Wanderers players call for clarity from refs over VAR calls, as Babbel waits on punishment

While Western Sydney coach Markus Babbel awaits his fate over a VAR conspiracy claim, his Wanderers players have called for communications about contentious decisions to be made public.

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Western Sydney players have called for greater clarity over the VAR’s decisions, as coach Markus Babbel waits to hear how much trouble he is in for alluding to a conspiracy against his team from match officials.

The Wanderers have been left furious at another pivotal intervention from the video referee, resulting in Wellington Phoenix getting a late penalty to win Saturday’s clash in Auckland 2-1.

Though Babbel had not received any communication from A-League officials by close of play Monday, the Wanderers boss seems certain to face a stiff punishment for claiming “there is something behind it” over the contentious VAR calls against his team.

"Once it can happen, twice, but three times in a row, then I think it's a bit personal against me,” he said. "Of course frustration is there because you have the feeling you play against 12 players.”

Marks Babbel is facing a stiff penalty for alleging referees are “personal” against him.

Referee Daniel Elder penalised Pirmin Schwegler for handball on the advice of his VAR, but a similar incident earlier in the game involving Phoenix defender Steven Taylor had not been.

Wanderers captain Mitch Duke said his frustration had been magnified by seeing a consensus of opinion form against the Schwegler decision, including pundit Mark Bosnich deriding it on Fox Sports.

“When you watch it over and over 90 per cent of the people will agree with how we feel the decisions should have gone (or) you see [Mark] Bosnich on the panel and people all over the place saying that … I’d love for (the referees) to come and discuss how they made those decisions,” Duke said.

“Explain how that’s a handball from Pirmin, a bullet from close range, he’s literally pulled his arms into his body. Tell me how it’s not a clear penalty against Newcastle Jets (for Western Sydney the week before).

“The VAR is supposed to eradicate these kinds of issues, (but) it’s always up for debate whether they are getting these decisions right.”

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Teammate Dylan McGowan called for the communications between the referee and the VAR to be made public, to give players and fans a sense of the criteria being used.

A-League bosses have sought to use the audio feed for broadcast, but so far been blocked by FIFA.

“Throughout the league there’s been decisions for us, against us, and no-one knows where they stand on a few things,” McGowan said.

“It’s hard to criticise too much because we don’t know what’s being said between referees and VAR. I think if the communication was clearer and the TV (viewers) got to hear what was going on it would help us to know what they are looking for and what they’re after.

“I don’t think there’s any harm in that. The referees are doing the best job they can. I don’t think there’s any harm in those conversations being open to the public.

“I think it would stop the criticism. From a players’ perspective, a little more clarity would be nice.”