‘We are not playing for R200, we are playing for R20 million,’ said the Arrows head coach.
Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has called for the Premier Soccer League to implement the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system as soon as possible.
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Mngqithi was understandably upset after Aden McCarthy scored the winning goal from an offside position for Kaizer Chiefs against Arrows at FNB Stadium in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday evening.
Mngqithi – ‘We have to up our game’
“It is high time the league looks at this thing differently,” said Mngqithi after the match.
“The game is too dynamic. It is very difficult for the officials to follow every movement. Even ourselves (coaches), we see it late, when we have had a chance to look at the video. You can’t expect the referee to remain in touch with everything that happens.
“The first ball that is played in Aden is not offside. But when Silva touches the ball he is offside. VAR is more than important. We are not playing for R200, we are playing for R20 million. This is the biggest league in Africa and we have to up our game.”
While Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has been vocal about money the government has set aside for the implementation of VAR, it is still unclear if and when it will be used by the PSL.
“This VAR issue has been spoken about a lot,” added Mngqithi.
“We should step up, whether the government is assisting us or we are assisting ourselves.
“We lose our jobs, coaches are penalised for mistakes and sometimes it is not even from players and officials.
“Officials get blamed a lot, but if you look at the training we do, players are trained to be explosive and referees can’t cope with all of these aspects.”
Chiefs’ Kaze agrees
Despite being on the right side of Tuesday’s decision, Kaizer Chiefs co-head coach Cedric Kaze backed Mngqithi’s call for the implementation of VAR.
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“Obviously I believe VAR would make the league better,” he said.
“It is something that helps the referees. I am with my colleague, I can’t wait to have VAR.”