Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will accept his Football Association charge of improper conduct, but is still refusing to divulge what referee Mike Dean said to him to trigger his angry reaction.
Pochettino approached Dean at the end of Spurs’ damaging 2-1 defeat at Burnley to complain about a decision during the game and was incensed by a comment the official made, reacting angrily and shouting in his face.
The Argentinian has publicly apologised to Dean, who has been taken off fourth official duty for Spurs’ Premier League game at Chelsea on Wednesday night, and said that he will never reveal the nature of Dean’s comment.
Ashley Barnes scores a damaging goal in Tottenham’s title battle (Martin Rickett/PA)
“I will accept that charge. Watching after on the video from the TV, my behaviour, I think I need to accept the charge from the FA,” Pochettino, who will now wait to find out his punishment from the governing body.
“At the same time I need to apologise to Mike Dean. Right or wrong in the way that I wanted to complain, I cannot behave in that way.
“Of course I want to apologise to Mike Dean, all the referees who were involved there. I think it’s not a way to behave and of course I’m going to accept the charge from the FA.
“My behaviour was public and now I want to apologise in a public way too. I think it’s unfair.
“I think in private is not important because my behaviour was public and I need to apologise to him and all the officials in public too.”
Dean is ranked as one of the best officials in the Premier League by Pochettino.
And the Argentinian believes that whatever happened on the pitch should stay there.
“I’m not going to say anything,” he added. “For me it’s not important because I don’t take it personal.
“When you’re competing, when you’re on the pitch, when your heart rate is so high, you need to be careful how you take the words.
“It’s because you’re playing, you’re excited, with your heart rate so high. It’s never personal and after, when you’re more relaxed, it’s a thing that’s not important.
“All that happens on the pitch, I never translate for outside.”
Pochettino admitted the frustrations of the loss, which was a major blow to Tottenham’s title hopes, clouded his judgement.
He added: “I told you that for me it was the most important game to play, to put pressure on the opponents and the teams above us, and that’s why.
“I was so frustrated after the game, so disappointed with the result. I didn’t want to justify the defeat and complain with the referee.
Mike Dean was confronted at full-time (Martin Rickett/PA)
“It’s only that when you start to talk, you become a little bit more… your heart rate starts to push.
“Always I need to tell you I never lost control. I was under control but of course in that moment the thing happened.
“But I think it’s going to help me and I hope I don’t repeat this type of situation. It’s not going to help my team, my club, the job of the referees and of course myself.
“I think I’m a very smart person who cannot repeat the same mistake.”
Pochettino added: “The history is the history, last season we were capable to win. It is going to be tough to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for Tottenham but our mentality is to go there and win.”
Spurs will be without Dele Alli (hamstring) and Eric Dier (tonsillitis).
