Mark Clattenburg almost quit over VAR as he calls out Prem officials

Mikel Arteta previews Man City clash and discusses VAR controversy

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Mark Clattenburg has admitted that he thought about quitting his career as a referee after just one month of working alongside VAR in China after leaving the Premier League back in 2017. The 47-year-old was one of the most recognisable officials in the English game before his surprise exit, after which he worked as the head of refereeing in Saudi Arabia and then moving to China.

Clattenburg has since revealed that he gave serious consideration to retiring from football matters after growing disillusioned with VAR, which has come under fire in recent days after a series of farcical decisions last weekend. Arsenal were left reeling when Brentford’s equaliser was not ruled out following a clear offside in the build-up, while Brighton saw a legitimate goal disallowed against rivals Crystal Palace after another high-profile error from those at Stockley Park.

“VAR’s caused a big problem,” Clattenburg told Footy Accumulators. “It happened to me when I went to China. I started not refereeing, I relied on VAR. After the first month, I was going to quit, going: ‘What am I doing?’. I lost my core ability to make a decision.

“As a referee, you made split second decisions, I was so comfortable doing it. I could have needed VAR sometimes, but not to the amount they use it now. I was frightened to make a decision.”

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Clattenburg went on to insist that he sees the same hesitancy from officials in the Premier League due to the technology, adding: “I see these referees now, there’s a fear and they’re scared to make a decision. When you’re scared you don’t make one, and then the VAR doesn’t make one either.”

He pointed to the controversial penalty incident that saw Chelsea denied a late spot-kick against West Ham United on the weekend, with Tomas Soucek getting away with what appeared to be a blatant handball inside the area with the scores level at 1-1. The offence went unchecked by VAR, leaving Chelsea reeling as they were forced to settle for a point at the London Stadium after Joao Felix’s opening goal was cancelled out by Emerson Palmieri’s equaliser.

“It was a brilliant bit of goalkeeping, but because the referee doesn’t give it, the VAR doesn’t want to give it because he’s breaking his fall,” explained Clattenburg in his assessment of what happened.

“Then you’ve compounded a mistake. If the referee had just given the penalty, because he should have had the courage to blow, VAR would have supported it. We’ve still got all these problems, referees not making original decisions which we did in our time. That’s the difference.”

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