Burnley co-owner JJ Watt has expressed his willingness to endure the consequences of criticizing referees following his investment in the Clarets in May 2023. With the team facing a high likelihood of relegation, Watt has offered to advocate for the manager, Vincent Kompany, and take on the role of protesting referee decisions, acknowledging that this is something Kompany and the club’s chairman, Alan Pace, cannot do.

Watt’s comments were prompted by Kompany’s frustration with the refereeing standards after a draw at Chelsea. While acknowledging the pressure on officials, Kompany emphasized the need for improved refereeing this season.

The addition of VAR and the increasing scrutiny on officials have made their job more challenging. Despite traditionally believing that mistakes even out over a season, Kompany expressed that this hasn’t been the case this year.

He emphasized that the team’s position in the league is irrelevant, as his main concern is for refereeing decisions to be fair and correct. If you would like to receive daily Mirror Football content and special offers, promotions, and adverts, you can join the new WhatsApp community.

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