Ange Postecoglou claimed the Sky Sports reporter was “mocking” him after Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Liverpool, with the Spurs boss illustrating his questionable grasp of the rules having launched into a quite extraordinary rant over VAR.
Lucas Bergvall scored the controversial winner for Spurs in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, when he perhaps shouldn’t still have been on the pitch, though Big Ange disagrees.
His goal came soon after Dominic Solanke had what he thought was the opener ruled out for a marginal offside, with the mic’d up referee Stuart Atwell announcing the VAR reversal to the stadium. We don’t think Postecoglou’s a fan.
“I’m really surprised at how people in this country are so easily letting the game change so much so quickly,” said Postecoglou. “It’s changed more since VAR has come in since I’ve been involved than in the past 50 years. We never used to debate offsides, we never used to debate handballs, we never used to debate holding in the box, we never used to debate so many things.
“I mean, did everyone really love the announcement today? Did that give you a real buzz? I mean, seriously. My understanding of it is, this is what the people want. That’s what I keep getting told.
“I understand that and I understand that VAR is going to be there. Technology is going to be a part of life, but it’s like my wife and our kids. We know technology but she limits their screen time. Why? You know, to slow things down, I think.
“We’ve just got to be careful about constantly… why do we want to change the game so much? And I know I’m going to be the old bloke in the stands that keeps shouting ‘boo’ every time and I’ll be the only one, but I just thought people would be a little bit more protective about the sanctity of the game.
“I think there’s a lot of confusion at the moment. That’s my belief, that the game is changing on the basis of technology, and I’m saying, ‘Why isn’t anyone speaking up about it?’ Especially in this country who, for all intents and purposes, you guys think you’re custodians of the game, you’ve got a song that says. ‘It’s coming home’.
“This is your game, and yet it takes an Aussie from the other side of the world to be the one that’s most conservative about changes. I’m happy to just be the lone voice of saying, ‘Just leave the game alone for a bit’.
“Even extra time now, minutes added on, minutes added on here, we never used to talk about these things before. Yet now everything is changing, so that was my [point]. So today, I can see why Arne [Slot] would be very disappointed [with the Bergvall decision]. If that was me, I’d be disappointed as well, but apparently they’re the rules.”
Postecoglou was a very angry man after Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle last weekend as Joelinton handled the ball in the build-up to Anthony Gordon’s equaliser, but no VAR action was taken.
The Spurs boss said he was “the angriest I have been in my career” at the time, and attempted to clarify his comments after the clash with Liverpool.
Postecoglou said on Wednesday night: “My comments about ‘a fair and even playing ground’ that’s what they’re about. So today it advantaged us, yeah? I wasn’t saying that there was a vendetta against me or Tottenham when I spoke last week. That’s not what my comments were about. I could be on a lone crusade here, but I’m happy to do that.”
MORE TOTTENHAM COVERAGE ON F365
👉 How can Bournemouth keep hold of a man like Andoni Iraola?
👉 Postecoglou sack, ‘pragmatic’ Terzic in as Spurs reach sliding doors?
👉 Which players have forced the most Premier League manager sackings by scoring?
Posteocglou was also asked whether it was his side that enjoyed good fortune against the Reds as Lucas Bergvall escaped a second yellow card for a tackle on Kostas Tsimikas moments before scoring the winner.
Asked if his team were fortunate not to go down to 10 men for the tackle, Postecoglou replied: “Yeah great question!
“No he wasn’t. People misinterpret my comments from the other day. The rule is – and we have been told for quite a while now – that if an advantage gets played and as long as it’s not cynical tackle, it’s not a yellow card.
“We’ve been screaming for it for the last two months It’s happened to us consistently, have a look at our games. To me that was pretty clear. That is the rules and we abided by them today.”
A slightly odd interpretation of the walls given Bergvall’s tackle could be described as reckless, in which case a yellow should have been given, and because an advantage should not be applied on a second yellow card except in cases of an immediate chance.
Postecoglou remained testy when asked about his previous assertion that he always wins a trophy in his second season, firing back: “People can keep sort of mocking me about it, we will see,” before walking away from camera.