Jurgen Klopp urges the Premier League to eliminate VAR in its current form before his final match at Anfield.

The most intense week – Klopp gears up for final match as Liverpool manager

Jurgen Klopp, the esteemed Liverpool manager, has expressed his desire for VAR to be scrapped in its current form. In his final pre-match press conference, Klopp stated that if the video assistant referee continues to be used in the same manner, it should be abandoned. He believes that officials are incapable of properly utilizing the technology, which has faced significant criticism due to a series of controversial decisions.

The Premier League clubs will vote on the future of VAR at their annual general meeting on 6th June, with Wolves having already submitted a formal resolution.

Klopp, who guided Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years, emphasized that the issue lies in the way VAR is implemented, rather than the technology itself. He stated, “I don’t think they’re voting against VAR, I think they’ll vote about how it gets used because that’s definitely not right.”

The German manager believes that the current usage of VAR is flawed and that the people responsible for its implementation are not competent enough. He expressed his frustration, saying, “In the way they do it, I would vote against it, because these people are not able to use it properly. I do not think VAR is the problem, but the way we use it is the problem. So, you cannot change the people obviously, it’s clear. You need them. So yes, I would vote for scrapping VAR.”

Klopp’s dissatisfaction with VAR is not unfounded, as there have been instances where significant human errors have been acknowledged. For example, Liverpool had a goal disallowed in their 2-1 loss to Tottenham last September, with the refereeing body PGMO admitting to a significant error in the decision-making process.

Sunday’s match against Wolves at Anfield will mark Klopp’s final game as Liverpool manager. Reflecting on his departure, Klopp admitted that bidding farewell was difficult after achieving great success with the club, including winning the Premier League and Champions League. He described the week leading up to his departure as the most intense of his life, filled with emotional moments and farewells from the players. Klopp acknowledged the significance of the occasion, stating, “Saying goodbye is never nice but saying goodbye without feeling sad or hurt would have meant the time was not good. The time was great. It will be tough.”

Despite his accomplishments, Klopp believes that he could have won even more trophies during his tenure at Liverpool. He acknowledged that not being crowned champions by a single point was a disappointing experience, but he also highlighted the uncontrollable factors that influenced the outcome. Klopp stated, “When we don’t score at Man City when the ball wasn’t over the line, and then Sergio Aguero scores at Burnley when it is just over the line. That is not my fault!”

He also expressed satisfaction with his own efforts, stating, “I would not be happy if I thought I could have done more. I couldn’t have done more. Could someone else have done better? Possibly. But not me, and I’m fine with it. It’ll be judged by the people and most are fine with it.”

As Klopp prepares to bid farewell to Liverpool, his impact on the club and the Premier League will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.