Exclusive: ‘If you could give me a magic wand’ – Stan Collymore explains the changes he would make to officiating in the Premier League

Posted by

Stan Collymore has called for a ‘fresh approach’ towards refereeing after Manchester City were rather questionably awarded a penalty in their match against Wolves yesterday.

The former Liverpool forward also claimed that he would like to see VAR (Video Assistant Referee) removed from the game.

“If you could give me a magic wand and say get rid of VAR and just have goal-line technology for balls that go over the goal-line, I’d take that now,” the ex-Red told Empire of the Kop.

“I’d take referees being trained better, younger, I’d look at ex-pros again.

“I’m not sledging Jon Moss, but he doesn’t look the fittest guy. I’m sure he is the fittest guy and all of his stats, but I’d get ex-pros involved that understand the game, that know what a penalty is, know what a foul is, know when someone’s kidding you on. 

“I’d have a completely fresh approach to refereeing.”

Moss was in charge at the Etihad yesterday as Pep Guardiola’s side defeated Wolves 1-0 thanks to a Raheem Sterling penalty.

The decision to award a penalty when the ball clearly struck Joao Moutinho on the side of his chest was to the bemusement of many, especially when VAR checked the decision and agreed with Moss’s verdict.

With the pace and the intensity at which a Premier League game is played at, officials do have a really difficult job, but when VAR is there to support the referee and the wrong decision is still being made, then something seriously needs to be done.

VAR is here and it’s here to stay – so maybe Collymore’s call for ex-pros to be introduced as referees isn’t a bad a shout.

For now, referees need all the support they can get to ensure that games aren’t being ruined by poor decisions.

More Stories Liverpool Stan Collymore

1 Comment

  1. Stan, I have been saying that it for 20 years that ex-footballers should become referees. I myself have a coaching and a ref license after 28 years of competitive football.

Comments are closed