Football isn’t rocket science. Fans will always recognise a great goal, a defence-splitting pass or a brilliant save. And they can also spot a dodgy refereeing decision a mile away. Which is why Howard Webb appears to be taking us all for fools with his rather creative takes on some of the calamitous mistakes that are bringing the
Premier League into disrepute. Webb’s latest attempt to con us all into thinking that anyone who doesn’t own a whistle, a flag or a VAR monitor doesn’t really understand the game would be comical if it wasn’t just another example of the lunatics taking over the asylum. The PGMOL chief did his very best to paint Jeremy Doku’s chest-high challenge on Alexis Mac Allister in Liverpool’s recent meeting with
Manchester City as an innocent ‘coming together’ that didn’t warrant a penalty. Anyone who watched the game knew that Doku got away with one. Not just in terms of referee Michael Oliver missing the offence as it happened, but in the way VAR official Stuart Attwell failed to advise him to take another look on the pitch-side monitor despite being armed with replays of the incident from every conceivable angle. Watch the Premier League title race with the best Sky Sports deals Howard Webb forced to take on extra
Job after PGMOL chief quits mid-season It was exactly the type of scenario that VAR was supposed to rectify. Instead, Webb expected us all to accept that a throat-threatening challenge doesn’t cross the threshold. Until next week, when it does. Or how winning the ball first and catching someone with a follow-through is a foul this time. When next time it won't be. I’m not bringing the issue up because it was
Liverpool who suffered against City. These errors of judgement are taking place every single week and the man who has been put in charge of our referees shapes his narrative to fit any decision. It was much more preferable when referees were allowed to make what we all knew were ‘honest mistakes’ rather than having another official sat in isolation at Stockley Park compounding the situation. For Webb to go on TV in a bid to convince us all that his team of match officials were right after all, and that it’s the rest of us who don’t know what we’re talking about, is crass in the extreme. Do you agree with Robbie Fowler? Have your say in the comments section Referees chief Howard Webb has spoken about contentious decisions on TV ( Image: PA) I’m sorry, Howard, but every time I hear you trying to explain away these decisions, you come across as a jobsworth doing what he can to defend his mates.
Football belongs to fans and players. But it’s been ambushed by administrators and officials who are trying to make the game perfect. They don’t understand that it’s those imperfections that make football what it is. Do I trust the bureaucrats to do the right thing and ditch VAR? Not when the refereeing profession appears to have become jobs for the boys (and girls). It wasn’t that long ago that the only officials required were the referee, two assistants and a fourth official. These days, even the VAR has got an assistant! There have been a number of long VAR delays in the Premier League this season ( Image: PA) TV channels have their own in-house former referee to offer so-called insights during games. It’s amazing how quickly their opinions change depending on what decision is conjured up on the pitch. I’m not one for conspiracy theories. I don’t believe for one second that referees are anything but sincere in the way they go about their business on the pitch. But VAR has given them a get-out clause. If they make a mistake and it isn’t corrected at Stockley Park then they can’t be blamed. As an added insurance policy they have an old mate or the boss in the television studio trying to sell us the idea that everything is actually on point. Join our new
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