Wolves manager Gary O’ Neil has again criticized the PGMOL after another night of questionable VAR decisions on Monday.
Wolves’ last-minute 3-2 defeat away to Fulham was littered with controversial refereeing calls. As we are seeing too often this season, the officiating descended into messiness.
Fulham were awarded a penalty in the 59th minute which appeared soft. However, VAR reviewed the incident and decided the referee didn’t make a ‘clear and obvious error’.
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Wolves were awarded a penalty of their own on 75 minutes and Fulham ought to have had a man sent off. Replays clearly show Tim Ream, who was already on a yellow card, taking Hwang-Hee-chan down. Again, the VAR determined that no clear and obvious error was made although they admitted after the game it should have been a red card.
Fulham were awarded another penalty in injury time, one which the referee dismissed on the field. However, VAR urged him to check it and eventually the penalty was awarded. There was also a headbutt my Carolo Vinicius on Max Kilman which was not deemed a red card offense.
“We discussed the headbutt, which it was, but he debated that a little bit with me as well and he said that it was a soft headbutt,” said Gary O’ Neil.
“Which I just said that that’s crazy. He’s absolutely crazy. So we can headbutt people as long as it’s deemed soft or not hard enough? So my son at home watching that — millions of children watching that — we’re telling them that you can headbutt people on a football pitch, as long as it’s not too hard?”
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“You can phone me and tell me I’m wrong,” Gary O’ Neil said.
“You can phone me and apologise, you can send me flowers if you like, but the difference from 22 points to 15 is huge. I’m managing a big football club here and the difference that you’re making to my reputation, to the club’s progression up the league, to people’s livelihoods, it’s huge.
“It can’t be like this with all the technology and all the time in the biggest league in the world that we’re getting so many wrong. It can’t be ok. We should discuss the game, but, unfortunately, we have to discuss these because they’re such big decisions.”
