DAN Gosling’s former manager Paul Ince labelled the midfielder “childish” after his post-match comments about referee Jonathan Moss, following Cherries’ 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United.

In an interview with the Daily Echo, Gosling claimed official Moss showed Cherries "zero respect" when taking charge of the clash with the Blades, alleging he made jibes about the side's battle to avoid the drop such as "you’re still in the relegation zone", "you’re having one" and "your team’s having one".

Cherries contacted the Premier League about the incident, but following discussions, decided against making an official complaint after it was communicated the PGMOL, the league's body in charge of officiating, were taking no action against Moss.

Whether or not Moss made the comments has neither been confirmed nor denied, but Cherries insist they back Gosling's version of events.

Two-time English league winner Ince, now working a pundit, managed Gosling when the Brixham-born star had a loan spell at Blackpool in 2013.

And the former Blackburn and MK Dons boss insists 30-year-old Gosling has “made himself look silly” over the comments about Moss.

He told BT Sport’s Premier League tonight: “I had Dan Gosling as a player at Blackpool and you kind of look at him as person.

“It’s surprised me that he’s actually come out and said that. If they’d have won the game, he wouldn’t have said that.

“I think it’s actually childish. I don’t get it.

“He’s (Moss) had a little bit of banter with him, he’s had a little bit of a laugh. Take it on the chin.

“Are they just so pampered and so mentally weak that something like that affects them and try to get the referee in trouble?

“They forget when they go around the referees. He’s made himself look silly if you ask me.”

Gosling played nine times in the Championship under Ince for the Tangerines.

Also giving their opinions on BT, former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Steve McManaman said: “I find it all a little bit embarrassing to be very honest.

“I haven’t played for a number of years now, of course, so I don’t know what the formation is.

“Dan Gosling says it’s disrespectful but if he’s (Moss) just had a laugh and a joke and said ‘it’s your own fault because you’re in the relegation zone’ I don’t know what he’s moaning about.

“I think it’s fine for the referee to say that – the abuse they take on a game by game basis and he can’t have a little fire back?

“I’d be more frustrated if I was asking the referee questions and he never said a word to me and just ran off like a lot of them do. That’s the worst.

“I find it a bit embarrassing that it’s even made the press, I really do.”

Former Leicester, Birmingham, Blackburn and Derby midfielder Robbie Savage added: “I remember saying to Jon Moss, when I was coming to the end of my Derby career, he gave a decision against my team.

“I ran past him and I said ‘I’ll be in the media in a couple of weeks. I am going to be hammering you every opportunity I can when you make a bad decision’. He just laughed.

“This is the kind of banter you give them because referees are human, you want them to have that human element to them.

“We want that camaraderie. We want that banter. Is it crossing the line? I’m not so sure it is.”