Oli McBurnie fumes at being sent off as Paul Heckingbottom blasts referees for ‘RUINING’ the game after Tottenham beat Sheffield United.
The Blades striker took to Twitter after seeing red late on after asking the referee why Brennan Johnson hadn’t been penalised for pulling shirts.
However, McBurnie ended up being the one who was punished with his manager Heckingbottom seeing his post-match interview going viral criticising the referee’s performance.
McBurnie went online after the game, writing: “Not even allowed to speak to referees these days but certain teams/players allowed to run up to them multiple times in a game with no problems 🤷🏼”
Not even allowed to speak to referees these days but certain teams/players allowed to run up to them multiple times in a game with no problems 🤷🏼
— Oli McBurnie (@oli_mcburnie) September 16, 2023
I said “he’s grabbing my shirt” not sure if what universe that is a booking but respect your opinion
— Oli McBurnie (@oli_mcburnie) September 16, 2023
😡 “The refs are ruining the game. They are killing it, absolutely ruining it.”
❌ “They’ve become obsessed with time wasting. Haven’t got a clue, not a clue.”#SUFC boss Paul Heckingbottom goes on a huge rant about #PL referees 🔥 pic.twitter.com/J7UOWd8E0R
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) September 16, 2023
“The officiating is appalling,” Paul Heckingbottom told Sky Sports. “It’s not about the football decisions, just game management. My worry is that all the focus is on the yellow cards, time-wasting, the new guidelines.
“The focus all of a sudden comes onto time-wasting, so they’re dictating how we play. If you play to take goal kicks from the back, you set up one way, and if Spurs go against that, that dictates the decision you make.
“We’re getting told to just play long – you can’t do it. Wes [Foderingham] got booked for handling outside the box and then you’re threatening him with another yellow [for dissent], you just can’t do it.
“When I speak to the referees, they haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about. They’re officiating our games at the top level, and they simply do not know the game. We need to sort that, and sort it quick. It ruined the spectacle.”
A red card was shown later in the game to Sheffield United striker Ollie McBurnie, who was sent off in the final seconds for dissent against referee Peter Bankes.
Heckingbottom said: “You see all the frustration. Both teams, both sides, both teams taking the mickey out of the ref and to sum it all up, we get Ollie McBurnie sent off for telling the referee someone’s pulling his shirt.
“We’ve just seen someone turning their back, jumping into our goalkeeper, leading with an elbow, he needs stitches – and that’s deemed the same offence. What’s going on with our game?
“This is irrespective of our performance, of our game. I would’ve said the same things at 0-0 or when we were 1-0 up.
“My worry is where we’re taking our game, and I say this when I speak to Howard [Webb]. The people who don’t know anything about football are directing which way the game goes, and it’s sad. That was sad today.”
Michael Beardmore of BBC Sport said: “It was easy to understand why Paul Heckingbottom cut such an upset and frustrated figure after Saturday’s defeat at Tottenham.
“His game plan to stymie the hosts had worked to an absolute tee and Gustavo Hamer’s clinical finish gave the Blades every chance of picking up a shock win.
“Heckingbottom turned his ire on referee Peter Bankes for his officiating of the game, for the amount of time added on and for Oli McBurnie’s red card.
“Some of his claims were valid, others less so, but it was hard not to feel sympathy for a manager whose side deserve more than the solitary point they possess.
“The Blades have battled in every game and the narrow margins of all four of their defeats – each by a single goal – will give them hope they can survive.
“But they must shake their capital hoodoo – and quickly. This was their 12th straight Premier League defeat to London sides and they have games against West Ham, Fulham and Arsenal all coming up in the next few weeks.”
This is how fans reacted as Oli McBurnie fumes at being sent off while Paul Heckingbottom blasts referees for ‘RUINING’ the game…
@Joelbirmz12: He’s not wrong though is he
@theavfcfaithful: Special treatment for some. You can’t convince me otherwise.
@Gastro_Celtic: Big Ange been haunting you for 3x years now. Chin up.
@TotalSpursUK: wow a player moaning about what you and you team done all game.. YOU GOT DONE SON.. accept it and move on
@MarcSpurs: Need a new physio? 7 players going down with cramp must be some sort of PL record.. And your GK.. class today.. the way he threw his gloves 20ft away just to waste a bit more time, then 90 seconds putting them back on.. thats a new one..
@thfcbarnaby: Why don’t you show them how it’s done next week vs Newcastle? Oh wait
@Chris78901: Surprised you didn’t try and stamp on him
@LukeBullen10: Maddison, Bissouma, Richarlison all booked for exactly that so what are you on about?
@Craig1Osullivan: Don’t worry you’ll be back in the championship next year and get the officiating your used to 👍
@C_Spurs_: cry more, tell foderingham to kick the ball quicker and it wouldn’t have happened. melt
@1MickyHazard: Oli mate stay classy, Karma always wins in the end, waste time it hunts you down, get cramp when you’re leading don’t complain when the opposition get cramp when they are leading. Great game though 👍
@Trevorlloyd92: How are you lot complaining about the ref? 🤣🤣
@MattyBoccer: I agree the ref was terrible. However, there could’ve been 20mins added on for the antics of Sheff Utd yesterday. Time wasting from kick off and it was a deliberate ploy from Heckingbottom. It was a beautiful irony that both Spurs goals were scored deep into that added time!!
@jackcurtis90: Got what he deserved, 3 mins added on end of first half should have been at least 6, keeper went down 3/4 times. Every sub that came off magically got cramp on the far side of the pitch before he went off. Thought sheff United done well tho, hard game for us yesterday
@stbailey24: Todays referee was appalling but the amount of time wasted by Sheffield Utd was clear to see and their keeper was lucky not to booked for it… then he would’ve been sent off…
@StocksColin; Well said Hecky
@Fulham86: He’s got a few good points to be fair to him , a few managers have said the same sort of things all ready this season and a fair few clubs have had some absolutely shocking very avoidable decisions go against them , overall the refs/var etc have been worse this season than last
@dunner1980: Absolutely spot on! Referees are given that many different rules now that they actually don’t know what’s wrong or right! I don’t blame them, I blame the people who make the rules! It’s like, what can we make up this year to make the game more complicated!
@wayne_keating: The ref was shocking but if anything he favoured Sheffield United. Only 3 minutes added on in the first half when it should have been at least 5. I’ve never seen a team disrupt the game like they did today, game was completely disjointed. They deserved to lose
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