Championship clubs oppose introduction of VAR-style system for next season

Clubs in the EFL Championship have rejected plans to introduce a version of the video assistant referee system from next season.

Football Video Support (FVS), a modified form of Video Assistant Referee, was considered for use from August.

The system requires fewer resources and allows each coach two reviews per match.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited presented the proposal at the English Football League annual meeting last month.

Feedback gathered afterwards showed clear opposition from clubs to any form of video review in the division.

The proposal is now unlikely to be revisited in the near future.

Goal-line technology will remain in use, while clubs will vote in June on whether to extend it to League One after a cost review.

Some managers had called for the introduction of VAR. Philippe Clement said there are “moments where I miss VAR to get the right decisions” after his side conceded a penalty against Ipswich.

Gerhard Struber said there are “many signs, evaluations that with VAR the decisions are better and more fair”.

Despite that, clubs raised concerns about cost and the effect on supporters.

Trials of FVS have taken place in Spain and Italy, as well as the Canadian Premier League, but there have also been concerns about how it is used.

(BBC)