Mourinho lashes out at media

Posted Monday, February 23, 2015 by Teamtalk.co.za

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has criticised the national media in the aftermath of the controversial draw with Burnley, and discussed Louis van Gaal and Arsene Wenger.

Mourinho lashes out at media
Jose Mourinho: Vocal during impromptu appearance

The Chelsea manager saw his Premier League leaders held 1-1 by relegation-threatened Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Saturday in a match shrouded in controversy.

Mourinho felt his side deserved to be awarded two penalties and slammed the decision to send off Nemanja Matic for his reaction to a challenge from Ashley Barnes, who also appeared to catch Branislav Ivanovic with a dangerous first-half challenge.

But he also spoke out on a number of topics - from video technology and refeereeing decisions to Louis van Gaal and Arsene Wenger.

Here are the highlights from the enigmatic Portuguese's impromptu appearance on Goals on Sunday:

ON BURNLEY DRAW

"What can I say that everybody doesn't know? There are things in matches where there is space for discussion and different explanations and points of view. There are actions where there is only one point of view.

"Yesterday I was saying in a press conference that commentators, pundits and people in the media naturally are a bit disturbed when you have a clear caller. I can't imagine that the four incidents of this game are open to interpretation.

"It is what it is. I think if you say it in a way where you go over the line with your comments, I think it's understandable but if you just say what is obvious, without attacking the integrity of the people, if you're just honest and objective in your comments then it shouldn't be a problem.

"At half-time, Burnley should be playing with 10 men and Chelsea should have two penalties. Normally, we win 3-0 or - let's put in the possibility of missing one of the penalties - we win 2-0 and play against 10 men. The reality is that in the end, we play with 10 men and lost two points.

"The arm (Michael Kightly's) stopped the ball from hitting the target. There is no space for interpretation. He's far away - he's not a metre or a few inches. The ball is hitting the target. The players are taught to keep their balance, even in difficult situations in the box. Difficult biomechanical actions in putting the arms behind the body.

"For me, it's a penalty everywhere.

"The best players in the world can make mistakes. They miss penalties. The best goalkeepers make mistakes. This gentlemen is one of the top referees in European football. He can also make mistakes. He made important mistakes yesterday.

"I know to be a referee is so difficult. Sometimes I referee in the training session and I ask for assistance. But there are situations that are not open to interpretation."

ON BARNES' TACKLE ON MATIC

"This could be end of career. Because I can't find another adjective stronger, I just say this is end of career. Matic is a lucky guy.

"Another club would maybe have the power to appeal and as I was listening yesterday to people with some good feeling of honesty. It comes from people without any connection with Chelsea and comes from people with miles and miles on the pitch at a high level.

"I can't find the word to describe what that player did. I can clearly understand that football is about emotions and sometimes you lose emotions. Clearly Matic had a reason to lose his emotions. What could be the consequence of his push for the other player? Nothing. The consequence for Matic could be end of career."

ON DIEGO COSTA CRITICISM

"When you say Diego Costa 'crimes' you cannot say a harsh tackle (for Barnes). You have to say a criminal tackle.

"When you say Diego's 'crimes'... did you apologise to Chelsea or to Diego or to myself? You didn't. As an institution, Sky is so important in the Premier League, you never apologise.

"When Diego Costa has a three-match ban, probably three matches to Matic... tell me how many matches this player (Barnes) deserves?"

ON FIVE-POINT GAP

"If you're asking me about the five points difference I would say, if we're in a normal situation where mistakes are part of the game at this point, we are talking about the points at Tottenham, the points at Southampton and we would be 12 points ahead."

ON TECHNOLOGY:

"If the referee can't see a penalty three metres in front of him, an official in front of a screen can't miss it. If we want to protect the integrity of the referee and believe that the mistake is the consequence of misinterpretation or a bad position, I think technology can help."

ON CITY VICTORY

"Newcastle aren't the kind of team to go to the home of a big one and try to make it difficult. They're comfortable at home and obviously 5-0 was a huge result but I was expecting it."

ON FRANK LAMPARD

"We let him go for different reasons. First of all, I think the motivation Frank has to have this role at City wouldn't be the same motivation he has to have the same role at Chelsea.

"Secondly, we open the door for him to choose his future and we thought he'd go to the States and would come back after a couple of years to do what he wants. We would have found a new department for him! What he did for Chelsea for more than one decade was something amazing."

ON RETURNING TO CHELSEA

"I'd won everything in those three countries and then I knew what I wanted. I could choose where I wanted to go - not in terms of clubs but in terms of countries. I know where my family likes to be and where they were happier and Chelsea was my first love outside my country."

ON JOEY BARTON DISMISSAL

"No arguments but it is just this moment of pain (Barton's swipe at Tom Huddlestone) and not a broken leg."

ON LOUIS VAN GAAL

"He's a fantastic coach and a fantastic person. I know him so well. Players need to adapt and understand to perform at the highest level and it's the same with us. I think Louis will have his time to make United win titles again. This season they have a chance in the FA Cup and a chance to finish in the top four and go back to the Champions League."

ON ARSENE WENGER

"He has a dream job that we'd all love to have. I think every manager in the world would like the stability by being here year after year after year, to buy to sell and rebuild and wait and wait for success."