Megson calls for video help

Bolton boss Gary Megson has called for the introduction of video technology to settle contentious issues in the game.

Referee Rob Styles denied Bolton a fighting chance to grab at least a draw at Manchester United when he awarded the home side a controversial penalty.

Megson was left fuming after Styles deemed Jlloyd Samuel's perfectly fair challenge on Ronaldo merited a penalty.

Even Sir 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 adds 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," said Megson. "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, but Megson is not so sure and feels the FA missed the opportunity to implement video technology in the summer.

Mistakes

"They had all summer to discuss these things and came up with some nonsense about respecting referees, which is not worth bothering with," added Megson. "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."