Mourinho blasts 'mistake-prone' Poll
Poll: The perfect Chelsea motivational tool
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Chelsea and Manchester United played out a lacklustre 0-0 draw ten days before they meet in the FA Cup final having fielded weakened sides for the encounter at Stamford Bridge. |  |
Thursday, 10, May 2007 01:24
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has criticised Premiership referee Graham Poll, saying he makes more mistakes than any other official.
Poll refereed the fixture between former league title holders Chelsea and newly-crowned champions Manchester United last night, which ended in a dour 0-0 draw.
But Mourinho said the performance of Poll, which he described as "full of mistakes", was important to provide an edge to a game that was something of a lame duck in the bigger picture of the league season.
"He's a good referee for these kind of matches," the Chelsea boss said. "He makes so many mistakes that people get angry and it motivates them.
"We don't like to have Mr Poll as a referee. We have to accept his decisions, but if you ask me if I jump with happiness when I know Mr Poll is our referee, I would have to say no."
Mourinho said his tirade towards Poll, which he thought had resulted in him being sent to the stands during the match, was his way of "cleansing his soul" of some things that had "been bothering me since the game against Tottenham at White Hart Lane".
Chelsea captain John Terry was sent off during his side's 2-1 defeat to Spurs, a decision that Mourinho at the time said he could "not find a reason for".
Steve Bennett has been confirmed as the referee who will take charge of the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium next week, with Poll - the last man to referee a cup final at the famous old stadium - forced to sit out.