ENGLAND legend Sir Geoff Hurst has urged older people to embrace technology – but blasted its overuse in football with VAR.
Sir Geoff, 82, revealed he uses internet banking, buys train tickets on his phone and uses a family WhatsApp group as he encouraged seniors to learn digital skills.
But the 1966 World Cup hero said VAR technology in football is an “absolute joke” which should be abolished.
Sir Geoff MBE – who teamed up with BT Group and AbilityNet to digital skills sessions – also backed Jude Bellingham to lead England to Euros glory in Germany this summer.
And he urged young footballers to ignore social media comments, while slamming “cowards” who abuse stars like England and Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka.
The ex-England and West Ham striker also revealed he uses technology when he watches football – so he can fast-forward through the punditry.
Speaking as he backed a ‘Team Up’ campaign for older people to polish up their online skills and avoid scams, Sir Geoff said: “If you use technology sensibly it will help your quality of life.
“For example, I do internet banking and use the Trainline app to buy my tickets.
“I use technology to keep up with family, to send photos and we have a WhatsApp group called Family Bantz.
“But if I’ve got an issue with something, I go to my children or grandchildren – it’s as simple as that.
“And if I get something that could be a scam I bin it.”
Sir Geoff railed against the use of VAR in football – but believes the game does need goal-line technology.
He scored his famous hat-trick for England against West Germany in 1966, with debate still raging over whether his second goal – England’s third – in the 4-2 win crossed the line.
And he was in the stadium when England ace Frank Lampard ‘scored’ against Germany in the 2010 World Cup last-16 defeat in South Africa – only for officials to fail to see it had gone in.
Sir Geoff said: “I was the opposite side to the linesman and I could see the ball bounce halfway between the goal-line and the back of the net.
“That was the most disgraceful decision we’ve seen in football and then they introduced goal-line technology.
“But now with VAR, it’s an absolute joke.
“They are making more bad decisions now and you don’t want to see people take ages to make a decision.
“It’s ruining the spectacle, and the fans can’t cheer.
“It’s actually spoiling the game.”
Sir Geoff said he was looking forward to this summer’s Euros, which kick off in Germany next month.
And he predicted England’s Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, 20, could light up the tournament.
He said: “I am very hopeful about the team.
“The bunch of young players are the best we’ve had since 1966.
“We’ve got quality players in all position and his biggest issue is he can only pick 11 of them.
“If you have to pick one player out, I would say Jude Bellingham.
“He is doing astonishingly well for a 20-year-old. He is in the same category as people like George Best and Bobby Charlton – he is up there with them.”
In the last Euros, England lost in heart-breaking fashion to Italy on penalties at Wembley.
The final was marred by scenes of hooliganism and then by racist abuse aimed at Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho after they missed spot-kicks.
And Sir Geoff urged youngsters – including young footballers – to spend less time on social media.
He said: “Too many kids are on their phones all the time.
“Social media is used too much and if I go out when kids are going to school, you always see them with the phone in front of them.
“Young players should turn stuff off as well, and not listen to what people are saying on social media.
“It adds pressure and the companies have to be more stringent on what they allow to be put out there.
“It’s absolutely disgusting for a young player, like Saka, to have this abuse.
“Any online abuse is disgraceful and the people doing it, of course, are just cowards.”
Sir Geoff also revealed he uses his ipad to watch watch Match of the Day on BBC iplayer– and skip past the punditry.
He said: “The way I watch football now, is to fast forward through the punditry.
“I think they spend too much time on punditry, which is just one person’s opinion.
“There are some awful commentators who don’t know what to say and so they just waffle on.”
Sir Geoff lives at home in Cheltenham, Glos with wife Judith, and regularly travels the country for speaking engagements.
One of his two daughters, Charolotte’s children – George, 18, Grace, 15, and seven-year-old Rose – regularly help him if he has technical issues or concerns.
Last week he attended an hour-long course to teach older people digital skills – and has urged other to do the same.
Sir Geoff added: “I’m one of an older generation of people, and we’ve not grown up in the technological age although we probably started it 20 or 30 years ago.
“The main advice is really simple, and that’s to go to a course to learn skills.
“The biggest issue is making sure you don’t get caught in a scam.
“The person doing my demonstration put on the screen examples of scams to show people what to look out for.”
For more information, visit: https://abilitynet.org.uk/news-blogs/world-cup-hero-sir-geoff-hurst-seniors-should-embrace-technology
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