Arsene Wenger has criticized the Premier League’s refusal in institute VAR for next season, claiming the success of league has made it more risk averse.
Premier League clubs voted against implementing the VAR for the 2018-19, though the system will continued to be trialled during that span.
While VAR remains controversial, and will not be instituted in the Champions League next season, the Bundesliga and Serie A both use it, while La Liga and Ligue 1 will institute it next season.
The Premier League’s decision against it is something that disappoints Wenger, who supports VAR and thinks it indicates a very conservative mindset.
Commenting on VAR and the United Kingdom government’s decision to knock back an application from West Brom to introduce safe standing, Wenger took a critical approach to both outcomes.
"At the moment, I would say that the Premier League is very conservative in all its decision-making," Wenger said. "You can see that with VAR and you see it as well with standing.
"I'm a bit more [understanding] with standing - because you can raise government rules, safety rules - than with VAR. Personally I'm in favour of it.”
Wenger further expounded on the idea that the refusal to institute VAR suggests a change in the league, as he thought the creators of the league wished to be trendsetters, not followers.
"The Premier League has been created by people who wanted to be in front of everybody else,” Wenger said. “Overall I must say at the moment we look a little more like we look first at what happens everywhere else, then if it goes well we follow it.
"But it's a bit of a conservative approach. That's the tendency, always, when you are successful, not to take many risks anymore."
