the end there will be some mistakes made because some decisions are a gray area and it’s always interpretation of things.
“But overall it makes the game more honest and that’s what I want; and honest game.
Philippe Clement’s comments on VAR come after the technology was employed heavily in the win over Livingston.
Rangers had two goals disallowed via VAR in the match, Cyriel Dessers being adjudged to have interfered with play from an offside position for the first and Abdallah Sima adjudged to have fouled a player in the build-up to a Ross McCausland effort later in the first half.
The young Northern Irishman was also subject to accusations of diving as he won a first half penalty, whilst VAR awarded a second Rangers penalty for handball in the Livingston box later in the match.
Whilst there is some conjecture regarding the Ross McCausland penalty and Abdallah Sima shove in particular – decisions which ultimately cancel each other out even if James Tavernier missed the first spot-kick – there is no conjecture over the other two calls.
With Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers claiming during the week that he’d “get rid” of VAR immediately, suggesting it’s “spoiling” the game, the comments of Philippe Clement are refreshing and mature.
Whilst the technology might not always get it right, it’s ensuring an awful lot more is turning out correct than wrong and is clearly about assisting referees rather than being perfect.
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