Jose Mourinho: VAR is taking football in a 'really bad' direction with ‘referee in the office’

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Jose Mourinho declined to comment on a controversial VAR decision during Tottenham's defeat at Sheffield United, but suggested the role of referees has been irrevocably altered by the technology.

Tottenham's Champions League hopes were left in tatters after a 3-1 loss at Bramall Lane that leaves Spurs seven points behind Wolves and Manchester United with six games to play.

Sander Berge, Lys Mousset and Oli McBurnie goals gave the Blades their first win since the restart, but the key talking point was that Spurs were denied a quickfire response to the Blades' opener by a VAR call that again highlights the questionable handball rule.

Harry Kane slotted home, but VAR official Michael Oliver ruled Lucas Moura had handled the ball in the build-up, having been fouled and the goal was chalked off, leaving Spurs enraged.

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They let that affect them and struggled for a way back into the game, with Mousset and McBurnie adding goals for Sheffield United in the second half before Kane did eventually get on the scoresheet.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp described the decision as "the worst" VAR call he had seen and accused the technology of ruining football.

"I think I cannot say what I feel because Jamie can do it, there's no problems for him," the Spurs manager said. "I cannot because I'd be in trouble with the institutions and I want to protect myself and my club, so I can't be as open as I'd like to be.

"Now, I can only say that I'm normally a professional guy on the bench. In these moments, I never complain at the guy with the whistle because it's not the referee any more.

"I used to complain, I used to go the fourth official but the man on the pitch is the assistant referee. The referee is in the [VAR] office. Today the man and the lady with the flags are the assistant of the assistant referee. This is the start of everything.

"I think the referee should always be the man on the pitch and the people in the office should just support and assist. That's not the way it is. The referee who is not very good on the pitch, we cannot expect that he's good in the office. We're going in a direction that's really bad for the beautiful game, the game that everybody fell in love with."

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Regarding Spurs' run-in, Mourinho added: "It's very easy to motivate myself because it's my nature. I always say when a professional player needs an external motivation source, then he is in trouble.

"The motivation should be self-motivation, directly related to your professionalism, directly related with respect for your job, your club, the fans. That is the most important thing.

"The manager can just help but the nature of the player as a professional is the most important. Clearly if these boys don't care about results and don't care about the position we finish at the end of the season we'll be in big, big trouble for the future. So I hope that they care and fight for the best position in the table for the end of the season."

Additional reporting by PA.

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