Neil Warnock 'flabbergasted' at Premier League choice of referee for Cardiff City's clash at Watford
The Cardiff City boss was far from happy after his side's 3-2 defeat at Vicarage Road and felt the referee made a lot of wrong decisions.
BBC
Saturday 15th December 2018
The Cardiff City boss was far from happy after his side's 3-2 defeat at Vicarage Road
Neil Warnock delivered a strongly-worded message to the Premier League's decision-makers after being "flabbergasted" at the choice of referee for Cardiff City's game at Watford.
Andrew Madley officiated the game at Vicarage Road, which ended in a 3-2 win for the Hornets, the young referee's first Premier League game of the season.
In fact it was only Madley's second ever match officiating in the English top tier, a decision which left Warnock bemused.
The Cardiff boss claimed Watford striker Troy Deeney should have been booked for a challenge on Neil Etheridge and believed Josh Murphy should have had a free-kick in the build-up to the Hornets' opening goal.
NEIL WARNOCK:
"I was disappointed in one or two things," said Warnock.
"I thought Murphy should have had a free-kick, I thought it was very similar to the one he gave on the edge of their box.
"And I thought Troy Deeney was lucky not to get a card if I'm honest. Conditions were poor but once he started sliding in and the goalie was going to get it, he could have pulled his foot away.
"When I've got Andre Marriner sat at the side of me and I've got a young referee who's (refereeing) his first game of the season, I don't understand that at all.
"Whether it's just because 'it's only Cardiff City and we'll let someone have an experiment today..."
Warnock revealed he brokered the issue with the officials after the game and wants the PGMOL group (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) to look into it.
He joked that Cardiff are likely to get a more experienced referee when Manchester United visit Cardiff City Stadium next weekend.
NEIL WARNOCK:
"We've got one of the best referees at the side of me," he added.
"I'm flabbergasted. We're in the Premier League!
"Let them experiment with a top game, see how that goes.
"I've just mentioned it in the referee's room. I don't understand it at all me. I suppose it's one for Mike Riley and his bosses.
"Little old Cardiff can have this referee? I don't understand it. I wish they'd put someone else who was inexperienced alongside me rather than Andre Marriner.
"I think we might get somebody (more experienced) against Man United."
On the match itself, Warnock refused to criticise his players too much, despite a dispiriting performance that saw them trail 3-0 after 68 minutes only for a late comeback to bring respectability to the scoreline.
He added: "They never gave up, it was disappointing as we wanted to frustrate them and have a go in the last half hour, but we were about 3-0 down by then.
"Again individual errors led to goals and while you get away with them in the Championship, you don't in the Premier League. So all credit to the boys.
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