Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said the decision not to permit an equalizer was a last-gasp decision for his side against West Ham was “probably the worst decision I’ve ever seen.”
Captain Maximilian Kilman thought he had equalized in the ninth minute of stoppage time with a header that beat Łukasz Fabiański and hit the far corner.
However, video assistant referee Tim Robinson spotted substitute Tawanda Chirewa in an offside position ahead of Fabianski, and after directing him to the pitchside monitor, referee Tony Harrington decided the 20-year-old was in the West Ham goalkeeper’s field of view.
O’Neil, whose team has made poor decisions multiple times this season, starting with theirs defeat on the first day against Manchester United, he didn’t consider it.
He went to Harrington after the final whistle but explained that he was so furious that the referee didn’t need to seek advice from him.
O’Neil admits that his words could get him into trouble, but he feels that the injustice was so great that he needed to try to specific his feelings.
“It was a terrible decision,” O’Neil said. “This is probably the worst decision I have ever seen.
“If your knowledge and understanding of the game is really poor, you may conclude that he is offside.
“If you are a Premier League official working at the highest level, I would be really disappointed if you thought it was offside. The only way it can be offside is if it prevents Fabianski from moving or obstructs his vision. Only the referee and VAR think it was probably offside.”
O’Neil said both Fabianski and West Ham manager David Moyes told him they believed the goal should have been allowed.
Moyes did not say this to the media afterwards, but admitted he “felt sorry for Gary”.
“Some of the decisions we made this season made me feel like sitting in a dark room for a week,” the Scot added.
O’Neil went to get a better look at the incident during the match, knowing that another yellow card would lead to a pitch-side suspension, considering he had already received two warnings this season.
However, he was not calmed down.
He spoke to Harrington on the field and then said he went to the officials’ room afterward, which “didn’t go very well.”
“I couldn’t control my emotions well enough to get an explanation,” O’Neil said. “The judge said he would prefer not to discuss the issue given my behavior.”
O’Neil wasn’t sure whether his emotional reaction would be reported.
“Possible. “I don’t know,” he said. “If he reports it and I get scolded, so be it. I have been admonished many times.
“I’m sorry if I crossed the line, but I can only react based on how I feel at the moment and I was in quite a bad mood after the final whistle.”
O’Neil said he has already this season needed to stop his players from further voicing complaints because they don’t think they’re “respected.”
However, he added that in light of Saturday’s events, he could do nothing to stop them.
“I even have talked to them before, but I am unable to expect it this time. They are incredibly frustrated with the decisions made this season,” O’Neil said.
“It is very difficult for me to face them honestly and say that they are wrong. We’ll see how they feel about it next week.”
Credit : www.bbc.co.uk
