There are currently no plans to stop Premier League match officials working in the Middle East, i understands, after it emerged the video assistant referees who made a “significant human error” in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham had only just returned from the United Arab Emirates.
VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook had been officiating a match in the UAE Pro League between Al Ain and Sharjah.
i has been told the duo arrived back in the UK on Friday. The error during Saturday’s game, which saw Luis Diaz’s goal wrongly disallowed for offside, was attributed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to a “momentary lapse of concentration”.
Referees are currently permitted to work abroad if they are given permission by the FA, who then approach the PGMOL. It is understood that their work overseas does not affect their consideration for selection for weekend Premier League games.
Pressure is now mounting on Howard Webb, the former referee who has ushered in a new wave of transparency since becoming head of the PGMOL, to stop officials travelling long distances before games amid concerns over fatigue.
As it stands, though, there are no English referees scheduled to work overseas. If more requests come in, they will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Craig Pawson refereed a Greek Super League match between Panathinaikos and PAOK in May, though he did not take charge of another game in England, Millwall’s 4-3 defeat to Blackburn, until five days later. Andy Madley refereed a number of Japanese J-League games in the Premier League’s close season. EFL referee Tom Bramall also went to Japan in March.
In April, Michael Oliver took charge of a Saudi Pro League game between Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s side, and Al Hilal. He was then in the middle for Liverpool’s 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest four days later.
Officials who have been working in other countries are typically now placed on VAR or fourth official duty, as Oliver was this weekend having also been part of the UAE cohort. He has reportedly been approached about working in Saudi Arabia full time.
The PGMOL contacted Liverpool shortly after their loss to Spurs to acknowledge the error, which occurred because England and Cook believed they were being asked to confirm if Diaz was onside – when they realised he was, they told on-field referee Simon Hooper that the check was complete, and he proceeded with his original decision of offside.
Liverpool responded to the PGMOL on Sunday night with a damning statement, claiming that “sporting integrity had been undermined” and saying they would be exploring “the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution”.
English officials regularly work on Thursday night matches in the Europa League, and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the Champions League.
However, it is around a seven-hour flight to the UAE and at three hours, the time difference is greater than in most European countries.
England and Cook have been temporarily stood down, with England replaced as the fourth official for Nottingham Forest’s draw with Brentford on Sunday. Cook will miss Fulham against Chelsea on Monday.
Workload and tiredness are not the only concerns about the growing demand for Premier League officials in UAE and Saudi Arabia. The idea of referees staying in England and “freelancing” elsewhere is complicated by the fact that Manchester City and Newcastle United are effectively state-owned by the UAE and Saudi Arabia respectively.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3aU2q4I
Post a Comment