Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has dubbed the PGMOL “stupid” following the disputed incident that resulted in a late Wolves equaliser being disallowed against West Ham.
Halsey maintained that, while the officials may understand the rules of the game, they do not comprehend the game itself, and this judgment is additional evidence of that.
He also stated that Lukasz Fabianski would have had full vision of the ball and would not have stopped Max Kilman’s header anyhow, raising the question of why VAR was even involved in the decision.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [8 April, 08:41], Halsey declared: “It’s all about learning the game of football. I saw nothing wrong with Wolves’ goal on Saturday.
“Being in an offside position does not constitute an offense. If you engage in active play, interfere with the goalkeeper’s line of vision, or interfere with an opponent, it is. None of these things happened to me.
“Fabianski can see clearly, and he can move if he wants to, but that header came at speed, and he would not have received the ball. It’s all about knowing the game. You can claim it’s subjective, but why is VAR involved?
“Not a single West Ham player complained. The traditional saying goes that referees understand the rules of the game but not football.
“If everybody in football is saying that goal should have been given, while the PGMOL are coming out with stupid statements to say why it wasn’t given, then there’s something drastically wrong.”
Ex-Premier League referee fumes at Wolves v West Ham decision
Wolves defender Kilman’s late headed goal was disallowed after it was determined that an offside player was blocking the goalkeeper, despite the fact that Fabianski had no chance of save it, as Halsey detailed, causing lots of drama toward the end.
The call has proved divisive, with Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy discussing live on talkSPORT, with O’Hara insisting the goal should have stood and Cundy explaining that the VAR made the correct call according to the letter of the law.
Gabby Agbonlahor, meanwhile, slammed the judgment despite labeling himself “Wolves’ biggest hater” and admitting he felt terrible for Gary O’Neil after multiple rulings went against Wolves this season.
West Ham fans have rightly been frustrated by the decision, which has diverted attention away from what was a remarkable away win, but repeated wrong decisions cannot be disregarded at this juncture.
In other West Ham news, Fabrizio Romano provided a new Kalvin Phillips update.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel to receive rapid updates directly to your phone.
