Ex-Fifa official lambasts Jose Mourinho after Sunderland controversy
Jose Mourinho was completely wrong to enter the field of play as his Roma side beat Sunderland 2-0 in a pre-season friendly last week (13 July).
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Mourinho’s behaviour.
As shown on the match highlights on Sunderland’s website, the 59-year-old came marching onto the field of play after Luke O’Nien and Roger Ibanez came together.
It was shortly after O’Nien put a challenge on Stephan El Shaarawy and Mourinho wanted him sent off as a result.
“The manager, Mourinho, has no right to be on the field of play,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“In 2007 in the Carling Cup final, in the closing minutes of that game between Arsenal and Chelsea when he was Chelsea manager, there was a huge altercation on the field of play.
“During the mass confrontation on came Arsene Wenger and Mourinho. They were eventually ushered off and responded in a fairly positive manner. Howard Webb then sent players from each team then Adebayor caused further problems and got a red card.
“We went from the 90th minute to six minutes later when there was a restart.
“In this situation both Mourinho and Wenger were fined about £50,000 each.
“It doesn’t matter that this is a friendly or the country where the game has been played, he’s not allowed on the field of play.
“Really that referee should report Mourinho because he’s accused of making statements and his presecne wasn’t required on the field of play.
“It wasn’t calm, it actually inflames. He was trying to get a message across of ‘I want this player off’.”
In other news, Sunderland have been backed by an expert to sign a Premier League striker.