ANDONI Iraola says he has “clear thoughts” on what the future should be for video assistant referees, but stopped short on saying which way he feels the club should go in the upcoming vote.
A formal proposal from disgruntled Wolverhampton Wanderers has triggered an official vote from all 20 Premier League clubs next month, to decide whether or not to scrap VAR entirely in the division.
VAR was brought in at the start of the 2019-20 campaign in England, later than many top European leagues.
Debates have continued to rage over its usage, with Iraola himself offering vocal criticism of some decisions over the past season.
Wolves would need to get 13 other top-flight clubs on board to pass a vote to get rid of VAR. Last month, clubs in Sweden rejected the introduction of VAR.
Asked what his thoughts are on potentially scrapping VAR in the Premier League, Cherries head coach Iraola told the Daily Echo: “I have clear thoughts.
“I have my opinion, but I will not say it, just in case the club does not think like I think!
“It is the club that decide and they take the decision they want and what is best for the league. But I have very clear ideas.
“We have been talking just regularly, but we haven’t decided, because I think it’s not now when they have to take the decision.
“I think there is more time. For sure I will not be the one deciding. I will try to give my opinion.”
Prior to joining Cherries, Iraola spent two years managing in La Liga with Rayo Vallecano.
Asked if he found VAR worse in England than in Spain, the 41-year-old replied: “It is different!
“The VAR is different. But you have to get used to it.
“I had the feeling, especially at the beginning of the season, that they wanted not to intervene.
“I don’t remember anybody in the first round of games going to the screen.
“I realised the other day (against Brentford) on the other side of the pitch there was a VAR screen! And we went there two times.
“I think at the end of the season they have intervened much more.
“Now it is not clear and obvious. Now they are taking the calls.
“So it has changed during the season. There’s not much more to say.”
Iraola retired from playing in November 2016 after a spell with New York City, which came shortly before the introduction of VAR, which was brought into effect in MLS in 2017.
Quizzed on if he would have liked to have had VAR in operation during his playing days, Iraola said: “For me, it is fairer, the game with VAR.
“Even if they don’t get it correct a lot of times. But they get it more times than if it is just the referee.
“But in exchange of this, you are giving a lot of things, especially the celebrations.
“Once we score a goal, we celebrate, but not a lot, because you are going backwards in your mind and saying ‘the goal comes from this pass, no offside, no foul here, it comes from the other side, no foul, yes I think it’s a goal’.
“Then you wait two minutes and then you say ‘I think it’s a goal’.
“But I think the game is more fair with VAR.
“Now we don’t remember, but they got much more things wrong a lot of years ago.”
The vote is due to take place in Harrogate on Thursday, June 6.
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