VAR (video assistant referee) which is currently being tested in a number of football leagues and tournaments around the world by the IFAB, is already set to be replaced with another system called, BAR.

The video assistant referee helps make decisions on key calls in a football match. A match day ref can get assistance on penalty calls, or fouls in the penalty area. Normally match changing decisions using video technology watched over by another official referee.

However, already the technology has slowed up the play in some games and caused confusion, this is what inspired Mike Shandy to create the BAR system

Mike told Pow Footy:

“It’s a facking genius system mate. It came to me while drinking at my local boozer, there are so many football masterminds that know the game inside out who sit at the BAR, it just came to me. Let’s use these brilliant footballing minds – BAR was born mate.”

Mike’s system (BAR) plans to use independent pubs (ideally ones with smoking areas and cheap Sunday roasts) to be allocated to individual games that want the BAR system in place. When the BAR system flags a contentious decision, the system will simply scream at the TV screen, wave its arms and drink beer.

This will alert the match day official who will then take on the BAR guidance to help find the right outcome.

Some examples of the simple messages sent from the BAR system are: ‘It’s a facccking peno you wanker’ ‘The dirty twat, get him off the pitch’ ‘What a diving bastard, no peno mate’

Martin Footlight of the Referee’s Association told Pow Footy:

We welcome the new BAR system and on paper it looks like it could really work, I also love a carvery. Mmmm meat.

Report by Stella Fosters