In response to questions about referee and VAR errors in their victory over Liverpool, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou maintained a composed stance, largely avoiding the contentious issues at hand.
Unlike Jurgen Klopp, who remained relatively calm despite Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat due to poor officiating, Postecoglou, as the coach of the winning team, had more latitude to comment on the game-changing decisions.
However, he chose not to delve deeply into the major controversies, stating, “I’ll leave it for others to determine whether they were right or wrong.”
Regarding Curtis Jones’ red card, he remarked, “It’s difficult for me to offer an opinion on decisions concerning opposing teams. I believe the initial foul on Yves Bissouma seemed substantial and didn’t look favorable.”
As for Diogo Jota’s two yellow cards, he remarked, “I believe the second one was a result of our relentless pressure in the second half.
We prevented them from gaining any breathing space. With the extra man advantage, there were quite a few fouls, and I think it was an accumulation of those incidents.”
Postecoglou was also asked about his thoughts on video assistant refereeing (VAR) in general, and he provided a more comprehensive response. “You might need to conduct some research on this,” he began.
“I’ve previously stated that I’ve never been a fan of VAR since its introduction, not because of any other reason but because I believe it complicates aspects of the game that were once straightforward.”
He continued, “However, I understand why technology inevitably became a part of the game, and we must adapt to it. The significant issue, in my opinion, is that no form of technology can eliminate errors from the game.
We used to acknowledge that errors, including officiating mistakes, were inherent in the game. We accepted them as part of being human.”
“The history of the sport is filled with refereeing decisions that were incorrect, but we all recognized these imperfections as part of the game due to our shared humanity,” he added. “Yet, some seem to mistakenly believe that VAR can make the game flawless.”
“While there is truth in Postecoglou’s observations, the incompetence displayed by officials, particularly in the Tottenham vs. Liverpool match, is an area that clearly requires improvement.”
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