It’s not been the best weekend for Premier League officials, both those in charge of proceedings on the pitch and those working the VAR, and one former head of referees has let his ire run riot on social media, referencing a poor decision at the Brentford v Newcastle match.
Keith Hackett was once the head of PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) and the head of the referees in the English Premier League and Championship.
A former FIFA referee also, Hackett’s professionalism and integrity was beyond doubt.
Once he’d left the job and even before the onset of VAR, there seems to have consistently been one refereeing controversy or another.
If VAR was supposed to rid the game of such errors, one can hardly say it’s been an unqualified success, and again this past weekend, the lack of knowledge from those watching proceedings unfold has been highlighted.
None more so than in the game between Brentford and Newcastle, where a second penalty call against the Magpies was adjudged to have been a ‘shocking’ decision by Hackett.
The penalty kick awarded against Newcastle United by Ref Kavanagh in their match versus Brentford was shocking. How can two elite referees deliver such a poor decision. Howard Webb should bench them for a couple of weeks do they receive some operational advice. Not good enough.
— KEITH HACKETT (@HACKETTREF) April 9, 2023
Fortunately for Eddie Howe’s side, they were able to come back in the second half and turn the match around, ensuring that they’d end the Easter Weekend where they’d started it – in third place.
With Howard Webb, the new man in charge of PGMOL, also apologising to Brighton and Hove Albion for a spot-kick that was awarded against them, it’s clear that officials need to be made aware of their responsibilities once more.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has been in touch with @OfficialBHAFC to admit Hojbjerg tackle on Mitoma yesterday should have been a penalty.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) April 9, 2023
VAR should of SENT ISAK OFF for his challenge on Ethan Pinnock.
Obviously a wind up merchant
Bad loser never a pentaly but hammered you losers second half haha
This Var is ruining our game of football, why is it they get it right in rugby yet we can’t do it in football, I think it’s time they start introducing the rugby way into our game then maybe we will see the changes that football need are you listening Howard Webb.
Bad loser never a pentaly but hammered you losers second half haha
Plenty of ref errors this past weekend highlighted mostly in the Spurs/Brighton game. Shocking. get a grip.
Both calls were correct….i wonder what their decision would’ve been if it was for arsenal or brighton “wave it and apologize later”???
Never even got a clear picture of the Isak affair.