Everton star told ‘don’t get too upset’ over Bruno Fernandes controversy – ex-refs chief
Ivan Kruzliak should have been open and talked to Seamus Coleman in Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Portugal.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that Seamus Coleman was right to be annoyed with Ivan Kruzliak as he constantly spoke to Bruno Fernandes despite him also not being a captain.
Ireland looked set for a vital point in their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup away in Portugal before Ruben Neves netted a late winner for the hosts to break green and white hearts.
Kruzliak had overseen a game full of controversy as Portugal were given a penalty in the second-half for a contentious handball by Dara O’Shea, with Cristiano Ronaldo‘s spot-kick then saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.
Coleman was not named as Ireland captain on his return to the side as Nathan Collins kept his armband, and the Everton stalwart was fuming after the game with a particular aspect of Kruzliak’s officiating.
Coleman took umbrage with Kruzliak not treating him and Fernandes the same
Coleman returned to Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side against Portugal for the first time since September 2024, but he did not captain the team after Collins was officially handed the armband full-time in August.
Following Kruzliak’s controversial performance as the man in the middle on Saturday (11 October), the Everton man spoke out about how he felt he had been treated badly, saying: “I found it difficult to speak to him (Kruzliak) all night to be honest.
“That’s what I thought (that he was only speaking to captains), but he was speaking with Bruno (Fernandes) so I challenged him on that and said: ‘So you’ll speak to Bruno and not me?’
“I’m sure he was doing his best, but it was frustrating for us at times to understand some of the decisions.“
Fernandes, who is not set to leave Man United for Saudi Arabia, was also not his country’s captain as Ronaldo retained the hosts’ armband, yet Kruzliak seemingly allowed the Red Devils star to break UEFA’s rules which state that only captains can discuss decisions with the match referee.
Keith Hackett slams Kruzliak for poor match preparation
Kruzliak did not perform well as Tottenham took on Bodo/Glimt last month, and this was another game in which he struggled to control proceedings.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee understood Coleman’s annoyances and insisted that Kruzliak should have prepared better for the game as he said: “UEFA and the Premier League are operating a ‘captain’s only’ policy. I think it’s about ‘what do you want to talk to the referees about?’ Common sense to me says the only time a player wants to talk to a referee isn’t to say, ‘you’re having a really good match mate, keep it going,’ it’s about conflict around a decision.
“You will get referees in Europe adopting a very strict approach in terms of who they are going to speak to in relation to offences on the field of play if someone is seeking clarity.
“My view is that, if the approach is right and the player asks a question, because I liked to communicate positively to players as part of the management process, I don’t think you should shut off that line of approach.
“There are ways where you don’t have to stop and talk to the player, but you can actually run alongside the player and say, ‘look if you want to talk to me, talk to me on the run and be less public.’ Then they’re not going to get hit with a match observer who doesn’t want them to talk. So it’s a two-way thing…I don’t think he (Coleman) should get too upset.
“You can have captains on the field of play and you can have other players who are strong communicators. Coleman’s approach to the referee might be seen as a negative under the terms of operation. The referee is unlikely to be fully familiar with Coleman’s previous role.
“If he was more aware and had done his homework, then I think he would have engaged with that particular player, but Coleman hasn’t got to get too upset. He has to recognise, and probably doesn’t, the new regime that has come in, which is that captains can only speak to the referee.“