Bizarre substitution blunder that left Fulham boss fuming explained by ex-referee
Referees, according to Dermot Gallagher, have no authority to rectify confusion such as the one that transpired during Fulham’s trip to Bournemouth.
At Vitality Stadium, Marco Silva was incensed after the incorrect player was substituted off due to a mix-up with the fourth official.
After 57 minutes, Silva tried to make a triple change, starting with Adama Traore. This is when the incident happened.However, Tim Robinson, the fourth official, displayed Ryan Sessegnon’s number 30 rather than Sasa Lukic’s number 20.
Silva attempted to guide the former Tottenham player back into the field to fix the error as Sessegnon appeared perplexed as he exited the field.
Referee Michael Oliver, however, decided that Sessegnon would have to go to the bench because Traore was already on the field and the replacement was complete.
“We’ve seen many many times with the lack of communication and in three changes he didn’t give us the time to change again.
“For us, his attitude is really strange and his decision because next week it is going to be different.
“It’s really strange.
“The player was there but he didn’t let us do what we wanted to do and many times we see that lack of communication. It wasn’t a good night.”
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher then appeared on The Sports Bar to try and make sense of the decision.
He explained: “What they’ve done, they’ve put the wrong number up, haven’t they?
“The guy who has written the card for the fourth official has put the wrong number on it, Sessegnon has gone off and the player’s come on so the substitution is complete.
“What happens in law is that once a player leaves the pitch and then another player comes onto the pitch then that substitution is complete and it’s irrevocable.
“It’s just how it is.
“I was saying this morning, there was a handball and he’d scored and someone said ‘that’s not very nice, Dermot’ but as referees some things we just don’t like but you’re hamstrung.
“You’ve just got to do it and unfortunately for Michael Oliver and Tim Robinson, this was one of them.”
Bournemouth is now tied with Fulham for eighth place in the Premier League after their victory.
It was a lost chance for Silva’s team, as they were unable to move within striking distance of sixth place in the standings.
In related news
Player had ‘almost packed bags’ to join Fulham – Move could happen in summer
Toward the end of the January transfer window, Samuel Chukwueze of AC Milan was linked to a move to Fulham.
The deal did not happen, and MilanNews’ Antonio Vitiello has given more information on the Nigerian winger’s circumstances.
According to the reporter, in the final days of the winter window, Chukwueze had “almost packed his bags” to join Fulham.
Although the wide player was seen as a sellable asset at the time, the move fell through since there was not enough time left, and he remained at AC Milan.
Since his unsuccessful transfer to Fulham, the 25-year-old has scored two goals for the Rossoneri, but it is thought that he will once more be available for purchase in the summer.
Although he has been given ample opportunity to establish himself at the San Siro, Sergio Conceicao is not quite confident of his ability, and the club believes he has failed. In the hierarchy, he has also slipped well behind Christian Pulisic.
It’s unclear if Marco Silva’s team will make a run at the Nigerian international in the summer. Doing so could give them a good chance of signing him.
