🚨 Michael Owen reacts to the controversial refereeing decision not to send off Jayden Bogle for his challenge on Mathys Tel:
🎙️ Interviewer: “Michael, what was your immediate reaction to Bogle’s challenge on Tel?
Michael Owen: “For me, that’s a red card. I don’t understand how you watch that challenge and come to the conclusion that it’s not serious foul play. He catches Tel at an angle, with real force. It’s dangerous, it’s reckless and it’s exactly the type of challenge the rules are supposed to protect players against.”
Interviewer: “VAR checked the incident several times but decided there was no serious foul play. Does that surprise you?
Owen: “That’s what makes it even more frustrating! They checked it, checked it again and apparently decided there was nothing serious enough to intervene. What exactly were they looking for? Sometimes I think VAR becomes so obsessed with finding a reason NOT to overturn a decision that it forgets the actual incident in front of them.”
Interviewer: “Are you questioning the consistency of Premier League officiating?
Owen: “Absolutely. That’s the biggest problem. We’ve seen players sent off for challenges that look less dangerous than this, yet here we are debating why this one wasn’t a red card. You cannot have one standard on Saturday and a completely different standard on Sunday. The rules don’t change depending on the referee.”
Interviewer: “Some will argue that Bogle was simply challenging for the ball.
Owen: “That’s the excuse people always make. Challenging for the ball doesn’t give you permission to endanger another player’s safety. You have to look at the point of contact, the force and the angle of the challenge. Tel was caught in a dangerous position. We shouldn’t need an injury before officials take these situations seriously.”
Interviewer: “What message does this send to players?
Owen: “A terrible one. Players are entitled to expect protection. If you punish one challenge and ignore another similar one, you create confusion and frustration. VAR was introduced to help football, not give everybody another reason to argue about refereeing decisions.”