Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou says ‘mistake’ was celebrating goal before VAR check

By George Sessions, PA

Ange Postecoglou has acknowledged he made a mistake with his celebration towards the Tottenham fans at Chelsea – because he did not wait for VAR to check Pape Sarr’s disallowed goal.

Postecoglou made headlines in the 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge after he cupped his ear in the direction of the Spurs supporters following Sarr’s 69th-minute strike.

It occurred minutes after Postecoglou’s decision to bring on Sarr for Lucas Bergvall had been booed and a small section of away supporters chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” at the under-fire Australian.

VAR subsequently ruled out the goal for a foul by Sarr on Moises Caicedo and, while Postecoglou later claimed his gesture had been misinterpreted, the incident was a big talking point ahead of Sunday’s visit of Southampton.

“I made a mistake last night in that I celebrated a goal,” Spurs boss Postecoglou said.

“I think since VAR came in up in Scotland and in the first game there was four or five incidents and we were standing around, I made a decision that I’m not going to really celebrate goals as there’s no point as you have to wait for everything to get checked off.

“The supporters obviously weren’t happy with my decision which is fine. My response was to celebrate and to get them to make some noise and get behind the team.

“I thought it was a real momentum-shifter in that moment because we did finish strong. I guess my mistake was celebrating a goal that yeah, VAR has defeated me again.

“I am falling out of love with the game because I loved celebrating goals. Last night I did and I’m paying a massive price for it. I’ll make sure I don’t do it again but I think that’s kind of sad.”

Despite Postecoglou’s explanation, frustration among fans is close to breaking point after Tottenham slipped to a 16th defeat in the Premier League, but the 59-year-old pointed to their Europa League quarter-final with Eintracht Frankfurt as a chance to right some wrongs.

Postecoglou said: “It’s been a ridiculously challenging season on all fronts and every fan has the right to show their frustration.

“I think at times it has overstepped, and when it oversteps I will not stand for it because I am a little bit old school with that, but they have every right.

“I said before the game it is up to us to try and find a way to get them back on board with what we’re doing.

“I still can’t get away from the fact we have a real massive opportunity for ourselves between now and the end of the season. I think it would be different if that didn’t exist. It would be a tougher road to navigate.

“But I am hoping that irrespective of how the fans feel about me, what I’m doing and the project we’ve embarked on, I hope when the games come around, they just get behind the players and the team because they can make an enormous difference.”