Ange Postecoglou\u2019s standing in the court of public opinion has gone up a massive notch after his classy post-match interview following Tottenham’s defeat against Chelsea after he insisted that the decision of the referee has to be accepted, regardless of the final outcome.<\/p>\n
The former Celtics boss showed the Gunners\u2019 manager what \u2018dignity and grace’ should look like like in his post-match interview on Monday Night Football after the Aussie and his team of stalwarts faced defeat in the Premier League for the first time in a rambunctious 4-1 defeat to the Blues\u00a0where his team played 40 minutes with nine men and had two goals ruled out for offside.<\/p>\n
However, instead of doing a Mikel Arteta pernicious routine vocally denouncing the decisions of the referee over the weekend, the former Celtic boss in fact insisted for more authority to be granted to the on-pitch officials following several lengthy VAR checks at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou was firm in his defence of referees: “You can\u2019t tell me the referees are in control of games because they\u2019re not, someone else is in control.<\/p>\n
“I guarantee the next thing is we have referees mic\u2019d up and explaining decisions. There will be a forensic study of every decision out there, I think that is the way the game is going and I don\u2019t like it.<\/p>\n
“If you look at all that standing around we did today, maybe people enjoy that sort of thing but I\u2019d rather see us playing football.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to accept the referee\u2019s decision, that is how I grew up. This constant erosion of the referee\u2019s authority is where the game is going to get – they are not going to have any authority.<\/p>\n
“We are going to be under the control of someone with a TV screen a few miles away.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision is the decision. In 26 years I have had plenty of bad decisions, I have had plenty fall in my favor. It is what it is.”<\/p>\n
A Premier League fan said in response: “This is absolutely fantastic and much needed from a manager of a big Premier League club. In stark contrast to how most managers behave re: refereeing decisions.”<\/p>\n
A second added: “Terrific from Ange showing Arteta exactly how the dignity and grace in winning and losing thing is done.” A rival then added: “As much as I despise Tottenham I actually quite like this feller.”<\/p>\n
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