Friday 22 November 2013

Premier League: Chelsea boss Mourinho intrigued by Riley's apology to West Brom

 Jose Mourinho says he is curious to know whether Mike Riley¿s apology to West Brom will be the beginning of a new attitude from match officials.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants to know the full implications of referees' chief Mike Riley's apology to West Brom following the controversial award of a penalty in the teams' game at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.
The Baggies looked set for a famous away win before referee Andre Marriner awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time when Ramires went down after colliding with Steven Reid.
Eden Hazard converted the penalty but West Brom boss Steve Clarke was furious and Riley has now issued an apology, an act which Mourinho feels equates to a "public exposing" of Marriner.
And the Blues boss is interested to know if a precedent has been set and that apologies for controversial decisions will soon be issued as a matter of course.
"I'm very curious to know the consequences of it," said Mourinho, speaking prior to Saturday's match at West Ham.
"At least now the referees know, they know one thing. If in a controversial - I'm not saying a mistake - decision that hypothetically - and, I repeat, hypothetically - favours Chelsea, they know they are going to be publicly exposed by their boss. That they know.
"They can make, hypothetically, mistakes, favouring other teams, nothing happens.
"If hypothetically - and, I repeat, hypothetically - they make a mistake, they are publicly exposed by their own boss.
"I'm very curious to know if it was just an isolated phone call. I'm curious to know if people see that as a normal situation.
"I'm interested to know if this is the start, that from now on it's going to be the same for everybody."
Mourinho is eager to know if Hull, Norwich, Swansea and Aston Villa received phone calls for perceived mistakes made by officials against them.
"I'm curious to know if Steve Bruce got a phone call," Mourinho said. "I'm interested to know if Chris Hughton got a phone call. I'm interested to know if (Michael) Laudrup got a phone call."
Mourinho would not comment when questioned over West Brom defender Jonas Olsson's claims he was called a "Mickey Mouse player" by the Chelsea boss.
"Giant players, giant coaches and giant clubs, they don't speak about what happens in the tunnel," Mourinho said.
"The game is a game, the game finished, in the tunnel sometimes a couple of things happen, a couple of words, not aggressions, nothing.
"But giant clubs, giant players and giant managers, they close their mouths. And the next day is another day."

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