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“What is the point of VAR?” – Gary O’Neil blames technology for Wolves’ defeat at Fulham

“What is the point of VAR?” – Gary O’Neil blames technology for Wolves’ 3-2 defeat at Fulham in the televised fixture on Monday night.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers manager said he’s ‘trying to remain calm’ after he met with the referee come full time, discussing controversial VAR decisions once again going against his side.

Gary O’Neil says referee Michael Salisbury admitted officials were wrong to award Fulham their first penalty and also said officials conceded they should have sent off Tim Ream for a second yellow card and Carlos Vinicius for clashing with Max Kilman.

O’Neil told Sky Sports post-match: “I’ve always been for VAR but I think it’s causing a big problem at the moment.

“Maybe tonight [Monday] has finally turned me against VAR. I thought it would probably help but it doesn’t seem to be.

“I’m managing a big football club here – the difference you’re making to my reputation, the club’s progression up the league, people’s livelihoods is huge.

“It can’t be with all the technology, in the best league in the world, it can’t be OK. We should discuss the game really but unfortunately we have to discuss this.”

The Wolves boss adds that referee Salisbury said the VAR Stuart Attwell should have advised him to overturn his decision.

O’Neil adds: “Nelson plays the ball and doesn’t touch Cairney. I’ve watched it back with the referee and to be fair, he says he thinks they got it wrong and he should have been sent to the monitor.

“It doesn’t help me and it doesn’t help all the fans that have travelled all this way to help their team. It doesn’t help the players, who are feeling frustrated again.”

Incident: In the 73rd minute, Tim Ream fouls Hee-Chan Hwang in the area and Wolves are awarded a penalty.

Ream, was already on a booking, hadn’t been shown a second yellow card with O’Neil saying after his initial discussion with the officials, they admitted the Fulham defender should have been sent off.

O’Neil: “We had an interesting debate. He [Salisbury] thought the pen was enough.

“Since then, they’ve sent someone out to speak to one of my staff and said by the letter of the law Ream should receive a second yellow card and be sent off.”

O’Neil also talked about Fulham’s Carlos Vinicius headbutting Max Kilman’s nose in an off-the-ball incident in the 88th minute. Vinicius was handed a yellow card.

O’Neil said in his discussion with Salisbury, the referee labelled it as a “soft headbutt” but the officials later admitted Vinicius should have been sent off.

O’Neil said: “He said it was a ‘soft headbutt’ – I said that was crazy. We can headbutt people on a football pitch as long as it’s deemed soft or not hard enough?

“They’ve since come out after that and said by the letter of law we got that one wrong – that should be a red card.

“Do I need to tell Max to roll around on the floor when someone headbutts him? I don’t want to. Do I want my players to surround the referee for a second booking for Ream?

“You can argue that two of them could go against us but all four go against us. It’s a tough one for the lads, supporters and myself to take.”

The the incident in stoppage time, Joao Gomes made contact with Harry Wilson, who went down in the area, but a spot kick wasn’t awarded. VAR Attwell advised Salisbury to overturn his decision.

O’Neil said: “The one on Wilson, we disagree on a little bit. He thinks there’s enough contact there to give a penalty. I think it’s really soft.

“We’ve been here a lot this season. We didn’t deserve that.”

O’Neil reckons VAR didn’t help the referee, who “would have done a better job on his own”.

He added: “I don’t think VAR helped him but in fact it hindered him.

“Sending him to the screen for one and not to the other, not advising him there is a headbutt or that Tim Ream should receive a red card. What is the point in VAR?

“They said they got the Harry Wilson one right (last penalty decision). There’s minimal contact and I don’t think there’s enough.”

O’Neil adds that Wolves have already been denied seven points by officiating errors this season: “Bad luck keeps going against us. I’ve had a real, grown-up conversation.

“I’m trying to remain calm. I’m not angry with anybody. I’m not abusing anyone. It’s just a conversation around, ‘Come on guys, it’s six or seven points that have gone against us’.”

He has previously spoken to head of referees’ body PGMOL Howard Webb, but said: “I won’t be calling anybody. What can I do?

“I’ve got two options. I keep behaving in the way that I should and make my players behave in the way we should. We respect everybody and the decision-making.

“Or we start to go, ‘That’s not working. We’re going to have to make some noise’. They are the two decisions I have.

“I’ve been really honest. I’d rather be a decent human being and answer things honestly but things need to get better.

“I can’t accept us being on the wrong end of decisions as often as we are. That needs to get better.”

