Tottenham manager Martin Ho is absolutely fuming, and it’s all thanks to a “not within the laws of the game” penalty call that handed Arsenal a 2-1 derby win over his squad on Saturday. That controversial decision, coming in a heated match, has Ho demanding some serious changes for the Women’s Super League officiating. Talk about a gut punch when a game is decided on a call that just feels wrong.
The Call That Stunned the WSL Derby
The whole mess unfolded in the 56th minute when Alessia Russo buried a spot-kick for Arsenal. Referee Phoebe Cross pointed to the spot after Lisa Baum’s shot ricocheted off the post, and then Cathinka Tandberg’s subsequent clearance hit Spurs teammate Ella Morris’ outstretched hand. Ho laid out his interpretation of the rule pretty clear: “My interpretation of the rule is if your team-mate hits it and your team-mate is one yard away, time and distance is taken into account and it’s not a penalty.” He emphasized that this is what they were told in the referee’s meeting at the start of the season.
The frustration is palpable when Ho recounts trying to get an answer on the pitch. Officials “couldn’t give me an answer” when he asked how it could possibly be a penalty from that distance. He told them he’d talk after the game because he wants to “understand what they’re seeing.” Because when a decision “decides a game, it’s frustrating, because it’s not within the laws of the game.” You gotta feel that.
“Worse Than Last Year” and What Needs to Change
Ho didn’t stop there. He admitted WSL referees “have a hard enough job” but didn’t mince words, stating standards have “got worse than last year.” And honestly, you can see why he’s heated. The WSL currently doesn’t use video assistant referees (VAR) or even goalline technology, and get this, not all officials are full-time. The Guardian even reported earlier this month that waiting for full-time WSL referees is likely going to stretch until 2029, despite a recent funding boost. That’s a brutal timeline for a league clearly needing an upgrade.
So, how does it get better? Ho’s got some ideas. He called for “more support and more full-time [referees].” And he makes a killer point about using the best talent available: “They had an elite referee [Lisa Benn] on the side the pitch. For a big game, put them in the middle.” He believes more training is essential because “when you look at most decisions that are going on, there’s a lot of controversy in a lot of games.” He even brought up his team getting two bookings in the first half while Arsenal players were “being dragged back by the shirt” without consequence. That kind of inconsistency? That’s what drives managers nuts.
Despite the frustrating loss, Tottenham still sits one point above rivals Arsenal in the WSL standings. BBC Sport has reached out to WSL Football for a response. This isn’t just about one game, is it? This is about the integrity of the game and ensuring fair play. The league needs to seriously address these concerns, or we’re going to see more of these kinds of fiery post-game interviews.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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