'They are as important as players' - Mourinho proposes new referee rule

Jose Mourinho believes Premier League referees should be made to address the media immediately after a match has been played.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho Source: Getty Images

The Tottenham Hotspur manager made the call a day removed from his side's 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, during which Harry Kane was denied a plausible penalty four minutes into the first half.

Speaking ahead of Monday's (AEST) derby against Arsenal, Mourinho suggested the referees were just "as important as players" and should front the media to discuss their performance.

"You should have access to them," he said. "I know the rules don't allow it.

"I think you should have access to them – to ask directly why.

"It's very important. They are very important in the game. A game is players, managers, referees.

"It would make things much more open, much more clear.

"It would give the referee the opportunity to say: 'yes, I made a mistake, I feel sorry for that' or 'yes I had an incredible performance' or 'yes I was perfect'.

"I think they are very important in the game, as important as players."

The unpredictable and often inconsistent nature of the VAR has also led the 57-year-old to withhold his emotions after a goal.

"I don't celebrate goals anymore because I never know if it is a goal or not a goal," Mourinho added.

"Even if I have the feeling it is but maybe something happened six or seven seconds before that I didn't realise and then it is not a goal.

"But in other things I feel (it is) for the better. If you forget what happened at Villa v Sheffield with the goal-line technology - I think the goal-line technology is fantastic.

"Even if I didn't win against Watford with one millimetre no goal, I accept it because it is 'yes' or 'no'. In other situations, I think some disgraceful decisions but that is the way it is."