Mike Dean has opened up about one of the decisions he now calls a “really bad call” during the Chelsea vs Tottenham match back in August 2022, and it’s caught the attention of football fans everywhere.
In a podcast interview with The Overlap in a video released via their official X account, the former VAR official admitted he regrets not instructing referee Anthony Taylor to review a clear hair-pull by Cristian Romero on Marc Cucurella in the penalty area. This is not the first controversial guest that will be brought to the Podcast with Roy Keane earlier gracing the show with his presence, as reported by Softfootball.
Dean revealed he actually saw the incident but chose not to intervene because he felt Taylor had already been through a tough game, cautioning both Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte, managing high tension on the pitch, and he didn’t want to pile more pressure on the referee. Meanwhile, in a previous podcast, John Mikel Obi had publicly declared that Arsenal have the best squad in the world.
Watch Mike Dean’s Interview Video:
The consequence of that call was significant. Tottenham went on to score a stoppage-time equaliser through Harry Kane, and the match ended 2-2. Looking back, Dean admitted that the aftermath of the incident saw him stand down from VAR duties for two months and eventually step away from the role entirely, confessing that he began to dread the job.
If I had a bit of time again, I’d definitely send that to you on the screen when I was at Chelsea. I think the issue I had then was, this is another reason why I kind of stepped away from it, because I think I got it in the November time, is that I’ve seen the incident, and because of what’s gone on during the game, I think he’s had… two or three players sent off, he’s had both managers cautioned.
I thought to myself, he just doesn’t need any more grief. I just won’t send him over, and I knew straight away, as soon as it happened, I thought I should have just sent him over, and you know, well, they’re going to go and score from the corner, and they did just. I saw it was a referee, and it just happens, but he was just poor. It was just so bad by me because I… and when I come out, I said, oh, he’s my mate.
All the refs, when you’re a ref, they’re all your mates. Like when you’re all players, they’re all your teammates. They’re all your mates. You come across as a mate. He’s my best mate, which he’s not. But it’s like mate, as in, I didn’t say him because he’s a mate, as an agreement.
But I should just send him over. And Ante’s probably big enough and ugly enough to say, well, if I go over, I’m not bothered. I’ll go to the screen again. If I have to send five players, I will send five players off, not an issue. And that’s probably something I’d learn from. So I think that it’s the wrong call by me.
Dean’s admission serves as a reminder of the human side of football officiating: behind every VAR call is a person juggling pressure, split-second judgement, and the weight of the game. Even the best officials can falter, but acknowledging mistakes might just be the first step toward improvement.
