Mike Dean retired, Premier League losses a reckless referee

DBasia.news – The Premier League will lose one of its ‘reckless’ referees, Mike Dean, who decided to retire at the end of the 2021/2022 season.

Dean (53 years old) has spoken to PGMOL (Professional Match Official) to move into the role of video assistant referee aka VAR, as Lee Mason did last season after retiring.

After Mark Clattenburg and Howard Webb, Mike Dean is a ‘legendary’ referee in England and very popular in Europe. Dean will end his place as main referee after 22 years on the job.

In that period Dean has a record of leading the most Premier League matches (553 matches), giving the most red cards (114 cards) and yellow cards (2,026). Dean also awarded 184 penalties in his career.

Famous for his flamboyant style when leading matches, sending players off, until leaving the field, the Premier League is judged by Peter Walton to be different without Mike Dean. Walton is a former Premier League referee.

“Many people will remember him for his flamboyant refereeing style, but they ignore how great he was as a referee for more than two decades,” Walton wrote in The Times.

“Everyone wants to be Mike’s fourth referee, because you know he will put you at ease. The Premier League would be so much worse without Mike Dean, the referee on the pitch and his character will be missed.”

“While we may not imitate him exactly, there are definitely some facial expressions that I have tried to use over the course of my career.”

“Mike is a character, and he does things that come naturally to him. He doesn’t have to work with his body language, facial expressions or one-liners, and he uses it to good effect.”

“He’s not one to chase big time, big time comes to Mike Dean,” Walton explained.

Dean’s retirement was also commented on by one of England’s experience managers, Neil Warnock. While joking, Warnock praised Dean as a good referee.

“(Already) ten years too late! (Dean retires) That’s the problem, it’s not going to help me, is it?” Warnock said on talkSPORT.

“I don’t have time to discuss what he gave me over the years, but don’t forget I’ve always been with small clubs so Mike, like some referees, tends to prefer the bigger clubs.

“Listen, he’s as good as anything. He had a great game and I looked at him and thought he didn’t have to do what he did.”

“He almost does a lot in the game to put himself out there when he doesn’t have to. Good referees are never seen and he can do it,” said Warnock.