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Wanderers have now put their complaint about last Saturday’s match official Seb Stockbridge into writing – but Ian Evatt believes better communication with referees could prevent such flashpoints in the future.
The Bolton boss has logged his unhappiness with Tyne and Wear whistle-blower Stockbridge following an alleged comment which had angered the dugout in last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at MK Dons.
Wanderers also had reason to complain about two handballs on the day – one inside the MK box which may have led to a penalty, the other from Mo Eisa as he scored the game’s first goal.
The Football Association may yet decide to take the matter further, although consensus within the club suggests that a hearing would be very unlikely.
“We made a complaint and scored the referee and as far as I am concerned, that is the matter done. The authorities can do the rest,” Evatt confirmed on Thursday.
Evatt says he is sympathetic to referees who remain part-time at this level and who do not have the same access to technology or replays as those working in the Championship or Premier League.
But he feels greater help could be offered by fourth officials, whose role on a matchday is not always clearly defined.
“There has to be some consistency on that,” he said. “I think in some games you see fourth officials wanting to help referees with decisions and then in others they don’t want to get involved.
“It is a difficult job, we know that. People have personal lives and refs have jobs aside from refereeing as well. I’d want to see them made professional to give them the best help possible and I’d also want to know whether fourth officials can help them, or not. If they are, great, if they are not, great, but let that be 100 per cent of the time.
“It cannot be one week they are able to help, the next they are not, depending on what the referee wants. There has to be some sort of ruling.
“This is a team sport. I have my backroom team as a manager, the players are a team – they are not individuals. And I think there should be a refereeing team – it can’t be one person makes the decisions and that’s that. They should come together to make the best decisions possible, and that is all I ask.”
Back in Sam Allardyce’s day at Wanderers, top referee Mark Halsey would train at Euxton and offer advice to the coaching staff and players on the latest interpretation of the game’s laws.
Sammy Lee, Gary Megson and Owen Coyle also used the Premier League official to keep their squad up to date.
Evatt remembers such arrangements being beneficial – but believes current restrictions make it more difficult for managers to empathise with officials and understand their view on the game,
“I remember being at Blackpool and Howard Webb would come in, join in training, explain decisions to lads and show them clips of why referees made certain calls, what they should expect, what is really allowed and what is not,” he said.
“But again it is a timing issue. These officials have other jobs, they are not paid enough to just referee, so maybe that is something they look at?
“I would like more dialogue with referees, post-game, when the emotion has died down.
“I want win more than anyone and sometimes my emotion can get the best of me. It isn’t personal, I just want to win and for everything to be right. And sometimes when you are in the heat of the moment it isn’t the best time to have these discussions.
“Post-game, on a Sunday or a Monday, when you have had time to reflect, you would be able to have an open and honest chat about what the ref did or didn’t do, what they saw, why they made the decisions they did. There wouldn’t be that aggression or emotion attached and I think it would help.
“I just want honesty, transparency and clarity. All managers would welcome it. I don’t understand why we are so protected from communicating with officials, it doesn’t make any sense.”
FIFA has approved a low-cost version of VAR, which could be used in the EFL in the future, involving fewer cameras than the model currently being used in the top-flight.
Until that technology comes into the game, Evatt admits his own replays – accessible in the dugout during a game – give him an advantage on the officials.
“We all want the same thing – a right decision,” he said.
“I see things with my own eyes but then with modern technology, I can see incidents repeated within seconds. Referees don’t have that, and I have an advantage on them already. I know if I am right or wrong.
“The referees don’t get the benefit live but by Sunday or Monday they have a chance to look at things. They would have a chance to say ‘Ian, I got that wrong, I did it for this reason or that reason’ – and we’d shake hands and move on with no issues.
“But at the moment they are protected from speaking to us and having that chat.
“We should be in this game together. Matchdays is difficult because emotions are high but post-game, there is no reason why we can’t be speaking to referees, their assessors or coaches. That, for me, needs to come in.”
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