'I'm afraid I can't support it' - Ex-PL CEO slams 'weird' Chelsea incident

Chelsea players were wrong to do a pre-match team huddle in the centre circle around referee Paul Tierney.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who has also criticised the referee for his part in proceedings.

Before kick-off against Newcastle, Chelsea’s players huddled around the ball in the centre circle, but referee Tierney remained in the middle as Reece James delivered his talk.

Chelsea changed the location of their huddle into their own half when they hosted PSG in the Champions League in their next fixture.

Manager Liam Rosenior does not need any further scrutiny regarding his position at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea having lost their last three matches in all competitions.

Paul Tierney ‘should have moved’ outside Chelsea huddle

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes the situation against Newcastle “could have been resolved in the tunnel” before the teams walked onto the pitch.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness does not want to see huddles in the centre circle becoming a more frequent occurrence.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “It was weird. To me, it was like a gimmick. I’m afraid I can’t support it.

“I think the Chelsea players were wrong. I think the referee also should have moved. I think all the parties were wrong. It’s something that I certainly hope doesn’t come into football in any way at all.

“And it’s something that could have been resolved in the tunnel before, when the referee goes to speak to both teams and said, look, if you’re having a huddle, do not do it around me and I think that will be made very clear going forward.”

Ex-FIFA ref drops verdict on Chelsea huddle

Speaking to Football Insider former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett said Tierney should not have got stuck in Chelsea’s pre-match huddle.

Tierney should have showed more authority in the situation, and Hackett believes the referee should have shown a yellow card to Blues captain James.

Hackett called the scenes “unacceptable” and that the PGMOL should talk to Chelsea regarding the incident to prevent it from happening in the future.

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