I was rude to an idiot: Jose Mourinho

Frustrated Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho took aim at Southampton goalkeeping coach Andrew Sparkes, the video assistant referee (VAR), Tanguy Ndombele and even the ball boys after a 1-0 defeat by the Saints on Wednesday.

Danny Ings' 17th-minute goal consigned Mourinho to his fourth loss in 11 matches since taking over at Spurs last November.

The Portuguese was booked for leaving his technical area to confront Sparkes over his alleged time-wasting.

On the incident, Mourinho said: "I think the yellow card is fair because I was rude, but I was rude to an idiot.

"For some reason, I was rude. But I was, and because I was rude, I deserve the yellow card.

"Basically, I had bad words with the guy."

The former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss also accused the ball boys at St Mary's of delaying tactics.

Said Mourinho: "The second half was not easy.

"They were winning, they were defending basically with 10 players, fighting hard and being aggressive, a good aggressive, with lots of fouls, lots of the match stopped.

"And the ball boys were well coached in the delaying of the game and there was not much play."

Then the 56-year-old turned his ire towards VAR, saying remote officials have more power than on-field referees over big decisions.

Mourinho was fuming over a potential foul on midfielder Dele Alli inside the box in the first half that was not assessed by VAR.

He said: "For me, the referees are not the referees.

"I think the VAR should change their name because Video Assistant Referee is not true. It should be VR - Video Referee - because they are the referees.

"You see the refs on pitch and they not the refs, they are the assistants. The other guys in the office are the ones who make the big decisions.

"What I know is the Dele Alli penalty was a penalty and the VAR didn't interfere."

Mourinho's anger was compounded when VAR assessed another incident where Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy dived at Alli's feet to get to a loose ball and got there first.

VAR INTERVENTION

Mourinho said the fact that VAR interfered in the second decision, which he acknowledged was not a penalty, was meant to take the focus away from the first decision which should have been analysed instead.

"The direction it is taking us in is really, really wrong."

To round off a miserable day for Mourinho, star striker Harry Kane left the stadium on crutches.

Kane picked up the problem in the process of scoring an offside goal, sparking fears he could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

"For Harry to come out is negative," said Mourinho.

"Hamstring is always a negative. Is it tear? Is it a spasm? Is it a contraction? In this moment, I cannot say."

Kane was not the only player Spurs lost to injury as Ndombele limped off in the first half, and it caused Mourinho to lose his patience.

Said the Spurs boss: "He plays one match, the next week he is injured, he plays another match. We are full of hopes and this is since the beginning of the season."