Originally Posted by Daily Mail

It's a revolution in refereeing that's left Everton boss Moyes scratching his head

Everton take on the role of guinea pigs for the revolutionary scheme to place a referee behind each goal tonight, with manager David Moyes admitting: 'I've no idea how it's going to work.'

UEFA selected the opening round of Europa League games for their bold initiative but, remarkably, chose not to inform the clubs involved how they intended putting it into practice.

As he prepared to face AEK Athens at Goodison Park, Moyes accused Europe's governing body of keeping him and his fellow bosses in the dark and revealed he has warned his defenders to be on their guard over conceding needless penalties.

Suggesting UEFA themselves had misgivings over its viability, Moyes said: 'I certainly feel we should have been given a thorough briefing but I get the impression even they aren't sure how it's going to work.

'We haven't had any sort of directive, which is remarkable, given this is a really big game and we're guinea pigs. Maybe it could have been a practice match, or at least someone coming in to provide answers to all the questions.

'All we've had is a single sheet of paper showing where the extra officials are going to stand and telling us the referee will have the ultimate say in any decision. If we get more correct decisions then it deserves our support, but there are a lot of things we're not sure about.

'Where will they stand for a corner? If they're on the opposite side of the goal, will they be allowed to encroach on the pitch to try and get a better view? If a player breaks clear, and the referee is struggling to keep up when a tackle comes in on the edge of the area, who rules whether it was fair or not? What about free-kicks just outside the area? Does he get involved in those? And is he going to be a distraction for Tim Howard in goal? We're told not, but he could easily come into the peripheral vision of the keeper or even one of the defenders.


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'I've had a word with my players and told them to be more careful than ever when they are defending set-pieces inside the area. You would hope they might realise shirt-tugging and blocking players is to be avoided anyway but all the more so when there is an extra pair of eyes.

'It might help with something like the Eduardo decision. If we start getting those right a bit more often, we'll all welcome it.'

Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Moyes in dark on extra officials

Everton manager David Moyes admits he is largely in the dark about plans to use an extra two officials in Europa League matches this campaign.

For the first time in a European club tournament, the referee will have four assistants, with two officials placed behind the goal lines at each end.

But ahead of his side's Group One opener against AEK Athens, he said: "I can't say I understand it that well.

"I don't see it making a big difference but we've had very little information."

Although it is an experiment, the system of six officials, including the so-called fourth official, could become the norm if it is successful.

If it is successful this season it will be introduced in the Champions League next term and then the top division only in each country that falls under Uefa's jurisdiction the year after.

However, there are no plans for it to filter down below the elite league in each country so for example the Championship in England would not use the system.

The plan is for the extra officials to aid incidents such as whether the ball has crossed the goalline and penalty decisions.

But Moyes revealed he has not been consulted by any refereeing association.

"Certainly no-one has come in and showed us how it will work so we're a little bit in the dark about it," he said.

"All we do know is that there'll be two extra assistants either side of the goals. If it works, great, hopefully it will.

"I don't expect a full briefing. I think we'll all just be having a go at it and see how it works."

The new officials will be dressed in full kit but will not have flags and will communicate with the referee using the same push to talk system as their other colleagues.

And former Premier League referee Graham Poll believes the system could work but sees potential pitfalls.

"One would hope it might provide some solutions but there are a few questions it raises," Poll told BBC Radio 5 live.

"The new plans evolve from the extensive calls for technology on the goalline which Uefa chief Michel Platini is adamantly against.

"This is his solution and you would hope it would prevent the situations we saw at Watford versus Reading last season and Bristol City against Crystal Palace this campaign."

In the Watford game assistant referee Nigel Bannister mistakenly awarded Reading a goal when in fact the ball had gone wide of the post.

Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Moyes in dark on extra officials

Everton manager David Moyes admits he is largely in the dark about plans to use an extra two officials in Europa League matches this campaign.

For the first time in a European club tournament, the referee will have four assistants, with two officials placed behind the goal lines at each end.

But ahead of his side's Group One opener against AEK Athens, he said: "I can't say I understand it that well.

"I don't see it making a big difference but we've had very little information."

Although it is an experiment, the system of six officials, including the so-called fourth official, could become the norm if it is successful.

If it is successful this season it will be introduced in the Champions League next term and then the top division only in each country that falls under Uefa's jurisdiction the year after.

However, there are no plans for it to filter down below the elite league in each country so for example the Championship in England would not use the system.

The plan is for the extra officials to aid incidents such as whether the ball has crossed the goalline and penalty decisions.

But Moyes revealed he has not been consulted by any refereeing association.

"Certainly no-one has come in and showed us how it will work so we're a little bit in the dark about it," he said.

"All we do know is that there'll be two extra assistants either side of the goals. If it works, great, hopefully it will.

"I don't expect a full briefing. I think we'll all just be having a go at it and see how it works."

The new officials will be dressed in full kit but will not have flags and will communicate with the referee using the same push to talk system as their other colleagues.

And former Premier League referee Graham Poll believes the system could work but sees potential pitfalls.

"One would hope it might provide some solutions but there are a few questions it raises," Poll told BBC Radio 5 live.

"The new plans evolve from the extensive calls for technology on the goalline which Uefa chief Michel Platini is adamantly against.

"This is his solution and you would hope it would prevent the situations we saw at Watford versus Reading last season and Bristol City against Crystal Palace this campaign."

In the Watford game assistant referee Nigel Bannister mistakenly awarded Reading a goal when in fact the ball had gone wide of the post.

Originally Posted by BBC Sport