Ex-FIFA referee defends decision that left Potter baffled in West Ham win v Everton
Graham Potter was left bemused by the referee as West Ham beat Everton 2-1 in a pre-season friendly on Thursday.
Lucas Paqueta stole the show at Soldier Field in Chicago, but the Englishman will have been pleased with his side’s performance overall as they came from behind to record a dominant victory.
Much has been made of the Hammers’ lack of business in the transfer window so far, but Potter has still put the summer to good use to continue instilling his footballing philosophy into his side.
The former Chelsea manager was all smiles at full-time, but still had a complaint to make with the referee’s decision on the day.
This article includes exclusive comments from ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett.
Potter’s criticism of water breaks rebuffed by former referee
Potter took aim at the referee’s decision to employ a water break in each half during the victory over the Toffees, claiming that the mild conditions did not warrant the interruptions.
The temperatures never rose above 24°C during the game, while there was a cool breeze in the aptly named Windy City, prompting the manager to question the protocol.
Nevertheless, former FIFA referee Keith Hackett – speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone – defended the referee’s decision to employ the water breaks, but accepted that it needs to be better regimented.
“Hydration for athletes, whatever the sport, is so important,” Hackett said.
“I have officiated in America, and often you will get high humidity levels, hence the arrangement made with both teams that water breaks will be in operation.
“Should take no longer than a minute, and any time lost must be included in added time. We are increasingly seeing stoppages in the Premier League, and managers and coaches are using it to get a tactical message across to the players.
“This, of course, includes what I consider to be fictional injuries to enable this to happen. The referee should agree on a time for a water break in each half and inform both managers and the captains at the team sheet exchange one hour before kick-off.
“Referees need to be fully aware of any tactics that are applied to reduce playing time, which is an increasing problem in the game.
“It’s time to take the timing of games away from the referee and introduce an independent time keeper like other sports.”
West Ham look physically ready for the new campaign
Part of Potter’s gripe with the breaks in play was that his team looked far fresher for most of the encounter, and will feel his side would have overrun the Blues were it not for the breaks in play.
| Statistic | West Ham | Everton |
| Shots | 12 | 10 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 2 |
| Possession | 63% | 37% |
| Passes | 584 | 346 |
| Pass accuracy | 82% | 74% |
One of the non-negotiables that the 50-year-old has tried to instill is that the Irons must be very fit and relentless in their approach.
This was embodied by Andy Irving‘s performance, as the midfielder covered every blade of grass for the East London outfit.
The fact that Potter made 10 substitutions to David Moyes’ six helped West Ham’s cause, but the Hammers looked much closer to being ready for the opening day Premier League fixture against Sunderland than their counterparts.
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