Brighton loanee Mark O’Mahony was extremely fortunate not to receive a red card during Reading’s pre-season clash against Tottenham Hotspur, according to former Premier League referee and ex-head of PGMOL, Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett didn’t hold back in criticizing the officials’ failure to send off the 20-year-old striker during Reading’s 2-0 defeat to Spurs on Saturday, 19 July. O’Mahony, currently on loan with the League One side, was at the center of controversy following a dangerous tackle on Tottenham defender Pedro Porro in what was otherwise a celebratory start to Thomas Frank’s reign as Spurs’ new head coach.
Frank, who recently took the reins following Ange Postecoglou’s departure, saw his side make a confident statement in their first pre-season outing under his leadership. Goals from young prospects Will Lankshear and Luka Vuskovic sealed the win for Spurs, while marquee summer signing Mohammed Kudus also made his debut following a £55 million move from West Ham, as reported by BBC Sport. Kudus wasted no time making an impression, assisting Vuskovic’s goal with a sharp, well-timed pass, offering a glimpse of his creative flair in Tottenham colours.
However, the mood shifted momentarily when Porro was on the receiving end of a reckless lunge from O’Mahony. The young Irish forward, clearly fired up for the match, went in hard with a sliding tackle that left the Spanish full-back writhing on the ground. Although Porro managed to get back on his feet and continued playing until half-time, many watching—both in the stadium and online—felt O’Mahony’s challenge warranted more than just a yellow card.
Hackett, who served as a FIFA-listed official and later oversaw referees as head of PGMOL, criticized match referee Farai Hallam for not showing O’Mahony a red card. He suggested that the incident could have serious consequences for the official, especially as the FA places increased emphasis on enforcing the Laws of the Game uniformly, even in friendlies.
“Referees are reminded at their annual conferences that there is no such thing as a ‘friendly’ when it comes to officiating,” Hackett explained. “The laws of the game must be applied the same way, whether it’s a Premier League final or a pre-season warm-up.”
Reflecting on the incident, Hackett said: “That is a clear red card offence. O’Mahony left the ground, went in with his studs showing, and caught the player with excessive force. That’s the textbook definition of serious foul play. It doesn’t matter that it’s July and not January. The danger to player safety is the same.”
He added that while Hallam may not have had a clear view of the tackle due to the positioning of O’Mahony’s body obscuring the challenge, that’s exactly why assistant referees are there—to step in when the referee’s line of sight is blocked.
“In this case, the assistant referee should have intervened. That’s why they’re called assistants. They’re there to support the referee in moments like this, and this moment was a red card all day long,” Hackett insisted.
Interestingly, Hackett highlighted how the culture around pre-season matches has evolved. “In my day,” he recalled, “we’d give a nod to the sidelines, and the manager would quietly substitute the player to avoid escalating the situation. But the FA doesn’t operate like that anymore. Yellow and red cards issued in friendlies carry consequences—fines, suspensions, and even bans. Even grassroots referees who don’t report disciplinary incidents in friendlies correctly can be suspended.”
Although no injuries were reported after full-time and Pedro Porro appeared unharmed, the tackle raised serious questions about player protection and consistency in officiating. For Tottenham, the good news was that Frank’s tenure began with a positive performance, featuring promising displays from both young talents and big-money arrivals. Yet the incident involving O’Mahony served as a reminder that, even in pre-season, discipline and safety cannot be taken lightly.
As Tottenham prepare for the new Premier League campaign, they will hope to avoid further controversies like this and focus instead on integrating new signings, building squad chemistry, and delivering on their ambitions under their new head coach. But for the FA and PGMOL, Hackett’s comments may spark deeper conversations about referee accountability and enforcement—even during matches that some still view as “just” friendlies.
