FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE referee Mike Dean has admitted he failed to correct a mistake in a Chelsea-Tottenham match last season to prevent his friend Anthony Taylor receiving extra “grief”.
Dean was on VAR duty at Stamford Bridge in August 2022 when Chelsea wanted Spurs defender Cristian Romero sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella to the floor by his hair.
Dean says he made a “really bad call” in not sending Taylor to review his decision.
Harry Kane equalised for Spurs from the following stoppage-time corner and the game finished 2-2.
Both managers – Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Tottenham’s Antonio Conte – received red cards from Taylor following an angry exchange at the end of the match.
“I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham which was pathetic from my point of view,” Dean told Simon Jordan’s Up Front podcast.
“It’s one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I’d send Anthony (Taylor) to the screen.
“I think I knew if I did send him to the screen…he’s cautioned both managers.
“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 already had.”
Wirral-born Dean started his career as a top-flight referee in 2000 and went on to take charge of 553 Premier League matches.
Dean retired from refereeing at the end of the 2021-22 campaign and became a dedicated Premier League VAR last season.
But he was stood down from VAR duty for two months after the Stamford Bridge incident and admitted the role was something he ended up “dreading”.
Dean said: “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.
“I used to get in the car on a Friday and was dreading Saturday. I was thinking, ‘I hope nothing happens’. I used to be petrified sitting in the (VAR) chair.”
He’s been superb for Ulster. Soft hands, offloads and tackle stats through the roof. The epitome of the modern prop forward. I don’t see any other loose heads in Ireland who can match him for that. If we want to play an attacking 15 man game with offloading rather than constant contact – ruck, contact – ruck we need the likes of O’Sullivan. We are blessed with Healy and Killer, but he’s the best of the rest and the stand out future number 1.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: this guy!!!
I needed that bit of comic relief after a long weekend hahaha
The only thing worse than zero caps is?? One cap – weren’t good enough to get a second… Alot of people will be on here now saying that he’s the next best thing since sliced pan but deep down he’s not good enough (yet maybe), for international rugby. Article says he beat out Jack McGrath, the same Jack McGrath who’s been struggling with a hip injury since moving to ulster so I wouldn’t say he’s beat him out rather he was handed the jersey. At least the kid knows he’s limited himself I suppose
@Michael Oats: He’s only 25 and has won his first cap. I am a lot more positive about his future.
Why do you say he is not good enough? He had a very good debut.
@Trevor Johnston: scrummaging – the primary job for a prop and that leinster game in pro 14 game six weeks or so back in my opinion.. Grand at pro14 level but not at h.cup nevermind International. Andy Warwick is a better scrummager than him and that guy is shaped like a melted wheelie bin
@Michael Oats: At least you seam to have a decent rugby knowledge to formulate your WUM posts, but its a shame thats how you decide to use it.I only feel sorry those who actually believe you.
@Kingshu: He’s a bit short on positivity usually. On O’Sullivan if he can work on improving his scrummaging he can get more caps. As 1st choice props go he’s still quite young.
@TL55: 25 isnt that young for a modern day prop. Its quote old actually. Furlong got his first cap at 22 and to some that was considered quite late conpared to other props. Good pro14 player but I just dont think hes international standard. Behind Healy & Kilcoyne, theres no real up and coming young player that stands out.
@Harry O’Callaghan: EOS has performed consistently well at HCup
level. One poor game against Leinster
and he is condemned. How many poor outings has Bent, Ed Byrne, Cronin.Buckley had?
Do you remember Cian Healy’s first season in International rugby. He folded up like a deckchair. But he learned.
@Michael Oats: what has Andy Warwick’s shape got to do with anything?An uncalled for comment.
You should be ashamed of yourself
@Harry O’Callaghan: Yes some of the exceptional come through early but imo time is on his side barring the emergence of a young Healy. It’s also true that many LHs play international rugby into their 30s eg Healy, Kilcoyne & M Vunipola to name but a few.
@Kingshu: haha you see alot of people on here see guys like this play very well against a Cardiff blues side or a zebre side and think they should be nearly starting against the all blacks. He’s completely overrated and got an easy cap from the biggest tool on the island, albeit he’s probably at home in England at the moment!!
@Trevor Johnston: Don’t feed the trolls, Trevor. They love it.
@Trevor Johnston: Bent has probably been one of Leinsters most consistent playets over the last 6 years. He’s been so reliable while Healys been in the irish camp. Never injured and barely misses games. Ed Byrne has been around for longer than O’Sullivan and was held as the new Healy coming through. Unfortunately he had a few terrible years of injury. But he’s had some really strong performances since hes been back. Same with Cronin for Munster. Buckleys also been consistent and probably deserving of a cap at least but i think that time has passed.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: Im just out here dealing in facts. Troll because I hurt your feelings over a genuine opinion. Do me a favour hahah
@Harry O’Callaghan: You could try being consistent. You say EOS at 25 is not going for a prop and isnt good enough (likiley based one the one game you have seen hime play) and then praised Bents consistency. Have you conveniently forgotten that when Bent arrived in Ireland at age 26, he was terrible, slated, dropped by Ireland and slipped down the Leinster pecking order. Yet ou are writing off a 25 Yo?
@Harry O’Callaghan: a prop only really knows his stuff at about 28, furlong is one of the best tightheads on the planet
@Trevor Johnston: the players you mentioned are not international standard and are not really seen as such. EoS is talked about as an international so should be better than those
@Kingshu: Yeah and he never went onto win anymore caps for Ireland. So what exactly are you to say?
a move back to Dublin could be on the cards
@John Lowry: Why do you reckon that, John?
@John Lowry: doubt it, he’s an Ulster Acamady product. In a young team with great potentional, don’t see him leaving. McGrath on the other hand, didn’t come though the Ulster acamady
@Sustainable Hedgehog: be a good move for him and Leinster – less so for Ulster but given the movement of so many players from Leinster to Ulster I don’t think it unrealistic to see some movement the other way around
Leinster are looking a little light at loose head and it might put his face more firmly into the Irish picture –
Either way will be interesting to see how it develops
@Kingshu: so by following your logic – which of the following players would Leinster be allowed to recruit back
Cooney, Jones, Madigan, McGrath, Moore, Murphy, O’Connor, David O’Connor, Shanahan, Timoney
Or just the ones who were in the Leinster academy
What about the ones who were in the sub academy ?
Either way – I don’t think it works that way and IF Leinster need a replacement for Healey ( as they do – I would have thought OSullivan fits the bill
And given the number that have gone north Over the other way around I’m not sure that Ulster could complain too loudly …