Four Premier League referees have been nominated for duty at Euro 2024, with Stuart Attwell standing out as one of two VARS, despite being involved in a controversy following Everton’s game against Nottingham Forest.
Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver have been confirmed as the English referees for this summer’s European Championships.
Oliver has been teamed with assistant referees Stuart Burt and Dan Cook. Taylor has partnered with Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn.
Interestingly, Stuart Attwell, who was at the core of this weekend’s Nottingham Forest derby, has been named one of two Premier League Video Assistant Referees. David Coote is the other.
Taylor was the man in the middle in Forest’s 2-0 loss at Everton on Sunday. Forest published a club statement shortly following the game, criticizing three decisions that denied their penalty appeals. Taylor denied all three claims on the field, and Attwell stood by his decisions.
Forest’s ire was directed more at Attwell, who is thought to support Luton Town.
Former Premier League referee Clattenburg, who is now employed by Forest as a match and performance analyst, called PGMOL president Howard Webb last Friday prior of the game, but did not request that Attwell be removed from VAR duty. Clattenburg merely informed Webb that Forest were expecting questions regarding Attwell’s Luton fandom during their pre-match press conference with Nuno Espirito Santo.
No questions were asked, and Webb did not remove him.
Also, UEFA plans to stay with 26-man squads for this summer’s Euros in Germany.
It is understood that the national team competitions committee voted to increase the squad size from 23 to 26. UEFA enabled teams to name 26 players apiece for the first time at Euro 2020, to assist them in dealing with Covid-19 and managing player welfare following the pandemic’s truncated 2020-21 season. The plan could be approved by UEFA’s executive committee this week.
Keeping squads at 26 players received support from national team coaches at a pre-tournament session earlier this month.
At the conclusion of the workshop, UEFA issued a statement that read: “The positive discussions highlighted different points of view among coaches, with some expressing a desire to increase squad size, with more options available, the threat of injuries, and the intense physical demands placed on players.
“Others expressed a preference to cap the squad size at 23, citing the difficulty of training with more players, group management, and the increased financial burden placed on national associations.”
“UEFA has taken note of the various opinions and points of view shared, with a final decision to be made in the coming weeks.”
Euro 2024 begins on June 14 when hosts Germany meet Steve Clarke’s Scotland in Munich.
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