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By KIERAN GILL, MAIL SPORT REPORTER Published: 08: 12 AEDT, 15 March 2026 | Updated: 10: 26 AEDT, 15 March 2026 90 View comments Liam Rosenior blasted referee Paul Tierney for invading Chelsea’s pre-match huddle before their loss to Newcastle United – saying if he had focused on his job rather than obsessing over their centre-circle routine then he would not have missed an obvious penalty. Rosenior pledged to contact the PGMOL after the utterly bizarre scenes at Stamford Bridge when the Blues’ players surrounded Tierney, who refused to shift from the kick-off spot. Rosenior even revealed what happened in a meeting with the referee before the game. The Blues boss claimed Tierney immediately brought up their huddle and referenced what happened in the Carabao Cup at Arsenal, when Chelsea’s head coach complained about their opponents encroaching on their half of the pitch in the warm-up. ‘I'm respectful to the game, ’ said Rosenior after the 1-0 home loss in which he believed Chelsea deserved a penalty for a foul by Nick Woltemade on Cole Palmer. 'My players made the decision that they wanted to be around the ball, to respect the ball and show unity and leadership. That is not my decision. That was a decision between the leadership group and the team. Liam Rosenior pledged to contact the PGMOL after the bizarre scenes when the Chelsea players surrounded referee Paul Tierney during their pre-match huddle Rosenior claimed the referee should have awarded Chelsea a penalty for a foul by Nick Woltemade on Cole Palmer Rosenior claimed Tierney had brought up Chelsea's huddle in a meeting ahead of the match ‘There is nothing they're doing with that huddle that is disrespectful to the opposition. We had a meeting with the referee. My assistant goes in. The first thing he (Tierney) talks about is our huddle. He says about when I complained about Arsenal being in our half. ‘We're not being disrespectful to the opposition. If Paul had focused more on his job, which was to make the right decisions, we have a penalty. I don't think anybody in this room can say that Woltemade doesn't kick Cole Palmer down in the box. So let's focus on the things that are important. My team showing unity is not as important as getting the decisions right on the pitch. ’ Chelsea skipper Reece James, along with his vice captains and Willie Isa, their ‘cultural architect’ hired from rugby league, came up with the idea for staging their pre-match huddle in the middle of the centre circle.
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