Relegation, when finally confirmed last May, condemned West Ham to the second tier of English football for the first time since 2011 and a summer of turmoil with sixteen exits from last year’s expensively assembled Premier League squad.
The allegations made in June’s BBC Panorama programme created further chaos in the boardroom with the end of the Brady/Sullivan era, West Ham fans celebrating – prematurely as it turned out – that the departed Chairman looked set to exit the football club altogether. Whilst Sullivan retains shares, his influence on the club is waning fast.
Much as fans dreaded starting life in the second tier, there has been a pretty unanimous thumbs up to one aspect of the football – reverting to referee-controlled matches and no VAR in theChampionship is perhaps the biggest breath of fresh air for supporters weary of the contrived results seemingly orchestrated by the officials off the pitch last season.
VAR Delays and Interventions are no more – much to fans’ relief
The spontaneity, the spectacle, indeed, the instant reaction to referee decisions are cause for celebration or uproar but are again authentic and instant. Just as it used to be.
West Ham’s players have taken a couple of games to get wise and stop rolling around waiting for a VAR overturn: The referees in the Championship appear less indulgent of play-acting and more prepared to allow the game to flow. The officials’ mistakes are the same, of course, but each side and their supporters merely live with it and get on with the game.
Goal celebrations are once again without hesitation and free from endless, minute, slow motion re-examination.
Relegation may be catastrophic financially for the club and emotionally draining for supporters – but as far as the entertainment is concerned, to borrow a phrase, “I’m lovin’ it”!
Totally agree. I found that VAR took away the most enjoyable part of a game, namely celebrating a goal. Now there isn’t the wait while being subject to the whims of whichever official is imposing his own particular interpretation on a review. Personally I am quite happy if the officials on the pitch don’t get it right every time so long as the game flows and you know that the referee ‘s whistle is all that matters. The match day experience is all the better for it in my opinion.