Penalty policy needs to be set in Stones
JOHN STONES has called for “clarity” from World Cup referees amid fears England have been singled out for special set-piece treatment.
The Manchester City defender believes Gareth Southgate’s side were denied a clear penalty against Iran (Harry Maguire appeals, above) and the one given against Stones himself was harsh.
Following the Iran match, Southgate revealed that an England free-kick routine was shown in a video at a refereeing briefing ahead of the tournament as an example of what would be outlawed.
But after Stones and his team-mates were told what would be given as a penalty, they were mystified by the decisions – from both the referee and VAR – in the 6-2 thumping of the Iranians.
Stones said: “I don’t know what that VAR thought process was. Harry Maguire got kind of highlighted in the first instance, but I’m not one for going down – and I was straight up appealing for a penalty. I didn’t even realise that Harry had been having the same thing.
“And looking at it after, I’m a bit baffled that nothing had been called and then it was for something that, in my opinion, was never, ever, ever a penalty.
“I’m not one for conceding silly fouls or things like that and I don’t believe that, with the amount of jostling that goes on in a box, a little pull of the shirt makes someone’s knees buckle and go over.
“There has got to be some sort of consistency to it and that’s where everyone’s frustration is. How can one thing – well, two instances in our case – not be a penalty? It’s hard to know what someone’s thought process is because we get sat in a refereeing meeting before the tournament and get told certain things and I think our frustration – or my frustration – is when those don’t get backed up.
“That’s difficult because we try and adapt our game to the way they want to ref things and I understand they have got a superdifficult job nowadays, with all the cameras and so many options being different to others.
“But there has to be a bit of clarity.”
Stones (below) was particularly annoyed about the penalty award on Monday because it was one of only two blemishes on a superb England performance in which the City defender was his usual confident self. Stones, 28, is an automatic choice at this tournament.
But he takes nothing for granted even though he has become one of only 44 England players to reach the 60-cap milestone.
After all, Stones spent 16 months in the international wilderness after winning his 39th cap against Montenegro in November, 2019.
He added: “Before the Iran game, I knew I was on 59. A while ago, when I wasn’t in the team, you probably all heard me say it might have been my last.
“So, since I have come back into the team, I have given everything I have and cherish everything – and never take it for granted every time I play.
“I have my targets in my head of where I’d love to be.
“I spoke to my family after the Iran game and told them how proud I was personally to get 60 caps.
“Now, hopefully, I can get many more.”