I'm trying to wrap my head around the sequence of events here. Goal is scored, flag is down Clattenburg then seems to signal offside via VAR Then he decides to do an OFR and awards the goal Then he does a second OFR review, with typically unauthorized company, and still awards the goal So it does look onside, but what the hell was THAT?
I’m thinking maybe there was some failure of the communication system or something. In any case, what was all the frantic gesturing for between OFR#1 and OFR#2. It seemed like he was trying to get them to be quiet so he could hear? Who knows
I can't even begin to offer a full explanation of everything Clattenburg did (the only word that keeps coming to mind is "arrogance") but this particular part of the entire sequence bugged me the most. Because I am nearly certain there was not enough time for a VAR to say "offside." Clattenburg's immediate reaction and the AR's body language seemed to indicate that Clattenburg took it upon himself to declare an OFR for offside even though his AR said it was onside. It's like he showed immediate doubt in the AR's decision and went to video before it was even checked. Again, "arrogance" comes to mind.
Incredible scene. Just farcical. I think Clattenburg must have violated at least 5 VAR protocols there. Start by not even allowing his VAR to perform a check. Then basically just doing an OFR for the hell of it. I also love the circle, I mean TV, symbol he did there. Has to be the worst VAR signal in the history of VAR. The scenes where he was signaling that his mic was not working was incredible. The gestures, the panicking, etc. Then he allowed practically half the team in the VAR area along with the guy in the suit. Why not just bring in the Saudi King down while you're at it as well? Also, talk about just throwing your AR under the bus there and showing zero confidence in his decision there. Let's not forget what a great decision he made there. @MassachusettsRef said it best. It really is an unbelievably arrogant piece of officiating there. All the referees that make it to the level of Clattenburg are arrogant and have an ego to an extent. You kind of have to. You have to have confidence in yourself to make a decision that you know 90,000 people in the stadium and several million more on TV will disagree with. But Clattenburg's arrogance and ego is really on a whole other level than anything I've ever seen. And this is just talking about his on field demeanor. His behavior off the field might be even worse.
February 2 Al Quasidiya - Al Feiha Pawel Raczkowski (POL), Marcin Burski (POL), Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL), Tomasz Marciniak (POL) Al Batin - Al Ahli Svein Oddvar Moen (NOR), Kim Haglund (NOR), Magnus Lundberg (NOR), Mohammed El Esmaiel (KSA) Al Taawon - Al Nassr Damir Skomina (SVN), Jure Praprotnik (SVN), Robert Vukan (SVN), Danilo Grujic (CRO) Normal service is restored.
February 3 Al Faisaly - Al Hazm Pawel Gil (POL), Pawel Sokolnicki (POL), Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL), Tomasz Marciniak (POL) Ohod - Al Ittifaq Turki Al Khudair (KSA), Mohammed Al Abkari (KSA), Fahad Al Amri (KSA), Mohammed Al Hoaish (KSA) Saudi Arabia's Asian Cup referee back in action in his own country's top league.
February 4 Al Hilal - Al Fateh Pawel Raczkowski (POL), Stephen Donaldson (NIR), Gareth Eakin (NIR), Danilo Grujic (CRO) Al Shabab - Al Raed Nawaf Shukralla (BHR), Yaser Tulefat (BHR), Mohamed Jaafar Mohamed Salman (BHR), Mohammed Al Esmaiel (KSA) Al Wahda - Al Ittihad Svein Oddvar Moen (NOR), Kim Haglund (NOR), Magnus Lundberg (NOR), Faisal Alblwi (KSA) Raczkowski and Moen's second game in three days.
February 6 Al Nassr - Al Quasidiya Pavel Kralovec (CZE), Ivo Nadvornik (CZE), Tomas Mokrusch (CZE), Simon Lee Evans (WAL)
February 7 Ohod - Al Faisaly Shukri Al Hanfosh (KSA), Yasser Al Sultan (KSA), Abdelraheem Al Shamari (KSA), Majed Al Shamrani (KSA) Al Hazm - Al Ahli Artur Soares Dias (POR), Rui Teixeira (POR), Sergio Jesus (POR), Bas van Dongen (NED)
Clattenburg is out. 📄| المكتب التنفيذي في الاتحاد السعودي لكرة القدم يعتمد تعيين خليل جلال رئيسًا للجنة الحكام وإنهاء العلاقة مع مارك كلاتينبيرغ. pic.twitter.com/QOIJ8qTieX— الاتحاد السعودي لكرة القدم (@saudiFF) February 8, 2019
Obviously I don't closely follow Saudi football media coverage. Did he run into problems with that really bizarre on field review he had? Or it could just be something else.
From the sound of it, it's because of the bizarre video review incident in which a member of a coaching staff was allowed into the referee review area. While he may have merely been trying to use it as a tool to explain a decision (which did appear to be correct in the end, although the AR had the correct call the whole time), it was a massive breach of the protocol. Combined with the questionable circumstances surrounding the video review even happening, I can see why the Saudi FA would find this to be unacceptable from their head of officiating. He was there ostensibly to develop the domestic referee program. Instead he used almost exclusively foreign referees, including himself, and now is apparently so far up his own ass that he's cool with calling for a completely unnecessary review and letting a coach come watch.
February 8 Al Feiha - Al Ittifaq Simon Lee Evans (WAL), Lewiss Edwards (WAL), Johnathan Bryant (WAL), Sergio Jesus (POR) Al Batin - Al Hilal Kevin Blom (NED), Bas van Dongen (NED), Johan Balder (NED), Joost van Zuilen (NED)
The similarities to Mourinho’s exits at Manchester United and Chelsea are striking. He threw everybody under the bus as he went out the door.
So I've heard that Clattenburg is perhaps still assignor/ref boss just not the chairman of the referee committee. May not have anything to do with the VAR incident. Who knows?
That change happened a few months ago. It sounds like this is an additional change if it’s dated recently.
February 9 Al Raed - Al Wahda Khaled Al Teris (KSA), Bader Al Shamrani (KSA), Faisal Al Qahtani (KSA), Mohammed Al Esmaiel (KSA) Al Fateh - Al Shabab Martin van den Kerkhof (NED), Joost van Zuilen (NED), Richard Brondijk (NED), Bas van Dongen (NED) Al Ittihad - Al Taawon Ravshan Irmatov (UZB), Jakhongir Saidov (UZB), Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (UZB), Majed Al Shamrani (KSA) The record World Cup and sole two-time Asian Cup Final referee makes an appearance in the league with the most World Cup referees.
al-Mirdasi has also been freed after eight months of imprisonment?! At least that’s what’s being reported. Saudi Arabia, man.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see Clattenburg in PRO in some kind of management or training position sometime soon. Maybe even on the field, but that's a much longer shot due to all the legal ramifications of trying to out him on the field.