SC East Bengal head coach Robbie Fowler has stressed on the need for video assistant referee (VAR) in the Indian Super League after his team’s third straight loss in the league on Saturday.
Terming some of the refereeing decisions “blatant”, Fowler claimed that two decisions went against his side during the match between East Bengal and NorthEast United FC. SCEB lost the match 0-2, and are currently languishing at the bottom of the points table.
“I thought the decisions (of not giving penalties) were blatant. Certainly the first one in the first half was clear-cut. The second one, for me, was clear cut as well,” Fowler said.
“Referees might need a bit of help, I know they are doing a tough job. When you get two blatant penalties wrong like that, it is tough to take for a manager. I’m going to say ‘yes’ (for VAR),” he added.
The first incident came in the 20th minute when Jacques Maghoma, after taking a touch in the box, was tripped by NorthEast United FC’s Ashutosh Mehta but the referee waved play on.
The second came at the hour-mark, when Anthony Pilkington’s shot at goal seemed to have brushed a NEUFC defender’s arm before being parried by the keeper.
However, Fowler admitted that he was “not a huge fan of VAR”.
“I think it slows the game at times,” he said.
Fowler had earlier said that he had much work to do to make SCEB a better team, after they were routed by Mumbai City FC 0-3 earlier this month. He added that some Indian players looked like they haven’t been coached before, and that, so far, the team’s defense has been sloppy.
SC East Bengal will next face Jamshedpur FC on December 10.
(With agency inputs)
