Following Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle, Ange Postecoglou is reportedly under scrutiny by the Football Association (FA) over his post-match remarks.
The loss marked Spurs’ 10th league defeat this season, and the Australian manager expressed his frustration with certain referee decisions during the game.
Controversial First Goal Sparks Frustration
Postecoglou’s main point of contention was Newcastle’s first goal, which came from Anthony Gordon after the ball appeared to hit Joelinton’s hand while he was blocking a pass.
Despite the apparent handball, referee Andrew Madley did not penalize the incident, and VAR, overseen by Chris Kavanagh, also ruled no foul, as Joelinton’s hand was deemed to be in a “natural position.”
Postecoglou made it clear he was unhappy with this decision, saying, “On the balance of play, any balance you want with all things being equal, we would have won today. Things weren’t equal and balanced.”
Manager’s Frustration with Decisions
When a reporter pressed Postecoglou on specific decisions he disagreed with, the manager’s frustration became more apparent.
He responded sharply, “You can talk about whatever you want. You want my opinion – if all things were equal and balanced we would have won.”
FA’s Reaction and Potential Consequences
According to reports from The Mirror, the FA has not yet launched a full investigation but is seeking clarification on Postecoglou’s comments.
Managers are permitted to express their opinions on refereeing decisions, but the FA will be looking to determine if Postecoglou’s remarks implied bias or questioned the integrity of the referee.
If the manager admits that his comments were aimed directly at the official, he could face disciplinary actions, including a touchline ban or a fine.
Spurs’ Depleted Squad and Resilient Performance
Tottenham’s performance was made even more challenging by the absence of 10 first-team players at the start of the match, with others struggling with illness.
Despite this, they took the lead through Dominic Solanke’s goal and fought valiantly throughout the game.
However, Newcastle’s Alexander Isak eventually scored the winner, sealing the points for the visitors.
Postecoglou praised his players’ efforts, saying, “We were outstanding. Our football was outstanding against a very good opponent in good form.
It was brilliant, outstanding, a game we deserved to win, and on any other day, we would have won.”
Player Sacrifices and Unfair Outcome
The Spurs manager also highlighted the physical toll on his players, mentioning that Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray had played despite being unwell.
“Radu was shattered at half-time. He didn’t have any more to give,” Postecoglou noted.
Reflecting on the team’s dedication despite the challenges, he said, “On Thursday, we literally had 11 fit players for training.
But I don’t care about that, what I care about is the players put in an unbelievable performance, fantastic football, created chances, denied them and having to defend strongly which we did.”
In closing, Postecoglou expressed his disappointment with the result, saying, “And it’s unfair on them more than anything else that they didn’t get the rewards today.”
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