THE most topical subject lately is the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Could it be because the corruption or incompetencies in the refereeing industry normally raises its ugly head at this time of the year?
Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt is the latest victim of the incompetency of match officials. This is after referee Phelelani Ndaba denied the Clever Boys what was a clear goal in their drawn PSL match against SuperSport United.
Ndaba and his assistant Abel Maphutha, who advised that the ball had not wholly crossed the goal line, were banned for three months from all National Soccer League (NSL) matches.
Much as he refuses to talk about the subject of Ndaba and Maphutha, Hunt has indicated that he is a big advocate of VAR, which he says will help eradicate costly mistakes in the game.
“With the standard of refereeing in our football, this is why we need VAR, which could have helped us last week,” said Hunt.
“I am a big fan of VAR because I think it saves careers, jobs and gets the right decisions. I want VAR and I like VAR.
“The games are moving forward fast – cricket and rugby – and soccer has been the last one to move forward with those type of things.
“The game is so fast and so quick now that you need decisions to be made correctly. And at times it is going to go against you. You will score and think you’ve got a legitimate goal, only to find that it was an off-side. But at times it is going to go for you like last week.”
Meanwhile, Hunt has expressed his disappointment that they are currently battling to make the top three in the Absa Premiership, instead of campaigning for the championship.
“It all looked good and we tried to be better,” Hunt said.
“Obviously, I am disappointed with the second round (of the season) because we should have won the league by now. We threw games away crazily, but it is what it is now.
“We can only get to 54 points now at the end of the season. Now we have to win our last match (against Golden Arrows on Saturday), and we will see what happens.”
He said they were the least exciting team towards the end of the second round of the season, with “no chance of winning the league”.
“But we will keep playing.
“Our final match will be like a cup final, like all the other matches.
“Every game, especially now that Cape Town City are three points behind us, and the goal difference is almost the same, it will also be tough for the third place finish still,” added Hunt.
He believes they could have won the game against Benni McCarthy’s side, which they lost 3-2. They also lost 2-0 to Golden Arrows and drew 1-1 with United.
“There are so many games we threw away. This could have seen us throw away the championship points,” he said.
