Get the fourth official in there too
Chelsea have confirmed that Video Assistant Referees will be formally invited to stand inside the club’s next pre-match huddle after referee Paul Tierney inadvertently joined the gathering on the centre circle on Saturday.
The club said the move is simply about ‘efficiency’.
‘If everyone who might influence the game is already in the huddle, it just saves time’, revealed a Chelsea source.
‘Players, referee, assistants, VAR officials, the fella operating the stadium big screen. We’re trying to streamline things’.
Those close to the squad say the next huddle will also include a small monitor so that players can immediately review any controversial moments from the previous match before kick-off.
‘On Saturday we spent half the huddle talking about a penalty we didn’t get three games ago’, said the source.
‘So, if the VAR is already standing there, we can just roll the footage and argue properly’.
The unusual ritual has already begun attracting attention from other sports.
In New Zealand, the national rugby team are reportedly considering replacing their traditional pre-match Haka with the Chelsea huddle, in which players gather round a slightly confused official while nodding intensely.
‘All Blacks players believe the ritual demonstrates dominance by forcing a neutral authority figure to stand awkwardly in the middle while everyone stares at him’, said one New Zealand rugby insider.
‘It’s psychologically devastating’.
Meanwhile, Tierney himself appears to have embraced his new role as a spontaneous participant in group gatherings.
Witnesses claim the referee was recently seen stepping into the middle of a wedding group photo in Manchester.
According to guests, Tierney calmly positioned himself between the bride and groom, folded his arms and stared directly at the camera.
When asked why he had joined the photo, Tierney reportedly replied that he was ‘maintaining a neutral position’ and wanted to ensure both families felt fairly represented.
The newly married couple later confirmed the referee remains visible in every single picture from the day.
Guests also report Tierney may have inadvertently officiated several other parts of the ceremony.
At one point he was spotted standing near the dance floor during the emotional father-of-the-bride dance, repeatedly signalling ‘play on’ to the wedding band.
Tierney then hovered near the first dance while checking whether the groom was using ‘excessive contact’.
*Paddy Power’s breaking news coverage is complete fantasy – don’t believe it for a second
READ MORE
Tap here for the latest odds on PP.com
The Paddy Power Guide To Safer Gambling – Everything You Need To Know
