`Curious` Mourinho says referee’s apology to West Brom for penalty may set `dangerous precedent`

London – Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has slammed the public apology from the referees’ chief for the award of a stoppage-time penalty against West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge this month, which secured a 2-2 draw, saying that he is surprised and added that the referee head had set a dangerous precedent.

Professional Game Match Officials Ltd head Mike Riley had allegedly telephoned West Brom manager , Steve Clarke and apologised for the match referee penalizing West Brom player Steven Reid for what he believed had been a foul on Ramires in the game at Stamford Bridge on November 9.

According to The Guardian, Mourinho said that he was ‘surprised’ at Riley’s behavior, and quipped that he might be behaving in an ‘old-fashioned’ manner towards such ‘new-age’ behavior, adding that he would welcome such times if Riley makes it a point to apologise to every club and player for penalizing them.

Stating that he is curious to know the consequences of the phone call, the Portuguese further said that he however, will expose his own players if such a controversial decision hypothetically favours Chelsea, adding that he did not receive any such call despite the fact that it was not a free-kick against West Bromwich just before their second goal, or the penalty at Everton that would have been 1-1 for his side.

Riley has made himself available to managers to discuss contentious incidents, a policy encouraged by his organisation and the League Managers’ Association, though the implication of Mourinho’s words was that the apology may now dissuade referees from making ‘controversial’ decisions that favour Chelsea, the report added.