Paulo Sousa insists UAE referees need support after toxic row between Al Ain and Football Association

Elite Uefa official flown in for Pro League clash with Al Wahda shows two red cards but Shabab Al Ahli manager has no complaints

Al Wahda's Dusan Tadic during the UAE Pro League game against Shabab Al Ahli at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi. All pictures by Chris Whiteoak / The National

Norwegian referee Espen Eskas was flown in for the game.

Al Wahda's Omar Khribin shows his frustration.

Al Wahda's Omar Khribin is closed down.

Shabab Al Ahli manager Paulo Sousa barks instructions.

Norwegian referee Espen Eskas speaks to the players.

Al Wahda's Lucas Pimenta gets up for a header.

Shabab Al Ahli's Harib Abdallah challenges in the air.

Al Wahda's Omar Khribin in action.

Paulo Sousa says flying in elite officials from abroad to oversee UAE Pro League matches can help improve the standard of domestic referees.

But the Portuguese coach, who led Shabab Al Ahli to a league and cup double last season, insists Emirati referees need support rather than criticism.

The issue of refereeing in the country turned toxic last week when Al Ain and the UAE FA traded angry statements about officiating, with both threatening legal action against the other.

After winning their opening match of the new season last weekend, Al Ain publicly criticised the standard of officiating in the country, heavily intimating their side has been biased against.

The FA responded immediately by defending their officials, and pointing out that clubs have the option of requesting referees from abroad for big matches.

Al Ain themselves have done similar in the past, such as when Clement Turpin, the elite Fifa referee from Belgium, was brought in to oversee their game against Al Wasl at the start of last season.

The same was the case when defending champions Shabab Al Ahli travelled to Abu Dhabi to face Al Wahda on Saturday night.

Espen Eskas, an elite panel referee from Norway, was flown in for the game, along with two of his compatriots as his assistants.

On a steamy night in the capital, he showed two red cards as the teams played out a 0-0 draw, but neither coach found any reason for criticism.

Sousa acknowledged that he often finds fault with referees, but believes they need to be backed.

“I'm the first one, as a coach, to push with lots of passion and seeing [decisions] in different ways in some moments,” Sousa, the former Juventus and Borussia Dortmund midfielder, said.

“They need to have all our respect and support, especially the locals, because they made a great job last year.

“They grew a lot, and I think this possibility of foreign referees can give a chance to exchange [ideas], and make better the local ones, to raise [refereeing] to another level.”

Sousa, who has managed in 11 different countries in his coaching career so far, said refereeing differs between regions, and Emirati referees would benefit from trading ideas with foreign officials.

“Normally, I'm a positive guy in all the decisions,” Sousa said.

“Teams, clubs, federations, are all trying to do it from one way. You have different types of styles of referees.

“When they whistle games in their league, or in the Uefa Champions League, they are slightly different [from] what they are here.

“I think also it can help the local referees if they can [do an] exchange. That way they can understand and keep growing. That is key in my opinion.”

Jose Morais, the Wahda manager, also said he did not believe in referee conspiracies and that officials need to be trusted.

“I trust myself so much and, in the same way that I trust others,” Morais said.

“I don't have any concern. I think that as human beings we can make mistakes, but we make mistakes from one side to the other side.

“I think the referees also need support for them to be able to perform in these games. They are difficult games.

“These are the games that give them a different experience, a different feeling, a football game in a different level, different speed, and with different decision making.

“I would be happy if Emiratis in the future have a referee team that would cover the league with the quality that everybody wishes. But for this to happen we have to give the opportunities for the referees.

“And if we don't, I don't know why we don't trust them. If we don't trust the quality, then we have to make sure that we can create training programmes where our referees can improve in the level that we want for the league.”