In the wake of Nottingham Forest’s critical statement denouncing refereeing decisions in their recent defeat at Everton, referees’ chief Howard Webb will initiate peace talks with the club’s owners this week. At the heart of the controversy is VAR official Stuart Atwell, whose appointment Forest criticized due to his alleged bias as a Luton fan.
Forest’s request for access to referee Anthony Taylor’s conversations with Atwell has been granted by refereeing body PGMOL. Webb intends to share these recordings with Forest during an online meeting scheduled for this week, prior to their encounter with Manchester City on Sunday.
Evangelos Marinakis or Sokratis Kominakis, Forest’s owners, will be present at the meeting, along with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, subject to the team’s training schedule. Forest had previously requested public release of the penalty appeal audio, as PGMOL did following Liverpool’s defeat to Tottenham last October. However, PGMOL has declined this request.
Despite PGMOL’s disapproval of Forest’s conduct, Webb’s willingness to engage in discussions signals their desire to resolve the matter amicably. The incident is likely to be discussed in next week’s ‘Match Officials: Mic’d Up’ program, where Webb and Michael Owen analyze refereeing decisions in the Premier League.
Forest’s representatives, along with Mark Clattenburg, their refereeing consultant, have been asked for their input by the FA and could face misconduct charges for questioning Atwell’s integrity. Webb’s proactive approach demonstrates PGMOL’s commitment to addressing the controversy and moving forward.
