Swansea boss Laudrup fumes at officials after Michu collision

17 December 2012 06:46

Swansea boss Michael Laudrup hit out at the officials following his side's 1-0 defeat at Tottenham this afternoon.

There was a major flashpoint towards the end of the game when Swansea forward Michu was floored following an aerial challenge with Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Referee Mike Dean allowed play to continue with Michu lying prone inside the Spurs area as Andros Townsend almost scored a second for the hosts, with both benches arguing on the touchline.

Laudrup conceded that the challenge was a fair one, but said: "Fortunately he is OK. When I saw it I thought 'Oh hell, he is unconscious, you can't fake a reaction like that' - it isn't like when someone kicks you, this is completely different."

Laudrup was angry with the decision from Dean and his officials not to call a halt to proceedings to allow Michu to receive immediate medical attention and believes they should have communicated among themselves to come to the right decision.

He said: "I was very angry and it wasn't because I wasn't a free-kick or a red card for Lloris or a penalty or whatever but we always talk about people, there is a debate, should we kick the ball out. It is the same debate in every country - we have a referee and two linesmen so we just go on until the referee blows the whistle.

"But with possible head injuries, like this one, there is no doubt, you have all the linesmen and the referee and they are connected.

"I watched it afterward on the television and when it happened, when Michu is going down to the ground the referee is watching them, the linesman is watching them and still they let the game go on, it is such a poor decision and dangerous as well."

Villas-Boas agreed with Laudrup that the game should have been halted, and was more concerned with Michu's condition than his side wrapping up the game with a late goal.

"On the incident I was expecting the referee to stop the game immediately," he said. "It is a difficult decision for Mike because Townsend is running through on goal, but the health of a player is more important. We were trying for the game to stop immediately and I think all of the mess came as a consequence of that.

"On that split-second he has to make a decision, but to be fair we jumped from the bench straightaway to try and stop the game."

Source: PA