NEIL WARNOCK has called on referees chief Howard Webb to recruit ex-players and managers to sort out the VAR shambles that is ruining football.
The legendary 74-year-old boss insists only people who have played or coached professionally have a true understanding on matters such as deliberate or dangerous fouls or handballs.
As well as appointing an independent group of ex-players and coaches to operate the technology, he insists Webb must:
- Set a THIRTY-SECOND time limit for decisions to be made
- Stop using slow-mo replays that often make incidents look worse
- Change the offside rule so there must be daylight between an attacking and defending player and introduce the semi-automated system
- Allow refs freedom to use common-sense and end the era of “robot officials”
Warnock told SunSport: “Many refs — like John Brooks — will get 90 per cent of decisions right because they know the rules. But, when it comes to the football side, such as interpreting deliberate or dangerous play, they often get it wrong.
“You need to have played to understand certain things.
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“Currently we’re seeing refs who have a problem making a decision turning to another official doing VAR who also has difficulty understanding a footballing matter.
“VAR must be taken away from refs. Howard and his PGMOL group can manage it — but they should educate an independent group of ex-players and managers to be in the video room.”
Warnock believes the Marcus Rashford sending off during Manchester United’s Champions League clash at FC Copenhagen last Wednesday — and a penalty for each side for handball — would not have been given by an ex-player or manager.
Rashford, attempting to shield the ball, caught the ankle of Elias Jelert. Ref Donatas Rumsas was called over to view a slo-mo and responded by showing a straight red card.
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Warnock said: “Both handballs and the red card were bad decisions. There was nothing deliberate — but it’s these new rules which are being misinterpreted.
“It’s a sending off if watched in slo-mo as it looks horrendous at that speed. Yet if you have played the game and see where Rashford was looking and what he did, it isn’t dangerous play. It might be a booking but never a red card.
“In real time, the ref hadn’t seen it that way so I’d have liked him to have gone to the monitor and doubled down on his original decision. But that takes a lot of courage when you’ve got someone in the VAR room suggesting he should change his mind.”
Warnock accused ex-refs boss Mike Riley of creating a “them and us” culture by not encouraging pro footballers forced to retire early to take up refereeing.
He said: “A few years ago they should’ve brought some of these players in who may not be able to play anymore but still fit enough to referee because they know the game.
“But it’s something the PGMOL has not encouraged. It was like a them-and-us culture under Mike Riley: ‘We don’t want any of them in here.’
“Howard could encourage some of these lads in their twenties that have decent experience and knowledge of playing the game.
“It’s something we’ve missed out on. England could’ve been pioneers in getting a proper group of ex-players involved.”
The Tottenham v Chelsea game last Monday saw FIVE goals disallowed with Spurs being reduced to nine men — all the incidents going to VAR.
Football refs can’t cope like they do in rugby
NEIL WARNOCK says English football should NOT follow rugby’s example of using TMO in VAR.
During the rugby World Cup on-field and video replay officials were mic’d up and when incidents were reviewed the whole process was talked through.
And referees would clearly explain the decision arrived at with the captains and shared with the TV audience and spectators in the stadium.
Asked by SunSport if football could follow this example to improve VAR, Warnock said: “It would make it worse.
“If you spoke to referees like I’ve done over the years, you’d understand why they’d have problems.
“A few years ago they were talking about football refs coming out after games to explain in front of television cameras why they made certain decisions.
“I’m telling you, they’d get crucified.
“If they talked or you had one on the monitor like they do in rugby talking about their decision=making process during a game it would be embarrassing.
“It would be worse than anything you’ve seen because I know what they’re like when speaking to them in the dressing room. They just wouldn’t be able to cope with it.
“They’re under enough scrutiny. If it went down that way, heaven help them.”
Although Warnock agreed with the decisions, he was dismayed by the amount of time it took.
He said: “Our game here has long been the best in the world. But anyone watching Tottenham vs Chelsea could’ve gone away to the kitchen to put the kettle on, eat a meal or pop outside for a fag in the time spent on VAR. It was ridiculous.
“They must put a time limit on it. I’ve always said, ‘If you can’t see a fault in 30 seconds go with what the ref originally decided.’ It’s been several minutes sometimes — it’s ridiculous.”
Warnock believes the Premier League must introduce the semi-automated offside system successfully used at last winter’s World Cup — but wants the rules changed.
Goals are currently disallowed, often after ages drawing lines on monitors, due to things such as an attacker’s toe being slightly ahead of a defender.
Advantage used to be given to an attacker level with a defender and the veteran boss insists offside should only be given if there is daylight between the two players.
He said: “They’re going to have to use artificial intelligence technology to speed up decisions.
“I’d also like to see daylight between players before offside is given because when you’re looking for five minutes and it turns out someone’s big toe is the difference between onside and offside, where are we going?
“We want to see goals but seem to be looking for anything to disallow them.”
