EDDIE Howe backed the decision not to introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the top flight next season and insisted there were “too many grey areas”.

It was vetoed at a Premier League shareholders meeting in London last week, when all 20 member clubs voted.

The system, which is being trialled in this season's FA Cup, is set to be further tested throughout the 2018-19 campaign.

Cherries boss Howe said: “I think it’s the right call. I was a little reluctant at the start of the process because making sure these things work and don’t stop the flow of the game, for me, is everything.

“When you have a product and a system that works where you trust referees to make the right call, and it’s worked for so long, why be in too much of a rush to change it?

“If you are going to change it, you must make sure you have all the boxes ticked to say the system will work and won’t disrupt the flow of the game.

“I think we have already seen there are too many grey areas or things we need to iron out to make sure the system is working properly.”

VAR came in for further criticism in Germany yesterday after Mainz benefited from a bizarre penalty decision against Freiburg in the Bundesliga.

Freiburg's players had disappeared down the tunnel for half-time when referee Guido Winkmann referred a potential call to the video assistant.

Following a delay of around five minutes, Winkmann recalled the players to give the spot-kick amid total confusion.

The resulting penalty was scored in the seventh minute of added time.

“Without knowing exactly what happened, that sounds absolutely ridiculous,” added Howe, when commenting on the incident.

“I suppose I would have been happy if I was in the dressing room which had the penalty! But in the other dressing room, I wouldn’t have believed what was happening.

“I don’t think we should lose faith in referees. There have been some very strong refereeing performances this season and we have to back them.”

Asked whether VAR could eventually benefit the game, the Cherries boss replied: “I think it could, but I do think there needs to be a lot more tweaking and testing done to make sure the referee, players and crowd know exactly what is happening.

“To rush it and bring it in without those testing opportunities happening would be a big mistake.”