Huge change to VAR proposed by Premier League clubs
SOME Prem clubs believe too many 'subjective' decisions are being changed by VAR – and want an even lighter touch to be introduced.
Club chiefs accept 'factual' offside calls and determine whether fouls have occurred inside or outside the penalty area, just as they welcome goal-line decision technology.
They are also confident that semi-automatic offside limb tracking technology will speed up the process, although it is increasingly unlikely the system will be introduced before next season.
But a series of controversial calls by officials and the VAR teams at Stockley Park have sparked a debate around the Prem conference table about where the balance on changing calls should lie.
A number of clubs now argue that all 'subjective' decisions on the pitch should go unchallenged unless there is absolute evidence to overturn them. This one will rumble.
RICH PICKS
The financial dominance of English football is underlined by the latest figures from UEFA.
Prem clubs grossed £5.5 billion last season, almost double the £2.82 billion earned by nearest La Liga challengers.
That's equal to the total income of the bottom FIFTY domestic leagues in Europe
But the UEFA figures, published today (Thursday) in the European Club Finance and Investment Landscape Report, also show the evolving power shift between the Prem Big Six.
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UEFA research shows that Manchester United have the most expensively acquired squad in the world, assembled at a cost of £1.21 billion, closely followed by Manchester City and Chelsea.
But Spurs, whose turnover of almost £550 million has overtaken London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, are now the third highest earners in football with gate receipts of £116 million last season, behind only Barcelona and PSG.
Tottenham's wage bill of £247 million is ninth in the Euro table, which is topped by Barca and PSG, with City in third place on £473 million.
North Londoners' notoriously tight financial regime under Daniel Levy means they have the lowest wage-to-income ratio (just 46 percent) of all the top 20 earners.
But the UEFA figures also show that Saudi ownership is not the automatic step to the elite for Newcastle.
Toon's revenues were £246 million, but gate receipts were just £38 million, significantly less than those of both Rangers and Celtic, with a wage bill of £184 million representing 75 percent of their total income.
MINORITY OF ONE
FA bosses remain unrepentant over their decision to vote against rule changes that could see UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stay in power until 2031.
Wembley chief executive Mark Bullingham was the only opposition in the final vote, although Ukraine abstained.
Ceferin's decision to announce within minutes that he did not “intend” to stand for a fourth term made the FA's vote look like an unnecessary move.
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Some associations privately joked about the FA's isolation during meetings at UEFA's Paris hotel base for its annual conference.
But there is a strong belief within the FA that the “principle” of supporting term limits was more important than the outcome of the vote – which it insists was NOT about Ceferin's leadership.
And the FA will work with UEFA to help develop proposals to meet FIFA boss Gianni Infantino's demand for rules that could rid football of racism by his three-month deadline.
GREEK TRAGEDY REJECTED
A chill in the hearts of many who fear for the future of football as Amazon Prime announces a new feature-length documentary “Giannis”.
Luckily for those who think we've had enough of the FIFA president, it's actually about Greek Milwaukee Bucks NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo. No sin bins or blue card required.
SUITABLE TRIBUTE
London Marathon bosses plan to pay tribute to last year's winner Kelvin Kiptum following the Kenyan star's tragic death in a car crash at the age of 24.
A plaque in Kiptum's memory could be unveiled at the starting line on April 21 as runners line up.
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