Stoney cold on prospect of VAR in women’s game

Manchester United Women manager Casey Stoney doubts VAR will ever be used in the Women’s Super League.

The video referee system has attracted huge controversy in the men’s Premier League this season, while its use was also one of the main talking points during the Women’s World Cup in France last summer.

Stoney is sceptical about both the system itself, and whether the WSL will ever be in a position to afford it.

“I don’t think we’ll ever see (VAR),” she told the Guardian.

“I don’t think we’ll ever be resourced for it because there’s not the money in the game.

“I thought we were going towards, years ago, the advantage for the attacker to make it a more entertaining game, and it seems to have gone completely the other way now, so no I don’t want it in the women’s game at all.”

England had a goal disallowed in their World Cup semi-final defeat to the United States when a marginal offside call went against Ellen White.

“I don’t like (VAR). I like the drama of football,” Stoney added.

“I like the fact that a ref makes a mistake because they’re human and, if I’m sitting in the crowd, I want to be able to celebrate a goal and not have to wait two minutes to see if it’s onside, offside, if it’s touched someone’s fingernail or their toenail is offside.”