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Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has sparked controversy with recent comments he made on a podcast, and Jurgen Klopp's old comments about the official have resurfaced as a result.
Dean, 58, retired in 2022 after more than two decades officiating in the English top-flight. He now works for Sky Sports as a referee analyst, giving his professional insight and opinion on the biggest decisions in the Premier League.
This isn't the first time Dean's post-retirement comments have caused outrage. The Wirral-born referee admitted he declined to get involved as the VAR assistant during an incident which saw Marc Cucurella's hair pulled in a Chelsea vs Tottenham clash to save his 'mate' Anthony Taylor.
Mike Dean Slammed For 'Mini-Games' Comments
mike dean
A recent appearance on Jamie Vardy's podcast has landed Dean in hot water once again. The referee-turned-analyst claimed he would play 'mini-games' during Premier League matches.
"There used to be games we’d have, as a laugh," he said. “We used to say, ‘We’ll kick off now, right, see how long we can go without blowing a whistle’. I done that a few times in the Premier League, before VAR, obviously. Went 20, 25 minutes without blowing a whistle. Few times… let it go, let it go, let it go."
Referee Mike Dean in action
Referee Mike Dean in action
He then added further 'games' he would play while officiating in the biggest league in world football. Dean added:
His professionalism has now been called into question, with Pro Ref (formerly PGMOL) reportedly carrying out a brief investigation. There is said to be no evidence these games actually took place following review, according to The Times.
Jurgen Klopp 'Finished' Mike Dean in 2024
Why Jurgen Klopp Faces Potential Ban For Final Liverpool Game
In the wake of Dean's controversial comments, a clip of Jurgen Klopp criticising him has re-emerged online. The German coach wasn't afraid to speak his mind when it came to referee decisions he didn't agree with.
That was the case in one of his final Liverpool games, which saw the Reds draw 1-1 against title rivals Manchester City at Anfield in March 2024. The home crowd were left furious when Alexis Mac Allister was kicked in the chest by Jeremy Doku inside the penalty area in stoppage time.
Premier League referees Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver.
Premier League referees Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver.
Michael Oliver, the referee that day, waved away appeals and VAR opted against getting involved. Klopp, understandably, was livid and let everyone know in his post-match interview.
Dean, who was already retired by that point, wasn't even safe. The ex-Liverpool manager claimed it was '100 per cent' a penalty, before ranting:
In response, Dean was asked about the penalty incident and Klopp's sarcastic mention of him on Sky Sports. On the Doku challenge, he said (per Liverpool Echo): "He’s very, very fortunate in my opinion there, Doku." The retired referee then responded to being mentioned by Klopp, saying: "Sarcastically yeah, but fair enough."