After over 50 years in football, Tony Pulis has seen the game evolve dramatically — and not all of it for the better. The former Premier League manager believes football has lost touch with its most important people: the fans.
According to Pulis, modern supporters spend “enormous amounts of their hard-earned money” following their clubs, yet the joy of the game is being eroded by constant stoppages and refereeing controversies. His solution? A return to simplicity and common sense.
VAR Has Become Too Powerful
Pulis argues that referees and VAR have grown “more important than the game itself.” While he admits video technology can be useful for “clear and obvious” mistakes — like Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ or Thierry Henry’s handball — he says its current use is excessive.
“VAR has to rein its neck in. The way it’s being used now takes away the soul of football,” said Pulis.
Every minor incident is checked, celebrations are delayed, and fans are left waiting for minutes at a time. “The time it takes to make these calls is outrageous,” he added. “It’s an affront to the game.”
A Two-Minute Rule for VAR Decisions
To fix the problem, Pulis suggests a strict two-minute limit on all VAR reviews. If a decision can’t be made within that time, it’s not “clear and obvious” — and should stand as called on the field.
He also proposes including ex-players or managers in VAR booths to add practical football understanding to the process. “They might not know every law,” Pulis said, “but they know the game.”
Timekeeping Transparency
Another reform Pulis wants is a stoppable match clock, controlled by the referee during injuries, VAR checks, or time-wasting. That way, fans and players always know how much time remains.
“I used to laugh about it,” Pulis recalled. “If we were beating the big teams, there’d be more than five minutes added. If we were losing, it was always less than three.”
‘Make Referees Invisible Again’
Ultimately, Pulis believes referees have become too visible and influential. Between microphones, video reviews, and overcomplicated rules, officiating now dominates the post-match conversation.
“We need to make referees invisible again,” he said. “People should talk about goals, not decisions.”
He also criticised the confusing handball and offside laws, which he feels have “taken the joy out of football.” His plea is simple — simplify the rules, speed up decisions, and give football back to the fans.
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