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How Premier League officials have reacted after Mike Dean's 'pathetic' VAR confession
Mike Dean made a startling admission this week regarding his time as a Video Assistant Referee in the Premier League.
Premier League officials are reportedly furious following Mike Dean's claim that he refused to recommend a VAR review because the referee was "a mate". Dean's revelation has caused anger in the football fraternity and his old colleagues are among those to be fuming.
The former referee made the startling admission earlier this week. Dean retired from being an on-field official at the end of the 2021/22 season.
But the long-serving ref continued solely as a Video Assistant Referee for the following campaign. He drew strong criticism in just the second game of the season when Chelsea played Tottenham in a fiery encounter at Stamford Bridge.
Dean failed to recommend an on-field review by Anthony Taylor in the build-up to Spurs' 96th-minute equaliser. Marc Cucurella had his hair pulled just moments before Harry Kane headed in the late goal.
Dean has since revealed he decided against intervening because Taylor was his friend and he didn't want him to get in any more drama following a heated match. He told Up Front with Simon Jordan: "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."
However, his revelation has not gone down well. The Mirror claims current Premier League officials are enraged with Dean's admission.
Dean went into further depth with Jordan as to why he didn't intervene on that particular decision. He said: "I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham 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.
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"That was a major error. If they don't score from the corner it is not as big an issue. But 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't for me."
Dean decided to call it a day as a VAR at the end of last season. He is now working as a pundit on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday programme.
Dean will not be subject to any action from the FA because he has already retired. Meanwhile, the PGMOL released a statement on Friday, outlining the job of a VAR after Dean's confession. A spokesperson said: "VARs undergo extensive training with the focus centred entirely around effectively working with the on-field team of officials to rectify clear and obvious errors.
"When VARs identify a clear and obvious error by the on-field team of match officials, they should intervene and recommend a review by the referee. We strongly refute any suggestion that VARs do not intervene, for whatever reason, when they have identified a clear and obvious error."