“Terrible call, referee doesn’t know soccer” upset by Tottenham’s upset loss to Spurs→He’s on the verge of being suspended
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom, 46, has lashed out at the referees after his side came from behind to lose.
Sheffield United came from behind to defeat Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 in stoppage time in the fifth round of the 2023-2024 Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on Saturday (Aug. 16).
The win extends Tottenham’s unbeaten run to five games since the start of the season and puts them at the top of the table. They are second in the standings with 13 points (4 wins and 1 draw), behind Manchester City (15 points). Sheffield, on the other hand, once again failed to find their first win and remain in 17th place with 1 point (1 win, 1 draw, 4 losses).
For Sheffield, it’s a win that looked like it was all theirs. Sheffield dropped deep and focused on defense before taking the lead in the 28th minute. On a long throw-in in the 28th minute, Gustavo Hamer pounced on a loose ball at the back post and shot, the ball bouncing off the post and into the back of the net.
But then came extra time. The referee awarded Sheffield 12 minutes of extra time due to a time delay. This was enough time for Tottenham to complete the comeback.
Eight minutes into the second half of stoppage time, Hischalisson equalized with a header from a corner, and two minutes later, Dejan Kulicepski converted a pass from Hischalisson into a golden goal. To add insult to injury, Sheffield were outnumbered when Oliver McBurnie was sent off, and the game ended in a dramatic Tottenham victory.
Heckingbottom was furious after the shock defeat. He said after the game: “Something needs to be done. I expressed my frustration at halftime and even when we were 1-0 up,” he said. “All of a sudden, the focus is on wasting time. 스포츠토토 The referee is dictating our play. If we build up from a goal kick at the back and Tottenham press, it dictates what decisions we have to make.”
Heckingbottom added: “Wes Fotheringham got a yellow card for a handball outside the box and was threatened with a sending off (in stoppage time). That shouldn’t have happened. The officiating was terrible. We’re not talking about football refereeing, we’re talking about game management,” he protested.
Heckingbottom was not shy in his criticism. “It’s worrying that all the focus is on yellow cards, time wasting and new guidelines. The referees can’t give me any evidence when they talk to me. They officiate at the highest level, but they don’t know football. We need to organize quickly. It’s ruining a great game,” he said angrily.
Finally, McBurney’s ejection was also addressed. “It’s a really frustrating decision,” Heckingbottom said. McBurney was sent off for pulling on an opponent’s jersey,” Heckingbottom said, adding, “I just saw someone (Mickey van der Beek) turn his back, raise his elbow and dive into our goalkeeper. He needs stitches and that’s the same foul. What the hell is going on in our game?” he added.
Fans had mixed reactions to Heckingbottom’s comments. “We should allow the other team to delay a goal kick because they quickly adjusted and changed their tactics? Baffling,” “There’s nothing wrong with the extra 12 minutes. His fault”, and “Funny comments from the man who made his team waste every second so he could be a clown”.
Meanwhile, Heckingbottom is facing increasing speculation about his future after the loss. “After five games without a win, Sheffield are considering bringing back former manager Chris Wilder,” said the UK’s Daily Mail, “Heckingbottom’s position is in serious trouble. “Heckingbottom’s position is in dire straits, according to sources, and Sheffield Wednesday have already made an approach for Wilder’s return.
Wilder led Sheffield to the Premier League in the summer of 2019 and made waves with a ninth-place finish in his first season. However, he was relieved of his duties in March 2021, citing conflict with the board and poor results. According to the Daily Mail, he has repaired his relationship with the owners in recent months and was in attendance at the game, bolstering speculation of a comeback.