Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo SLAMS referee Lee Mason after defeat at Burnley, insisting he ‘clearly doesn’t have the quality’ for the Premier League
- Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo was heavily critical of referee Lee Mason
- Nuno claimed Mason doesn’t possess the quality to be a Premier League referee
- Wolves boss told Mason after the game that he doesn’t want to see him again
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo claimed referee Lee Mason was not good enough for the Premier League after his side’s 2-1 loss at Burnley left them stuck in the bottom half of the table.
Fabio Silva’s first Premier League goal – an 89th-minute penalty – was too little too late for a Wolves side who lacked cutting edge in the continued absence of Raul Jimenez as Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood scored for the hosts.
Wolves were arguably lucky to finish the game with 11 men after a stoppage-time VAR check when Joao Moutinho appeared to kick out at Josh Brownhill but, though that decision went in their favour, Nuno questioned Mason’s fitness to referee in the top flight.
Nuno Espirito Santo claimed Lee Mason isn’t good enough to be a Premier League referee
The Wolves manager made the comments about Mason following his side’s defeat to Burnley
‘The referee does not have the quality to whistle a game in the Premier League,’ he said on Sky Sports. ‘This is a problem that we knew – we had Lee Mason before.
‘It is not about the crucial mistakes or decisions, it is about the way he handles the game. The players get nervous, too much voices, he whistles by the voices when some players are shouting.
Nuno revealed that he told Mason after the game that he doesn’t want to see him anymore
‘We are talking about the best competition and clearly he doesn’t have the quality to whistle the game. I’m very disappointed to say this but I would not feel right if I didn’t say it.
‘I just don’t want to see him more – that’s what I told him. I hope he doesn’t whistle a game of ours again because all the games we have with Lee Mason are always the same.
‘He cannot control the players, the players are constantly arguing – both teams. With all the other referees the game flows, there’s dialogue. He’s just not ready to do it.’