Fans quick to point out Ange Postecoglou hypocrisy after “3-minute” VAR complaint – Liverpool FC
Ange Postecoglou was quick to say after events against Liverpool that refereeing “errors are part of the game,” but recent words when decisions have gone against his side have now caught the attention of fans.
The Tottenham boss watched on as his side fell to a 4-2 defeat at Brighton on Thursday evening, a result that keeps Spurs in fifth place and six points behind leaders Liverpool.
Brighton‘s second goal came from the penalty spot after a lengthy VAR review after Dejan Kulusevski clearly pulled Danny Welbeck by the shirt in the box.
Lewis Dunk then avoided a red card for a tackle on Kulusevski late in the match, and Postecoglou’s post-match remarks were dripping in sarcasm when it came to VAR’s role in proceedings.
“It was obviously clear and obvious because it only took him (VAR operator Peter Bankes) three minutes to see it on the screen,” he said.
“VAR picked up everything today except for the one tackle that might have cost me another player. That’s the decisions.”
In isolation, those comments are from a manager hurt by a defeat, but fans were not quick to forget that Postecoglou preached that errors “were part of the game” and “you have to cop it sometimes” after that Liverpool match in north London earlier this season:
Thought we had to learn to just respect referees, accept their decisions and learn that it’s all part of the game. Isn’t that how this works?
— Joel Rabinowitz (@joel_archie) December 29, 2023
Grow up and respect the officials is what you said Ange ?
— Ujwal Nayak (@DazzlerDiaz23) December 29, 2023
“You have to accept the referee’s decision, that is how I grew up.” – Ange a month and a half ago
— Vinje?? (@AfcVinje) December 24, 2023
Ange Postecoglou, for a man who was “taught to respect all the refs decisions,” you sure love chatting about them.
— Raj (@tightendmaarlhi) December 29, 2023
They all had their chance to get on board with Klopp when we were diddled …..
— The Traveling Teacher (@DeliaNGoG) December 29, 2023
“I was taught you grow up and respect the officials” – Ange Postecoglu
— ANDO (@COMM_ANDO7) December 29, 2023
Ange in Nov: “I’ve never and I never will talk to a referee about the rules of the game, I was taught that you grow up and you respect the officials.”
Since then moaned multiple times about referees and VAR, and once again doing the same.
— YoungArse (@YoungArse) December 29, 2023
Thought we were respecting referees and not talking on them. Ange has quickly changed his tune when it doesn’t go his way
— George.8 (@GeorgeGuy08) December 29, 2023
Ange when a major fuck up goes in his favour: “Premier League managers should just manage their football clubs…I was taught you respect the officials… it’s so hard for referees, their authority is constantly being diminished”
Ange when a couple of decisions go against him:
— Simon (@bitginger) December 29, 2023
The reference to respecting officials came after Tottenham‘s 4-1 defeat against Chelsea in November, when nine VAR checks led to more than 20 minutes of added time.
“I’ve never and I never will talk to a referee about the rules of the game,” Postecoglou said. “I was taught that you grow up and you respect the officials.”
That is the right attitude to have, undoubtedly, but the opportunity to raise concerns and demand change was snuffed out by opposition managers, including Postecoglou, in the immediate aftermath of the Luis Diaz ‘offside’ goal debacle.
It is easy to be dictated by events against you when it comes to referees and VAR, but the messaging is evidently not consistent, so no wonder nothing ever changes for the better.
