Graham Potter rounded on former players who have questioned his experience and edge as the Chelsea boss insisted he chooses the right moments to show anger.
Former England stars Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole have been among those to speak out about Potter's leadership.
Both expected a more forceful response from the former Brighton and Hove Albion head coach after Chelsea were denied a penalty at the weekend when Conor Gallagher's shot hit the arm of Tomas Soucek in a 1-1 draw at West Ham.
Cole said there should have been someone on Potter's staff to "cause a bit of an uproar", while both men suggested Potter missed a chance to lay the blame for a disappointing result at the door of the match officials, thereby taking heat off his struggling team.
Ferdinand suggested the likes of former Blues boss Jose Mourinho, plus Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, would have swiftly jumped at a chance to deflect incoming criticism.
Their verdicts on BT Sport came as Potter gave a reasoned reaction to the broadcaster, saying Chelsea needed such things to go for them, adding there was "nothing to complain about there".
Asked about whether he shows anger and in what circumstance, Potter addressed the matter on the eve of his team's Champions League last-16 clash with Borussia Dortmund.
"Of course I get angry. I'm a human being just like you," he told reporters in Tuesday's press conference. "It's just I choose to conduct myself the way I think is the right way to conduct myself on the side.
"That's not to say we don't all lose our temper, because we do, because it's an emotional thing, but I think I have a responsibility to myself, to Chelsea and the game to act in a way that I think is the right way for me; not for anyone else, for me.
"if you think you can start a coaching career in the ninth tier of English football, in the Northern Counties Division One, and get to this point now with Chelsea in the Champions League without getting angry or being nice, then I would suggest you don't know anything about anything."
Potter said the Dortmund away game on Wednesday would be a "wonderful occasion" and he is "really excited for it".
He also spoke about perceived problems between Mykhaylo Mudryk and Marc Cucurella, with reports claiming new signing Mudryk gave a 'like' on Instagram to a post critical of the Chelsea left-back.
They need to forge an alliance on the flank if Chelsea are to blossom, and Potter looked to defuse the situation, saying: "There's no problem in terms of anything sinister at all.
"If anything, it's just team-mates understanding each other. It's quite a common problem: when to pass and at what point and what time.
"There's no problem, it's more just an understanding challenge, which is quite easy to understand when you recognise the context we're in."
Potter added: "We've got a squad we're really excited about, but we know there are challenges and work you have to do. If all of us started working together we'd have to take some time, understand each other, understand what makes us tick and understand how we can help each other.
"That's the impression I get when I see the boys on a daily basis: good spirit, good harmony. They're pushing each other in a good way."
Potter knows Chelsea's vast spending spree, in the region of £600million since Todd Boehly came in as owner, means they have to perform at a high level.
"Of course there's more pressure and expectation when you spend money," he said.
He spoke of how it was difficult to see any club sweeping to consistent trophy success without major investment, but suggested five per cent might find a formula without lavishing huge sums in the transfer market.
"It's like warfare," Potter said. "Sometimes guerrilla warfare can win. You don't have to have the big guns and the big ammo, but sometimes it helps as well."
Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Stuttgart: Last-gasp equaliser preserves champions' unbeaten run
Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen scored a last-gasp equaliser through Robert Andrich to come from two goals down and rescue a 2-2 draw against Stuttgart on Saturday.
The late drama ensured the hosts extended their record unbeaten run to 46 matches across all competitions.
Leverkusen – who play Roma in the Europa League semi-finals, are also through to the DFB-Pokal final and have already secured their first-ever league title – have now scored 16 goals in stoppage time in all competitions this season.
After a low-key first half, Leverkusen were quickly 2-0 behind after the break with Chris Fuhrich drilling in on the rebound after keeper Lukas Hradecky had palmed a shot on to the post in the 47th minute.
Deniz Undav doubled the visitors' lead 10 minutes later before Leverkusen launched their comeback attempt with Amine Adli beating keeper Alexander Nubel with a low drive in the 61st.
