Megson: Time for trial by television

Frustrated Bolton manager Gary Megson believes it is only a matter of time before technology is used to settle contentious issues in the game.

Referee Rob Styles denied Bolton a fighting chance to grab at least a draw at Manchester United yesterday.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s controversial penalty and a superb strike from Wayne Rooney 11 minutes from time gave the Red Devils a 2-0 win, lifting them back into the top half of the table, while Bolton languish near the bottom.

But it might have been so different had Styles not decided what seemed to be a perfectly fair challenge on Ronaldo by Jlloyd Samuel merited a penalty.

Even Alex Ferguson felt Styles got it wrong, so there was little surprise at Megson’s irritation.

And, having seen how the use of video replays add to the drama in cricket and rugby, in addition to ensuring more correct rulings are made, Megson feels eventually football will have to follow suit.

“It is only a matter of time,” he said. “Rugby has it. Cricket has it. It doesn’t hold those games up too much.

“Everybody accepts it is difficult for referees because the game is getting so much faster, so any help we can give them has to be a good thing.”

Following high-profile incidents at Stamford Bridge and Vicarage Road last weekend, the FA decided to step in to reaffirm their belief in the much-trumpeted ’Respect’ campaign.

Megson is not so sure.

The Bolton boss feels officials largely have the respect of players and managers anyway. He believes a chance has been wasted to make a great impact in another area.

“They had all summer to discuss these things and came up with some nonsense about respecting referees, which is not worth bothering with,” he said.

“Referees are respected, even if they make mistakes. I have not been in trouble with referees for seven or eight years and I don’t know that many who have.

“We have to look at technology because I would rather see the game become slightly more stop-start and be right. Everybody would.

“If it took too long or became less of a spectacle we could forget it.

“But it seems to me TV can do it so quickly, so why don’t we use it?

“Football has changed so much in the last 15 years with all the money, so these kind of things really do stick in the throat.”

Megson did not seek out Styles at the final whistle for fear of landing himself in trouble.

Tellingly though, he did confirm some of his players had expressed their displeasure when news of the official’s appointment came through on Thursday due to previous problems.

Having been temporarily demoted 12 months ago when he gave a penalty for Chelsea against Liverpool when Steve Finnan barely seemed to touch Florent Malouda, there must be a chance Styles will find himself downgraded again by referees’ chief Keith Hackett.

“I was very surprised about the penalty because it looked to me as though the player got a foot on the ball,” said Ferguson.

“But Rob Styles turned four or five down for us last year, so maybe it is payback. And he still owes us four.”

It was hard to challenge Ferguson’s view that United were deserving of their success even if most of Jussi Jaaskelainen’s saves prior to the penalty had been fairly routine.

Indeed, other than Ronaldo hitting the post, the best chance had fallen to Bolton, which Fabrice Muamba inexplicably sent spinning wide a minute before the break.

“Sometimes in matches like that you need a little break,” said Ferguson, expressing his delight at Rooney’s reaction to being left on the bench.

“It is very difficult to say what would have happened,” countered Megson.

“But we would not have changed from what we were doing.

“It wasn’t just the penalty. We didn’t get a free-kick until the 34th minute. I hope he (Styles) does not try to justify what he has done. It wasn’t even close.”