Source: Team_Talk
Mowbray fears interfering officials
Belgian officials Johan Verbist and Peter Vervecken will take up positions behind either goal at the Bloomfield stadium as the Bhoys take on Hapoel Tel Aviv, assisting referee Paul Allaerts as part of UEFA's experiment to help the man in the middle deal with contentious goalmouth incidents.
Mowbray is keen on extra help to get crucial decisions correct but is wary of what might happen with over-enthusiastic assistants in the early stages of UEFA's trial runs.
"Let's hope we don't realise the extra assistants are there," the Celtic boss said.
"I'd like to think the referee will make the decisions, not the guys behind the goal.
"But I think it is a pertinent question, there is a danger that sometimes they might feel as if they need to get involved, get their flag up and make the referee aware of something.
"I just want to see how it works, to be fair.
"Holding goes on in every game, it will be interesting to see how those officials look at that.
"Will they be continually moving behind the goal?
"I suggest they will be no closer to the action than the referee.
"But I'm hoping that nobody sees them and nobody notices them.
"It's a UEFA experiment and we all want right decisions.
"At the weekend, if an official behind the goal had seen a handball in our game against Dundee United, then he might have given us a penalty in the last minute but whether it works for you or against you, you hope that correct decisions are made."
Celtic captain Gary Caldwell only became aware of the use of
extra officials at the pre-match press conference in Tel Aviv but he insists he will not temper his approach.
"I didn't know that," he said, then joked: "I think defenders will have to keep their hands to themselves if there are six officials.
"Seriously, anything that can help the game move forward, you have to give it a go and see if it works.
"You just play the game and if there are more people watching you, I'm sure you will get caught for some of the things that you didn't get caught for in the past."
