Darren Cann refutes claims of difference in officiating with VAR despite the safety net that it provides to referees.
Darren Cann retired this month, with his last match being man City’s game against Crystal Palace.
He claimed that even with the “safety net” of video assisted referees, match officials do not referee games any differently.
At the beginning of the 2019–20 season, the Premier League implemented the VAR system.
Referees are frequently accused of not making decisions on the pitch because they believe VAR should make the correct call.
“Not everybody likes VAR and I accept that view,” Cann told BBC Sport.
“But from a match official’s point of view, it is a really valuable tool.
“I would like to dispel a myth. People think we referee differently because there is VAR but nothing could be further from the truth.
“My mindset is to eradicate VAR from that 90 minutes by getting my decisions right. Our mindset is to make the right decision.
“If we do make a clear and obvious error, we do have the safety net of VAR.”
Cann responded that the heightened scrutiny and strain surrounding VAR rulings had actually made his work “more enjoyable” when asked about it.
On the weekend of his last game, semi-automated offside was introduced to the Premier League, something Cann has also welcomed.
The technology makes it easier and faster to judge close offside calls by using artificial intelligence and specialised cameras.
“In previous seasons it could take up to 50 seconds just to draw the lines before they came to a decision,” said Cann.
“With semi-automated offside, the lines are automatically drawn at the point where the ball is kicked. That speeds up the checks.
“It won’t affect the assistant referees on the pitch. They still make their calls. But it does speed up the checks.”