Warnock Brands English Referees

By Max Wise

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has launched a scathing attack on English referees, describing them as ‘the worst in the world.'

The Bluebirds were at the receiving end of some controversial officiating decisions in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, and Warnock didn’t hold back in his assessment of their performances.

Cardiff led through Victor Camarasa a minute after half time, but were pegged by Cesar Azpilicueta’s equalizer, which replays showed was offside.

Antonio Rudiger probably should have seen the red card after hauling down Kenneth Zohore, who was through on goal, but the German was only issued a yellow card.

To make matters worse for Warnock, Chelsea found a late winner through Ruben Loftus-Cheek, leaving Cardiff City five points adrift of safety with seven games to play.

Warnock further called for the introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) to help curb such situations.

"It's difficult because I'm flat," Warnock told Sky Sports. "I'm so proud of my players, we didn't want to sit behind the ball, we wanted to have a go. To get let down by officials, it's 'roll on VAR' really, maybe I'll be too old to see it come in!

"That's why they need it. If you can't see that's offside – it's not even close. We waited three weeks for this and got let down. We thought it could have been a red card [Rudiger's foul] but no major decisions went for us.

"If I was a Burnley or Southampton fan I'd be absolutely loving it and you can't blame them. I've had one kick in the teeth after another this season and the players have as well but they always bounce back. We've got some good games left. We're not going to lie down.

"It's almost not who you play but who has a flag in their hand that's almost as important. All the hard work we've done and it's none of our faults that an official can't see the most obvious offside I've ever seen.

"Is it payback time for me over the years? I honestly don't know. It's the best league in the world and probably the worst officials. I don't know what [head referee] Mike Riley teaches the linesmen. They don't understand what's at stake.

"Clive White, the PFA guy, says I'm too passionate. Come on, there's too much at stake, this is what we're in the game for. Why am I working at 70 years old? To see stuff like that? We looked good at set-pieces defending-wise, but what do you do? It's not often I'm lost for words is it really."