Villa v Newcastle DRAMA! Are Refs REALLY Hiding Behind VAR?
Wayne Rooney debates the Villa-Newcastle ref controversies with a former PL official.
The Wayne Rooney Show · BBC Radio 5 Live
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Show Notes
Wayne, Kelly and Kae welcome former Premier League referee Graham Scott to discuss modern officiating. They break down the controversial decisions from the Aston Villa v Newcastle FA Cup tie, with Graham explaining why it’s unfair to say referees are hiding behind VAR or petrified to make big calls without it. He reveals whether officials know at half-time if they’ve made a mistake, how errors affect them mentally, and why early VAR days carried a stigma when decisions were overturned.
Wayne shares his concern that football’s emotion is being drained by technology, and the panel debate whether Premier League referees should drop into the Championship - where there’s no VAR - to stay sharp.
Graham recalls the time Rooney confronted him after a heavy challenge in a game against Tottenham, while Wayne lifts the lid on how Sir Alex Ferguson encouraged Manchester United players to pressure refs, but punished them if they got booked.
Wayne also gives his verdict on Thomas Tuchel extending his tenure as England head coach: why it’s a smart move by the FA and what it could mean for the squad going forward.
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