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said of Fulham’s first penalty: “I think it’s extremely harsh. We speak about wanting the on-field referees to make the decision. There’s no doubt Semedo gets something on the ball. He stands on his big toe.

“You can look at lots of different angles. I think it’s harsh. I’m not a massive fan of VAR slowing things down. We’re talking about a toe. After the ref has given the decision, VAR have got a problem because we’re in the territory of ‘clear and obvious’.

“This phrase ‘clear and obvious’ is a grey area. Different people have different opinions – how far does it have to go before it’s a howler?”

Carra also spoke on VAR helping to give Fulham’s second penalty: “Again, it’s harsh. The referee has got a great position, sees it and shakes his head straight away.

“When you slow it down it looks worse. When you watch at full speed, like the ref did from five or six yards away, it’s harsh.

“I think it’s more of a penalty than the first one – but the problem for me is, after the ref doesn’t give it on field, the decision shouldn’t be overturned. That’s my feeling.

“I don’t think it is a penalty. The ref has a great view. VAR thinks that’s a clear and obvious error. I don’t see it.”

This is how fans reacted as Gary O’Neil blames technology for Wolves’ Premier League defeat at Fulham…

@FRsources: Gary O’neil is a credit to the Premier League. Shame the @FA_PGMOL can’t take a leaf out his book.

@jeff00uk: Wolves have been hammered with incorrect decisions week after week yet Gary won’t play the crying card. Take note Mikel and many other managers throwing your toys out the pram. This is how a response should be Professional, fair and classy! Time they sort the officials out!

@leedeetee: Gary O’Neil speaks really well but those incidents he refers to are marginal, and the decisions made subjective. Perfection isn’t possible when humans are involved.

@OllieMont: One thing from all this is how good Gary is coming across, watched him a few times in interviews etc… class guy

@chrisw333: Fair play to Gary O’Neil he speaks ell there. Personally I wouldn’t class the Vinicius incident as a headbutt, but the way the game is refereed now you’d expect him to go. We can’t have a situation where players have to throw themselves to the ground to get a consistent decision

@_LamNam_: Fair play, need more managers to start speaking out against it. Theyve had enough time to get it right, they cant, keep it for non subjective calls like offside and leave everything else to the ref on the pitch.

@Charlespurs: Many managers could learn a lot from him and his comments. No club statement from Wolves either I suspect. Trouble is as we have found too, unless you make a fuss and a noise they will continue to go against you.

@TommyGDavis_: Everything he said there was right, and he’s done it in a calm collected mature manner .. that’s the kind of person who should be on a board with the refs discussing where VAR has gone wrong. The technology is good, the officials operating it are poor.

@mcleod_myles: Now the third manager this season alone to really speak up about the shambles of @FA_PGMOL VAR and ridiculous decision making. The fact that they know the cost of speaking out and still do just goes to show how drastically terrible the officiating in this game has become.

@JRT0809: Watch him get fined for this interview even though he said nothing wrong 😂

@ryanmeston07: Var isn’t the problem, it’s how it’s run and that it isn’t consistent

@David_Read: A refreshing interview that (and his previous ones have been decent too). ‘If’ those decisions , 50:50 at best, go for him he’s got his team in the top half on 4 days notice. I think he’s doing a great job and wolves will do well by sticking with him.

@shiftygrifty: I can’t comment on the decisions on this game as I haven’t seen it, but regardless, Gary speaks very well here, and makes some excellent, reasoned points. Looking like a decent, young, English coach developing here 👏🏼👏🏼

@CJP_1986: Yup very well spoken- gets his points across well and stays very calm which we all have seen managers not and throw toys out the pram. Completely agree it all needs looking at and proper conversations to be had. Unlucky Wolves- UTV.

@WhittallClive: Huge respect to #GaryONeil for his attitude about the shocking standard of refereeing and #VAR decisions that we have experienced this season. Wolves are in a totally false position in this league as a result, and that is very bad for the game!

@MrHarryGill: It’s not always VAR (the technology) but its the ones using it (the refs). Clear and obvious error!!! So one wasn’t clear and obvious but the other was? I’d love to hear Dermot’s views on this… but I suspect I already know what he’ll say. This can’t continue!!!!

@mtrn16: Would honestly consider not stepping on the pitch until something is done about the refereeing. It’s disgraceful from @FA_PGMOL

@NickAllen224: I mean, what’s the point? We play twelve men almost every week. GON and the team have done a lot of things right this season and barely any of it matters because of PGMOL and Stockley Park. It’s just so draining.

@IJHobbs: Miracle that anybody bothers turning up any more. Every. Single. Week. I hope the powers that be are proud of how they’ve ruined the game. #var

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