‘My team showing unity is not as important as getting the decisions right on the pitch’published at 14:58 GMT
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior on his players surrounding referee Paul Tierney, who was standing on the centre spot, in their pre-match huddle on Saturday, before playing Newcastle at Stamford Bridge: “I am disappointed [about the defeat to Newcastle]. I am disappointed that there is more emphasis on the things that don’t matter. I am going to make it really clear. I want to protect my players. I am respectful to the game…there is nothing that they are doing with that huddle that is disrespectful to the opposition.”
On the pre-match briefing Chelsea had with the match officials: “Do you know what is amazing? Before the game we had a meeting with the referee. My assistant goes in. The first thing he talks about is our huddle. And he says about when I complained about Arsenal being in our half [before their Carabao Cup semi-final at Emirates Stadium].”
More from Rosenior on the performance of referee Paul Tierney: “If Paul had focused more on his job, which was to make the right decisions, we would have had a penalty today.”
He added: “My team showing unity is not as important as getting the decisions right on the pitch.”
On his discussions with Tierney after Saturday’s defeat to Newcastle: “I didn’t speak to Paul today, or his officials. I didn’t think that was the right thing to do today but I will be speaking to the PGMOL. I will be speaking to the refs and just try to get an understanding of why that happened today.”
