‘Banned for a month’ – Ex-refs chief drops explosive verdict as Chelsea footage re-analysed
Michael Salisbury and Rob Jones should have been banned from officiating for a month after they wrongly disallowed Josh King’s goal against Chelsea earlier this season.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the punishments for officials are not harsh enough for when they get a call badly wrong.
Chelsea and Fulham faced off in a Premier League West London derby at Stamford Bridge, and the first-half was not without controversy as the visitors thought they had taken the lead.
Josh King raced through on goal in the 21st minute and netted past Robert Sanchez, but his joy was short-lived as referee Rob Jones was told to review the build-up by VAR Michael Salisbury.
Jones looked at a coming together between Rodrigo Muniz and Trevoh Chalobah, and then deemed the former to have committed a careless challenge on his opponent shortly before King’s strike, so chalked the goal off as Chelsea went on to win 2-0.
King controversy was slammed by Keith Hackett
Chelsea legend Joe Cole admitted at the time that King’s goal should have stood, and the subsequent fall-out saw Salisbury dropped from VAR duty for the Liverpool vs Arsenal clash a day later.
Hackett told Football Insider that VAR Salisbury had made a huge mistake in the King controversy, and Jones should have told him to “get lost” rather than agreeing with his decision.
He said: “Oh dear oh dear! What is happening to the quality of our officiating? This is not a foul, it is not a careless challenge, and the Fulham goal should have stood.
“Rob Jones did not require VAR to intervene. Jones should have visited the screen and told Salisbury to get lost.“
Hackett wants harsher referee repercussions after re-analysing bad King call
Now, speaking exclusively on Football Insider’s Final Whistle show, Hackett has urged PGMOL chief Howard Webb to start implementing harsher sanctions when a decision is as wrong as the one to rule King’s goal out was.
He said: “Both the referee and the VAR on the day really delivered a poor performance. Frankly, when I was boss of the PGMOL, I think I’d have said to them, ‘you’re away for a month, I’m not putting you in front of any game.’
“But that doesn’t happen anymore at the PGMOL, and while Michael Salisbury was not given a VAR role for a bit, I don’t think the sanctions are strong enough.
“When we get errors of such magnitude in a game, then there has got to be a level of accountability.”