Scott Parker thinks coaching styles will change because of the influence of VAR

Fulham manager Scott Parker expects coaching styles to have to adapt due to the influence of VAR on the game.

Last weekend Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho defended his striker Harry Kane over criticism of the way he won a penalty in Spurs’ 2-1 victory over Brighton.

While not getting drawn into commenting on the incident itself, Parker believes the game has been changing since the introduction of the new technology.

“I’ve seen the incident but I’m not getting involved in comments on that,” the Cottagers boss said.

“When you’ve got a screen on the side of the pitch and you’re going to slow it down to frame by frame, you’re always now running the risk of people or players working out in those moments.

“Because everything in a football match when it’s slowed down will always look or be interpreted in ‘it’s a foul or it’s not a foul’, that’s just the way this game is going really, I suppose.

“The game’s changing, I think we can all see that. It’s certainly changed since I was around and there seems to be a bit of perfection to the game that we’re all wanting to create and trying to take the real finest of situations and trying to iron it all out.

“The thing we love about our game, how quick it is and how dynamic it is is part and parcel of that, and we need to understand that along the way certain situations will happen.”

Fulham, who visit West Ham on Saturday, have had a mixed start to life back in the Premier League, but bounced back from five defeats in their opening six league matches with a first win – over fellow strugglers West Brom on Monday – to pull clear of the relegation zone.

The Cottagers have had to adapt to the use of technology this season following their promotion from the Championship, as their last campaign in the top flight in 2018-19 pre-existed the use of VAR in the Premier League.

When asked if he could imagine changing his coaching style because of VAR, Parker said: “Now the game is changing quite drastically really in certain areas, I think that’s clear to see.

“I think as a coach you always have to be aware of certain issues or certain things, now all of a sudden it’s coming out of the game suddenly – whether that’s tackling because you’re looking at a game now really where any sort of mistimed tackle you’re on a virtual red card or 30 people are seeing it that way, so there is a lot of things.”