Premier League officials are not happy with retired referee Mike Dean, it has been claimed.
Dean retired from refereeing at the end of the 2021-22 campaign and last season undertook some VAR shifts for Premier League games, the technology which has at times divided opinions among players, managers and fans.
Recalling a game from early last season where he was in the VAR hotseat, Dean spoke of a flashpoint during a 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Spurs at Stamford Bridge.Kalidou Koulibaly gave the hosts the lead, before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg levelled after the break. Reece James went on to give Chelsea back the advantage before Harry Kane struck deep in injury team and ensure the spoils were shared.
During a heated encounter which saw both managers in the form of Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel and Spurs boss Antonio Conte being shown red cards, Dean admits there was one incident in particular which he would change his approach for if he had his time again.
Spurs' Cristian Romero pulled Marc Cucurella's hair during a corner, a decision which he missed as the VAR official.Speaking to Simon Jordan's Up Front podcast, Dean said: "I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus which was pathetic from my point of view. It's one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I'd send Anthony to the screen."I think I knew if I did send him to the screen… he's cautioned both managers, he's had a hell of a game, it's been such a tough game end to end. That was a major error. If they don't score from the corner it is not as big an issue."
He added: "I said to Anthony afterwards: 'I just didn't want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game'.
"I didn't want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn't want to send him up because I didn't want any more grief than he'd already had."
And following the frank admissions from the retired official, the Daily Mirror reports that Premier League officials are "furious" with Dean following the claims.
A spokesman from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said: "We strongly refute any suggestion that VARs do not intervene, for whatever reason, when they have identified a clear and obvious error."
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