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• VAR wrong to intervene with Grealish handball, says Halsey

  VAR was wrong to intervene in the incident which caused Jack Grealish to be penalised for handball in the FA Cup final.

  That is the view of former Premier League referee Mark Halsey, who feels the Manchester City and England star had been hard done by after conceding a penalty in the first half.

  There was relief for Grealish and City at Wembley on Saturday, as they went on to win the final 2-1 despite Bruno Fernandes' equaliser from the penalty spot.

  That 33rd-minute spot-kick came after a VAR intervention. Aaron Wan-Bissaka headed the ball into Grealish's arm from close range as the pair battled to reach a cross-field pass from Fernandes.

  The match referee Paul Tierney initially waved away strong United appeals, but VAR called him to the monitor at the next break in play.

  Halsey told Stats Perform: "The problem we have at present; we have got too many inconsistencies about when to get involved or when not to get involved. 

  "VAR is here to stay and I think it's a great tool because we have seen many goals given where the system has then put the flag up and we have seen goals ruled out when the flag hasn't gone up and the player has been just offside, so that is factual. 

  "But I'm seeing many subjective decisions being recommended for review – some being recommended, some not being recommended. 

  "Then we have some handballs given, some handballs not given, and some holding offences in the penalty area recommend for review, some not. 

  "Since Howard Webb has come in I think the consistency has improved, but there is still some inconsistency there, so there's a lot of work still to be done with VAR. 

  "It's simple – VAR should only get involved if it's a clear and obvious error, an absolute howler. That is when VAR has to get involved."

  Asked specifically about the Grealish decision, Halsey added: "If you look at the game, that incident, that passage of play, was that a deliberate act? No. 

  "A player that deliberately moves his hand or arm towards the ball or if they are making themselves unnaturally bigger, then they run the risk of a handball being given against him. 

  "But were his arms in an unnatural or natural position for that passage of play? I've played the game at very, very high levels as a semi-professional – for me his arms for that passage of play were in a natural position. 

  "So I think we have a problem of understanding what is natural and what is unnatural. I don't think anybody knows anymore, do they?

  "Paul Tierney is there [near the incident], he has seen it and he's not given it. On that situation, it is subjective. 

  "So is that clear enough and obvious error by Paul Tierney for VAR to get involved? For me, no, because Paul Tierney is in a great position. He has possibly seen it and he thinks, 'Well hang on I don't think that's deliberate, I think arms are in a natural position'. 

  "We don't know that because we don't hear the conversation, I'm just assuming. So VAR then gets involved and I question should David Coote have got involved. 

  "Was it correct in law? Perhaps if he's [Coote] is refereeing his opinion is [Grealish] has made himself bigger, and his arms are in the air, and it is an unnatural position. 

  "But Paul Tierney the on field referee doesn't give that. So was that clear enough and obvious enough for VAR to get involved? For me, no. 

  "The law is an ass – we need players involved as well because it's no criticism of the referee. It's the law that needs looking at. It is the same with offside, no one knows what is or what isn't and it's the same with handball.

  "There is so much subjectivity involved in handball – we have seen some awful decisions regarding handball. So it's all over the place and difficult for referees because the way the law is worded and obviously they are unsure what is natural and what is unnatural with your arms."

  For Halsey, the solution to the dilemma over the handball law is clear.

  He said: "Back to how it used to be, that it has to be a deliberate act. Deliberate with your arm moving towards the ball.

  "None of this unnatural or natural? Was his arm up in the air? Did you make yourself bigger? It's simple – ask was that a deliberate act of handling the ball?"

  Victory for Premier League winners City gave them a seventh FA Cup triumph, with Saturday's Champions League final against Inter giving Pep Guardiola's men a chance to win the treble, a feat which would match rivals United's accomplishment in 1999.

• Birmingham investment approved by EFL

  The EFL has approved Tom Wagner’s imminent investment in Birmingham.

  The American financier and his company, Knighthead Capital Management, has agreed to purchase a 45 per cent stake in Blues under Shelby Companies Limited.

  Birmingham and Wagner still need the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to confirm the deal before it is officially completed with the club’s parent company, Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited, having been looking for investment.

  A club statement read: “The English Football League (EFL) has today approved the acquisition of 45 per cent in the Club by Shelby Companies Limited and is now awaiting approval in accordance with the rules of Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

  “This exciting announcement comes after the exchange of two signed Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPA) on Sunday, 7 May.

  “Shelby Companies Limited is managed by American financier, Tom Wagner, who was in attendance at Blues’ final game of the 2022/23 Sky Bet Championship season against Sheffield United.”

• New Cardiff boss Erol Bulut still haunted by Turkish earthquake

  New Cardiff manager Erol Bulut says he and his family are still affected by the huge earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey four months ago.

  Bulut was manager of Gaziantep until nine days before the destruction there on February 6, but he was still in the Turkish city – just 23 miles from the epicentre – when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit.

  “It was four in the morning and we were sleeping, I felt my house shake,” Bulut said of the earthquake which killed over 50,000 in Turkey and left nearly another 10,000 dead in neighbouring Syria.

  “My kids still have a thing about that, thinking that it’s shaking and shaking.

  “The small villages around Antep (Gaziantep) were totally destroyed. We couldn’t go out.

  “We couldn’t drive to Istanbul because the streets were destroyed. We made a plan to get out of there.

  “My squad was living on the 20th floor and they were shocked more. I called my squad together and they slept for one night in my house.

  “Thank God I arranged a private jet and we left from Antep the next day. An ex team-mate of mine, one from Fenerbahce, he died.

  “Also an ex-coach who was also with me, he died, too. It was not easy. If I think about this I don’t feel well. It was not easy for my country.”

  Former Turkey Under-21 international Bulut has signed a one-year contract with the option of another two should things go well in Wales.

  The 48-year-old has enjoyed success in Turkey by guiding unheralded Yeni Malatyaspor and Alanyaspor into the Europa League.

  He also had eight months in charge of Fenerbahce – during which time he signed Germany international Mesut Ozil from Arsenal – but was sacked in March 2021 with the Istanbul-based club third in the Super Lig.

  Bulut arrives in the Welsh capital on the back of Cardiff finishing 21st in the Sky Bet Championship and employing three managers – Steve Morison, Mark Hudson and Sabri Lamouchi – during a troubled campaign.

  But Bulut, who was approached by Cardiff in 2020 before becoming Fenerbahce manager, said: “I had a conversation with Vincent (Tan, club owner) two weeks ago via a Zoom call.

  “Vincent already got promoted two times to the Premier League. Why not a third time? We will make everything possible.

  “Last year was not so easy to keep in the league, but we don’t want to be in that position again. So we will have to work for that.”

  Cardiff are currently working under a transfer embargo with the EFL as they cannot pay transfer fees for players until May 2024.

  The club is challenging the EFL ruling but it is unlikely to be revoked during this summer’s transfer window.

  Bulut, who has targeted eight to 10 summer signings and will now run the rule over Cardiff’s out-of-contract players, said: “We have some players in our hand.

  “Some players we will have to discuss, I think seven have contracts finished. I have to see the players in training for the first 10 days.

  “I think around eight to 10 (signings) can be possible.”