Mikel Arteta is a Mercedes … I’m a mini van
NEIL WARNOCK could not help laughing when he heard Mikel Arteta was described as a Mercedes version of him.
The Arsenal boss came under fire from Ref Support UK CEO Martin Cassidy for constantly berating referees on the touchline.
Legendary 74-year-old Warnock — who has managed Sheffield United, Cardiff, QPR, Crystal Palace and Notts County in the top flight — has had a colourful relationship with officials down the years.
And he said: “If Mikel is the Mercedes, I must be a mini van.”
Warnock is frustrated officials are becoming “robots with whistles”, reluctant to show any discretion in certain situations — strictly applying rules rather than man-managing players and becoming lazy.
He said: “Most of our refs aren’t good enough. There are five or six of them that weren’t good enough in the Championship — yet they’ve not only been promoted to the Premier League but doing the VAR too. I don’t think there’s anyone coming through — the quality is deteriorating.
“Riley took the personality out of refs. He was like, ‘The laws are this — and they’re black and white. That’s how I want my officials.’
“But that’s not good refereeing. My dad was a class-one ref. He’d always talk to players and have a laugh with them.
“You can still have a personality. I don’t mean people like Mike Dean or Graham Poll, who fall in love with themselves and are legends in their own minds.
“I mean just talking to players, being approachable. Personality-wise they should be able to develop.
“You’re seeing situations like Sunderland’s Dan Neil getting sent off the other week against Middlesbrough for two bookings — the second one for appealing for a foul.
“Red cards were intended for premeditated nasty tackles, not silly things like that or for two bookings that involve taking your shirt off or not retreating 10 yards at a free-kick.
“A good ref like Howard used to say, ‘Look, you’ve already been booked. I’m letting you off this one but watch it?’ That’s a better way to referee rather than steadfastly sticking to the letter of the law and ruining games that people have paid good money to see.”
To see Neil Warnock live on stage around the UK in spring 2024 talking about his remarkable career, visit www.gotoagig.com
Limited numbers of meet and greet tickets available! *
Three EFL refs Warnock likes …
THE legendary boss has revealed there are THREE refs that have IMPRESSED him recently in the EFL.
Although Neil Warnock is scathing in his assessment of refereeing standards in this country, he is also quick to give credit where it is due.
He told SunSport: “Because I live down in the south-west, I sometimes take in some of my old club Plymouth’s games.
“And there are a few lads who in the past I’ve not thought were great but have improved.
“Two of the lads were David Webb and Jeremy Simpson while the other week I saw Darren England referee the Middlesbrough game. I thought he was super.
“There are still a good few refs in that league but there are also two or three that I know when I get back into football my teams are going to have to score a lot of goals to get a result!
“Worryingly, the ones I don’t think are good, the referee coaching people think they’re decent. That would be a concern to me.”
Neil Warnock goes on ‘old dinosaur’ tour
NEIL WARNOCK plans to be back in football after Christmas to rescue a club … then entertain fans on a special UK tour.
The legendary manager — who has managed 16 different clubs from non-league to the Premier League — is heading to York, Nottingham, Ipswich, Wimbledon, Portsmouth and Cardiff in May and June to share stories of his extraordinary career.
Tickets are on sale now and can be obtained by going to www.gotoagig.com
He told SunSport: “I’m going to places where fans can have a right go at me and I can have a go back. It’s all friendly banter.
“There’ll be stories I will be telling from different parts of my career.
“I’ll speak about my fallout with Sir Alex Ferguson and exchanges with Arsene Wenger. Even Brian Clough, I’ve got some great stories about him.
“I went to have lunch once with him and spent the whole afternoon there.
“It’ll be a great couple of hours — and something a bit different for football fans because there aren’t too many of us dinosaurs left!
“I’m enjoying making people laugh. There are so many bland people in the game so that it’s nice to put a smile on people’s faces.”
Warnock had to postpone his dates earlier this year after coming out of “retirement” to rescue Huddersfield from relegation. He signed a one-year contract with them in the summer but the Terriers decided to part ways amicably to bring in Darren Moore.
But he is hoping to be back in the game in the new year to help another club get out of a sticky situation.
He said: “I’ve been lucky to have gone in to rescue some great clubs like Cardiff, Rotherham, Middlesbrough and Huddersfield. They’re all fabulous and I loved every minute.
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“I didn’t want to leave Huddersfield but they felt it was the right time for them.
“Yet it was a great time to lose my job though because we had the rugby World Cup, the Ryder Cup, Cricket World Cup. I’ve just been sitting there with my crisps and popcorn and thought. ‘This is better than training.
“Also I have found a lovely Michelin-star restaurant in Padstow called No 6 and had the best meal I’ve had in my life. Mason Winwood is the head chef there and is brilliant.
“So there have been some pluses. But I’ll catch that bug in February.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
