Mark Clattenburg calls for 'cheaper' VAR alternative in Championship after West Ham controversy

Mark Clattenburg has slammed Ruebyn Ricardo after West Ham United drew 1-1 against Queens Park Rangers on Friday.

In the 18th minute, Julien Stephan's team were awarded a penalty after Tomas Soucek was deemed to have fouled an opposition player.

Footage immediately showed the Czechia international got the ball and the challenge was outside the box.

Nicolas Madsen scored the subsequent penalty at London Stadium, but it never should've been given.

Jarrod Bowen equalised for the Hammers in the 70th minute and had the chance to score the winner from the spot late on, but Pierce Charles saved it.

The mistake was so big that the debate over bringing VAR into the Championship has raged since, but Clattenburg has proposed a different idea.

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Ricardo seemingly admitted his mistake to Soucek, but that won't help the Hammers get back the two points they've dropped.

While the Irons weren't convincing in their performance, the on-field referee's decision played a key role in the result.

Clattenburg has accused Ricardo of being "lazy" and believes that had he been in the right position, he would've been able to make the right call.

The former Premier League official also called for a VAR alternative in the Championship that might not hurt clubs' pockets as much.

Speaking on So Near, Yet So VAR on 11 October, Clattenburg said, "This is a cry. VAR is a huge sum of money, it is, but there's a cheaper option where there's just an operator.

"An operator informs the referee that there could be an issue and the referee has a look at it and makes his final decision. There are systems in place and there are cheaper options if the clubs are thinking it's a financial issue.

"But they're spending a lot of money on players and they now should have the technology because that was a huge mistake."

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While much of the focus after the game has been on the refereeing, West Ham fans have also recognised their team's poor performance overall.

While the Hammers dominated possession, they didn't have much to show for it.

The Irons missed several big chances, and that's what cost them in the end.

Nuno Espirito Santo still can't seem to get the best out of the squad, despite having some quality players.

The East London club have dropped to third in the Championship, but they still have a long way to go this season.

However, the Portuguese manager isn't the most popular figure among the fanbase, and such displays only increase their scepticism about him.