Premier League Referees Puzzled by Mark Clattenburg's Role at Nottingham Forest

Introduction

Premier League referees are puzzled by Mark Clattenburg's new role at Nottingham Forest. Clattenburg, a former Premier League and FIFA-list referee, attempted to speak to referee Paul Tierney after Nottingham Forest's defeat to Liverpool. However, Tierney declined the request as Clattenburg was not listed on the official documents. Clattenburg has been appointed as an advisor to the board by Forest's owner, Evangelos Marinakis.

Clattenburg's Role

The nature of Clattenburg's role at Nottingham Forest remains uncertain. Initially, it was assumed that he would provide advice on the laws of the game and how officials interpret them. However, after the incident with Tierney, it appears that Clattenburg is also lobbying for the club on referees' decisions.

Tierney's Decision

Tierney's decision to give the ball back to Liverpool in added time has been acknowledged as a mistake by the Professional Games Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL). According to the laws of the game, Tierney should have awarded a drop ball to Forest when the whistle was blown while the ball was at the feet of Callum Hudson-Odoi. The PGMOL chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb, considers this error an awkward issue.

Concerns and Criticisms

There are concerns that Clattenburg's role could be used to justify referee abuse. Martin Cassidy, the chief executive of Ref Support, an independent referee welfare charity, fears that Clattenburg may be manipulated to give legitimacy to illegitimate behavior and justify referee abuse. Cassidy believes that referees' experience should be utilized to explain the laws of the game at all levels of football. However, he questions whether Clattenburg has the freedom to publicly criticize Forest's response to the incident.

Conclusion

Premier League referees are bemused by Mark Clattenburg's new role at Nottingham Forest. The exact nature of his role is unclear, but it was initially thought that he would provide advice on the laws of the game. However, after an incident involving referee Paul Tierney, it appears that Clattenburg is also advocating for the club on referees' decisions. Tierney's decision to give the ball back to Liverpool in added time has been recognized as a mistake by the PGMOL. Concerns have been raised that Clattenburg's role could be exploited to justify referee abuse. The question remains whether Clattenburg has the freedom to publicly criticize Forest's response to the incident.