Nubel made three sensational saves to protect Stuttgart's slim lead, but Andrich came to the rescue deep in stoppage time to extend their impressive undefeated run.
Stuttgart are third in the table on 64 points, five behind second-placed Bayern Munich. Leverkusen are top on 81 with three matches remaining.
Everton 1-0 Brentford: Toffees join Bees in ensuring Premier League status
Everton made mathematically certain of remaining in the Premier League on Saturday as Idrissa Gueye's goal handed them a 1-0 home win over Brentford, who are also safe after Luton Town's earlier loss to Wolves.
Luton's 2-1 defeat at Molineux meant Brentford's slim fears of relegation were behind them before kick-off, while Everton knew a third straight victory would also secure their place in the top flight for next season.
The Toffees' old wastefulness was on show in the first half, but Gueye powered home 15 minutes into the second period to hand them a third Goodison Park triumph in the space of six days.
The result saw Sean Dyche's men climb above their visitors to go 15th in the table, one place and point clear of Brentford, who can also plan ahead for 2024-25 in the top flight after pulling clear of danger.
Everton were without Dominic Calvert-Lewin through illness and Beto due to the head injury he suffered against Nottingham Forest. Their absences were felt when the first chance fell their way after six minutes, Youssef Chermiti failing to get a touch on McNeil's tempting cross.
Mathias Jensen had Brentford's first sight of goal 20 minutes in following good work from Vitaly Janelt, but in-form defender Jarrad Branthwaite denied him with a huge block.
The best opportunity of a low-key opening period, though, fell to Abdoulaye Doucoure, who sent an awkward volley spinning well wide after finding space on the stroke of half-time.
Brentford should have gone ahead within five minutes of the restart, but Jordan Pickford brilliantly smothered Ivan Toney's shot when his England team-mate looked destined to tap home at the far post.
McNeil then rattled the crossbar from range as Everton turned up the pressure, and they made the breakthrough on the hour.
Gueye fired into the top-left corner after Brentford failed to clear following a goalmouth scramble, with the goal confirmed by VAR amid questions about a subjective offside.
Keane Lewis-Potter worked Pickford from the edge of the box, but that was as close as Thomas Frank's men came to an equaliser, and Everton almost had a second when James Garner's free-kick struck the bar in stoppage time.
Everton rescue act complete
When Everton welcomed Burnley to Goodison Park on April 6th, they remained in severe danger of seeing a chastening campaign end in relegation.
However, a run of four wins in five games – the most memorable being Wednesday's 2-0 triumph over Merseyside rivals Liverpool – has dragged the Toffees clear and ensured there will be no repeat of last year, when they remained at the highest level by the skin of the teeth on a nervy final day.
Having earned their first win of the campaign against Brentford back in September, Everton have also done the double over the Bees for just the second time, previously beating them home and away in the second tier back in 1952-53.
Toney struggles continue
While Brentford had enjoyed a resurgence of their own prior to Saturday's game, beating Sheffield United 2-0 and Luton 5-1 in their last two matches, both of those victories came without injured striker Toney.
He returned to the Bees' lineup here but was uncharacteristically quiet, failing to beat Pickford when presented with the visitors' best chance shortly after half-time.
Toney has now failed to score in his last eight Premier League matches, his longest ever run without a goal in the competition. With Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke in fine form as Gareth Southgate prepares to name his England squad for Euro 2024, his barren spell has come at a poor time.
Juventus 0-0 Milan: Goalless draw ensures Rossoneri retain grip on second
Juventus and Milan played out a 0-0 draw at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Serie A on Saturday, with both sides still seeking to secure Champions League spots for next season.
Midfielder Filip Kostic and striker Arkadiusz Milik had great chances to give Juventus the lead in the second half but Milan goalkeeper Marco Sportiello showed off his skills to keep their attempts out.
The Rossoneri finished the game without a shot on target as the contest finished goalless, leaving the sides to share the spoils.
Milan remain second in the standings on 70 points while Juventus remain third on 65, after Inter sealed the title on Monday.
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