{"id":94594,"date":"2023-08-25T14:54:57","date_gmt":"2023-08-25T14:54:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/08\/25\/mike-dean-declined-to-use-var-to-save-a-fellow-referee-from-grief\/"},"modified":"2023-08-25T14:54:57","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T14:54:57","slug":"mike-dean-declined-to-use-var-to-save-a-fellow-referee-from-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/08\/25\/mike-dean-declined-to-use-var-to-save-a-fellow-referee-from-grief\/","title":{"rendered":"Mike Dean declined to use VAR to save a fellow referee from ‘grief’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Mike Dean retired from refereeing at the end of last season after a 28-year career
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Former Premier League referee Mike Dean failed to correct a mistake in a match to save his friend and fellow official Anthony Taylor from extra \u201cgrief\u201d.<\/p>\n

Dean was the video assistant referee (VAR) for\u00a0Chelsea\u2019s 2-2 draw with Tottenham\u00a0in August 2022.<\/p>\n

Just before a late Harry Kane equaliser, Chelsea felt they should have had a penalty after Cristian Romero pulled Marc Cucurella\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

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Dean acknowledged a \u201creally bad call\u201d not sending Taylor to review it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham which was pathetic from my point of view,\u201d Dean told\u00a0Simon Jordan\u2019s Up Front podcast.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I\u2019d send Anthony [Taylor] to the screen. I think I knew if I did send him to the screen\u2026he\u2019s cautioned both managers, he\u2019s had a hell of a game, it\u2019s been such a tough game end to end.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said to Anthony afterwards: \u2018I just didn\u2019t want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn\u2019t want to send him up because I didn\u2019t want any more grief than he already had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dean became a dedicated Premier League VAR last season after hanging up his whistle at the end of the 2021-22 campaign after referring over 550 matches in the top flight.<\/p>\n

He was stood down from VAR duty for two months after the Stamford Bridge incident.<\/p>\n

Wirral-born Dean subsequently\u00a0brought an end to his 28-year career\u00a0as a professional official because being in the VAR hot seat was something he ended up \u201cdreading\u201d.<\/p>\n

Dean added: \u201cThat was a major error. If they don\u2019t score from the corner it is not as big an issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I knew full well then I would be stood down the week after. I asked to take a bit of time off because it wasn\u2019t for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to get in the car on a Friday and was dreading Saturday. I was thinking, \u2018I hope nothing happens\u2019. I used to be petrified sitting in the chair.\u201d<\/p>\n

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