Former referees’ boss Keith Hackett has strongly criticized referee Michael Oliver, suggesting he should be removed from duty. Hackett believes English football officials are becoming a “laughing stock in Europe” due to recent errors.
Hackett also advocated for a strict 120-second limit for VAR reviews. This comes after a controversial incident in the FA Cup game between Bournemouth and Wolves, where an offside decision took an astonishing 8 minutes and 11 seconds to resolve, disallowing a Milos Kerkez ‘goal’.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish also criticized Oliver for not even awarding a foul when Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts dangerously kicked Jean-Philippe Mateta in the head, resulting in the Crystal Palace striker being hospitalized.
VAR intervention was needed in Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round game to persuade Oliver to send off Roberts with a red card.
This incident occurred on the same day that the new Semi-Automated Offside Technology experienced a failure at Vitality Stadium – on its debut weekend in competitive matches.
These events led Hackett, a former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), to strongly criticize the current PGMOL leadership under Howard Webb. Hackett stated online, “We are the laughing stock in Europe, and the decline continues.”
Hackett questioned PGMOL’s ability to ensure high-quality refereeing. He added, “A challenge that hospitalizes a player goes unnoticed by the referee; an offside call takes EIGHT minutes? It’s time for afternoon tea for the players! How is this helpful?”
Parish expressed his anger, accusing Roberts of endangering Mateta’s life with what he described as “the most reckless challenge I’ve ever seen.”
Mateta received 25 stitches for a severe ear laceration and underwent head scans in the hospital before being discharged.
Parish also questioned why Oliver needed to consult the VAR screen, considering the severity of the foul.
Oliver, 40, has faced previous criticism for a mistake at Molineux in January. He wrongly issued a straight red card to Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly for a foul, which was later overturned on appeal.
Hackett insisted that Oliver “needs a break, at least a couple of weeks off.” He described Oliver’s officiating as “terrible,” stating, “The referee was absent. The red card should have been immediate.”
Bournemouth and Wolves fans protested against VAR during the lengthy offside review, chanting “F*** VAR” and “it’s not football anymore.”
Hackett further commented online, suggesting this should be a turning point. He questioned why the Premier League and PGMOL didn’t invest in a proven SAOT system and why it was introduced in the FA Cup at this stage.
He urged for a time limit on VAR reviews, suggesting a maximum of two minutes before reverting to the on-field decision.
Hackett, 80, also argued that if referees rely on VAR for basic decisions, they might as well use “Tarot cards or bingo balls” for decision-making.
Hackett has previously criticized PGMOL as being run by “amateurs” and stated that “VAR is not working, so bin it.”
Marcus Bellamy