Mick wades into the referee debate

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has waded into the Premier League managers' debate on officials after his side were denied a weekend penalty - claiming the decision was as "clear as the nose on my face."

The Molineux men missed out on a spot-kick on Saturday, despite Michael Kightly's 63rd-minute cross being handled by Portsmouth defender Marc Wilson in the 1-0 home defeat.

It was the second successive game Wolves have had strong claims for a penalty waved aside, after Sunderland defender Michael Turner clattered Kevin Doyle from behind in the 5-2 defeat at the Stadium of Light.

The Football Association are to investigate comments from Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson for calling Burntwood referee Alan Wiley "unfit" and Blackburn chief Sam Allardyce for criticising Peter Walton for failing to award a penalty for Thomas Vermaelen's apparent trip on David Dunn in Rovers' 6-2 defeat at Arsenal.

McCarthy kept his emotions in check in the aftermath of their latest setback, preferring not to blame the officials.

But after viewing the game again yesterday, the 50-year-old Molineux chief couldn't believe the decision.

He said: "I could have understood if it was a contentious decision, but I'm talking about one on Saturday that was as clear as the nose on my face.

"You can make comments on every single game, so I try not to, but when a decision like we had goes against us at 1-0 down, with 18 minutes gone in the second half, it's difficult not to.

"We had the momentum with us, if we'd have got the penalty, we could have made it 1-1 and possibly gone on and won it.

"Why didn't the linesman give it? Because he got it monumentally wrong from looking at it. It wasn't a hard decision to make.

"Everyone has seen it and people on the telly have even said what a good save it was!

"As soon as they turn around and point to their chest, you know they're as guilty as Crippins.

"The one against Sunderland was also clear – Michael Turner went through the back of Kevin Doyle, it was a penalty.

"I haven't whinged much about the one on Saturday because if we'd defended properly for the second ball from the corner, we might have been talking about a goalless draw and I'd have been much more justified in whingeing about a decision.

"But if we don't get our bits right, then I can't be depending on referees or linesmen. I should be able to rely on them though to get these decisions correct."

While human error was to blame against Pompey, McCarthy refuses to believe technology is needed in situations like penalty decisions – just sound common sense.

He said: "They've just got to get things right – I've said all along I think technology should be there for goals. But it shouldn't be there for every decision because there's so much that happens.

"If the linesman needed technology to help him get that decision right then he shouldn't be doing the job."

McCarthy doesn't intend his frustration to sound a whinge at officials because he has huge respect for referees and their assistants.

But the manager admits he hardly ever visits the officials after games to discuss incidents, because he feels it is futile.

He said: "I don't go and speak to them after the game, because I just don't see it does any good as it won't change their decision."