ZCZC
BSP-02
FBL-ENG-PR-BETTING-VAR-GAMBLING
Premier League managers can exploit VAR: analyst
LONDON, March 26, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Canny Premier League managers should be
seeking to “manipulate” VAR technology to their advantage when it is
introduced next season, according to analyst Rory Campbell.
VAR (the video assistant referee system) was largely deemed a success at
last year’s World Cup in Russia and is being used in many domestic leagues
including Spain, Italy and Germany.
But England-based players have had a slow introduction to VAR, which has
been used in the Champions League knockout phase and some FA Cup games this
season but will be rolled out in the Premier League in the 2019/20 season.
Campbell, who has worked with West Ham in the area of technical analysis,
said managers should take the time to find out how the technology will impact
the game and how they can stay on top of changes.
“If I were a manager I would be putting in huge resources as to how we are
actually going to manipulate VAR — how we can understand how to use it to
our benefit,” Campbell said at last week’s Betting on Football conference in
London.
Campbell, owner of consultancy firm C&N Sporting Risk, said managers could
learn a lot if they get to sit down with referees before the new season
starts.
“The clubs presumably will be at the briefing for referees,” said Campbell.
“That would be the most important meeting for every EPL (English Premier
League) manager to understand — how each individual referee might handle VAR
or be told how to handle it.
“VAR is bigger than anything they are doing at the moment.
“There is so much they can do to give themselves an edge over their rivals
and manipulate a game. It sounds a bad word but there is a rule set and
enough flexibility within them to exploit it.”
Warren Llambias, managing director of RedZone.bet, a bookmaker specialising
in American sports such as NFL, baseball and basketball, agrees with
Campbell.
However, he concedes even after two decades of video assistance in the NFL,
howlers can be made and says it can take teams four weeks at the start of a
new season to get used to the tweaking of the system.
– ‘Drama’ –
“Coaches that are very good at managing set-pieces and exploiting rule
changes regarding discipline in the box will see an uplift in their teams and
there will be opportunities there,” said Llambias.
“Like in NFL, teams that are well-structured and well-organised will adapt
the quickest. The best coaches will make it work to their advantage.”
Llambias also said the introduction of VAR could erode perceived home
advantage as pressure on referees will ease.
“He (the VAR referee) will not be in the middle of the pitch being called
names by 50,000 people so home advantage may no longer count,” said Llambias,
who cited how in the NFL decisions are referred to an office in New York.
“He is not as influenced by the crowd as he is away from the boos and the
cries so he can make a more informed decision based on information, not the
emotion of the crowd.”
There has been some frustration expressed by fans at the length of time it
takes for VAR decisions to be made and Lee Richardson, CEO of Gaming
Economics, said football could learn lessons from rugby.
“In rugby you know what you are waiting for, you are listening in, seeing
re-runs. It adds to the drama,” said Richardson. I feel football is handling
it particularly badly.”
Jeevan Jeyaratnam, head of compilation at Abelson Odds, said the different
nature of the two sports made this tricky.
“Football is a hard game to do it for, rugby is more stop-start,” he said.
“But clearly there needs to be some indication in the stadium as to what
issue is being considered.”
BSS/AFP/GMR/0821 hrs