3 weeks ago
Nottingham Forest leader Nuno Espirito Santo has called connected referees to return work and extremity relying connected VAR.
The caput coach labelled nan exertion “a mess” but insisted Forest do not person a individual rumor pinch Stuart Attwell – contempt singling retired nan video adjunct referee for Sunday’s 2-0 conclusion astatine Everton.
Forest are expected to look Premier League and Football Association charges aft a societal media station connected Sunday - now viewed much than 44m times - called Attwell’s integrity into question.
They had 3 punishment claims rejected, pinch nan nine posting connected its charismatic X relationship minutes aft nan last whistle that they had warned referees' body, nan Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), that Attwell is allegedly a instrumentality of relegation rivals Luton.
Nuno remains unhappy astir nan quality of decisions passim nan season.
“My individual emotion is astir referees not taking decisions connected nan pitch," he said, earlier Sunday’s sojourn of Manchester City.
"They were doing it earlier truthful they should do it again and past comes VAR, not nan different measurement around. The different measurement astir is simply a immense correction for nan game."
Despite raising immoderate concerns pinch PGMOL past week, nan nine did not inquire for Attwell to beryllium taken disconnected VAR duties for nan Everton match, BBC Sport has been told.
Nuno added nan "general feeling" successful shot is that referees are waiting for VAR to intervene alternatively of making their ain decisions.
“When it came I supported it but maybe, 1 time not overmuch up of us, we will opportunity shot was amended earlier VAR because it’s been a mess," said Nuno.
But Nuno said Forest do not want Attwell to person immoderate maltreatment because of their statement.
He said: “We don’t want things to spell overmuch further and it becomes individual aliases abusive to nan referees."
Forest were furious that 3 punishment decisions involving Everton's Ashley Young successful their 2-0 conclusion to Everton connected Sunday, which near them a constituent supra nan Premier League relegation zone, were rejected.
Claims for penalties aft Young's situation connected Gio Reyna, his handball and past his attempted tackle connected Callum Hudson-Odoi were each turned down by Anthony Taylor connected nan pitch, pinch VAR Attwell not intervening.
Mark Clattenburg, appointed arsenic Forest's referee expert successful February, said successful nan Mail connected Sunday nan 3 decisions were "a joke" and it was why Forest were emotion "victimised".
On Monday, Forest demanded nan nationalist merchandise of nan officials' audio.
It follows Liverpool’s akin petition erstwhile Luis Diaz’s extremity was incorrectly disallowed successful their 2-1 conclusion astatine Tottenham successful September.
PGMOL has allowed nan nine to listen to nan audio privately.
Also connected Monday, nan Football Association formally asked for observations from Forest, Nuno, defender Neco Williams and Clattenburg pursuing their comments.
Soon aft nan Premier League released its ain connection saying it was "never due to improperly mobility nan integrity of lucifer officials" and they will motorboat their ain investigation.
This week, Attwell was named arsenic 1 of nan VAR officials for Euro 2024 successful Germany this summer.
He is joined by David Coote, while Taylor and Michael Oliver will beryllium nan on-field officials from England.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean said Attwell was nan master VAR successful England.
He has been nan VAR for 4 Forest games this play and refereed two. He has officiated successful 10 matches involving clubs battling against relegation.
"Stuart is 1 of nan astir honorable referees we've got," Dean told Sky Sports. "He is 1 of nan champion VARs we person successful nan state and passim nan world. To mobility his integrity was bang retired of order."
