Jose Mourinho admitted he was “rude, but rude to an idiot” after he was booked for a confrontation with Southampton goalkeeping coach Andrew Sparks.

Mourinho received a yellow card on Wednesday from referee Mike Dean following the second-half altercation, with the Tottenham head coach annoyed about a perceived delay and time taken to substitute Danny Ings for Michael Obafemi in the 76th minute.

Asked about the incident after the game, Mourinho said: “I think the yellow card is fair because I was rude, but I was rude to an idiot. And for some reason, I was rude, but I was and because I was I deserve the yellow card.”

Mourinho also hit out at video assistant referee technology (VAR) after a number of decisions were reviewed, including a potential penalty as Dele Alli clashed with Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and Harry Kane’s was goal ruled out for offside, in an incident where the striker injured his hamstring.

“For me the referees are not the referees,” he said. “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. It is strange. You see the refs on the pitch and they are not the refs, they are the assistants.

“The other guys in the office are the ones who make the big decisions of the game. In relation to the offsides, we had Harry Kane’s goal against Brighton disallowed for offside by I don’t know what margin.

“Then Norwich had one ruled out against us. I don’t know what half an inch that was. Then today, this one I confess I haven’t watched yet.

“What I know is Dele Alli penalty was a penalty and the VAR didn’t interfere. He then interfered in a penalty that from 75 yards away I knew was not a penalty.

“It was the Harry Kane shot with the rebound when McCarthy comes with Dele from 75 yards away I knew it wasn’t a penalty. But they let the VAR analyse it to try to make us blind about the penalty that was a penalty.

“Sometimes it goes in our favour like at Norwich and sometimes against us. But the direction it is taking us in is really really wrong.”

Mourinho replaced Mauricio Pochettino as Tottenham manager last month.

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