Calls for VAR to be dumped after confusion in Sydney derby

Football Federation Australia has gone underground as VAR has again come under intense scrutiny.

Wanderers head coach Markus Babbel reacts to a VAR intervention during the Sydney derby at the SCG on Saturday. Picture: AAP

Football Federation Australia has gone underground as the Video Assistant Referee system has again come under intense scrutiny and been subject to much derision including calls for it to be dumped following Saturday night’s explosive Sydney derby.

Sydney FC continued their dominance over the Western Western Wanderers with a 2-0 win but, for the second week in ­succession, the match was marred by yet another VAR controversy.

In a bitter fallout from the match, Wanderers coach Markus Babbel was sent off from the bench and will be automatically suspended for one game at least.

Also, Wanderers goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic could face disciplinary action for allegedly damaging a dressing room door. A-League officials are awaiting a report from the SCG Trust and the club.

Down 2-0 and mounting a concerted comeback against the Sky Blues, the Wanderers appeared to have a legitimate goal chalked off in the 59th minute after VAR intervened.

It was initially assumed VAR official Craig Zetter had asked referee Chris Beath to look at an incident in which Jaushua Sotirio (Wanderers) had made contact with Syendy’s Michael Zullo in the lead-up to the goal.

After looking at the video, Beath eventually overturned his decision to give the goal and it was believed the reason was for a foul on the Sydney defender.

However, speaking to Fox Sports after the game, Beath said it was “actually an offside call”.

“The attacker is clearly in an offside position and his action impacts on the defender, on Zullo’s ability to have a play at the ball.”

At the time, confusion reigned over the reason for the goal being disallowed.

Fed-up fans vented their rage on social media. A number suggested they would walk away from the game.

Beath said he was totally comfortable with the decision because “from a technical point of view, the offside decision was correct”.

However, a former referee, who did not want to be named, suggested to The Australian that Beath’s signal was for a foul and not an indirect free-kick that would have indicated offside.

A-League boss Greg O’Rourke, who was on the front foot last week following a VAR controversy in the Melbourne derby, opted not to speak to the media yesterday.

The belief from the head body, however, is that the correct decision was made.

Correct or not, former Socceroo Mark Bosnich, who has championed the cause of the VAR from the outset, has now done a U-turn amid fears it is turning fans away from the game.

“We have got to suspend it immediately,” Bosnich said on Fox Sports.

“It’s becoming such a distraction, such a farce, such a talking point that is it is turning people off the game.

“If something is not done about it, and I mean immediately, you will have 95 per cent of all your fans not going and not watching.

“If they do not like something, like they’re not liking this, in their droves, and you stand back and say ‘bad luck’, they’re going to walk away.

“It’s got to stop and it’s got to stop now. I’m telling you this has gone beyond a tipping point.”

Babbel, who was shown a red card by Beath and had to watch the last 30 minutes from the stands, apologised for his actions.

The German exploded with rage, tearing off his jacket, throwing it to the ground then launching a ­tirade at the fourth official.

Despite the apology, he stood firm that the decision, whether for interference or offside, was wrong.

“I have to apologise. My body language wasn’t good after this but I haven’t said a word against the referee,” Babbel said regarding his incident.

“I wasn’t happy with the decision, of course, that was what I was saying, but nothing bad about the referee.

“But my body language wasn’t the best.”

Asked if he regretted his actions, Babbel said: “It’s not good. I have to work on this. It is my fault.

“(But) in a derby, I love this game because it brings emotions, so (the fourth official should) just say ‘hey Markus, come on, relax, come on calm down, don’t do anything stupid now’.”

Babbel said that even if the decision had been given for offside, there was nothing Sotirio could have done to get out of the way.

“He can’t … where do you want him to go, he is not air, he has to stay. It is very hard to accept.”