Mike Dean faces criticism for remarks on officiating antics

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has sparked controversy after admitting he used to amuse himself by “joking about” and playing “games” while officiating high-profile matches.

Dean, who officiated 553 Premier League games over more than 20 years, shared his experiences during an appearance on the Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party podcast.

The 58-year-old, who retired in 2022 following a short stint as a VAR assistant, revealed to former England striker Vardy that he would entertain himself by trying to avoid using his whistle for as long as possible or by restricting his movement on the pitch.

“There used to be games that we used to have, as a laugh, we used to say, something like ‘we’ll kick off now, right? See how long we can go without blowing the whistle’,” Dean said. “Done that a few times in the Premier League, before VAR obviously. Went 20 to 25 minutes without blowing a whistle a few times. Let it go, let it go, let it go.

“I used to do another thing in the Premier League. I used to stand in the centre circle and see how long I could stay in the centre circle before I had to leave. That was just me joking about. But the lads used to be on the line saying ‘you can’t’. I said ‘I’ll try it’.

"I just used to kind of run around, kind of go, but don’t go out of it. Got (to) about 15 minutes once in one game, without leaving the centre circle.”

Dean’s comments have reportedly been met with confusion by those currently involved in officiating, with some pointing out a lack of factual accuracy in his anecdotes.

The officiating body is now overseen by the recently rebranded Pro Ref, previously known as the Professional Games Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), which has been contacted for a response.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor expressed his frustration on talkSPORT regarding Dean’s remarks.

“He’s trying to be funny but it’s not funny. You’re not funny, Mike Dean, that sums you up,” he said.

“He’s throwing himself under the bus. This is the Premier League. Are you a child?

“It doesn’t sit right with me at all. I was thinking ‘Mike Dean managed a lot of games I played in’, One word to describe him, I’d say, is a prat.” Source: Irish Examiner