“It’s typical that you have not played the game.”
Paul Merson absolutely loses it after Mike Dean’s comments about ex Premier League players becoming VAR officials on Gillette Soccer Saturday.
Following the controversy of VAR’s human error in the Liverpool vs Tottenham game that wrongly ruled out Luis Diaz goal in the first half, the panel were debating the future of match officials.
Merson was making the point that the game should have been restarted when the VAR officials realised that there was a mistake made, even though that wasn’t protocol.
There was also the suggestion that former players could become involved with the VAR process, something which former PL referee, Dean, did not agree with.
“They have been in this week again, doing certain things to try and get the communication better, but for the way forward – do you get ex players in? For me no.
“If you get all of them players in, half of them don’t know the laws of the game full stop, as you can tell by what you (Merson) just said about restarting a game for the sake of it.”
At this point the Sky Sports pundit interjected and was visibly frustrated with his colleague.
“For the sake of it? For the sake of it?” Merson bellowed.
“What do you mean the ‘sake of it’? You’re playing Liverpool vs Tottenham, one of the biggest games, and you’re saying it’s ‘for the sake of it?'”
Dean interrupted: “You don’t know the laws. You don’t know the law!”
“There is no law! No one is going to die.” Merson replied quickly.
Paul Merson and Mike Dean clash over 'the laws of the game' 😬 pic.twitter.com/lil10ERvne
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 7, 2023
“Just stop the game, nothing is going to happen. You’re all just scared. You’re like ‘oh my God I’m going to get in trouble.’
“Stop the game! Stop the game. It’s typical that you have not played the game. Typical, because you know the rules that’s different?”
At this point the former Arsenal player had completely lost his rag, with presenter Simon Thomas telling him to calm down, although Dean couldn’t help but have the final say.
“I’m staying nice and calm here because I know you can’t change the law, if he wants to blow up like a bottle pop that’s fine by.”
Top quality Saturday viewing.
Related links:
- Nigel Owens makes perfect sense with VAR change football should take from rugby
- “We can’t do anything” VAR audio from Luis Diaz offside goal released
- Jamie Carragher launches passionate attack on the ‘horrendous’ state of VAR
