Mike Dean's former boss has disputed the controversial ex-referee's claims of playing "minigames" during Premier League matches, stating that such actions would not have been possible under his tenure.
Keith Hackett, who led the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) from 2004 to 2010, called Dean's assertions "fantasy land" and suggested they damage the reputation of current Premier League officials. Hackett, who wrote on X that Dean was "talking nonsense," asserted that performance assessments were forensic during his time overseeing referees and that "Dean on my watch could not have done what he said."
Dean, who retired from refereeing in 2023 after more than two decades, admitted on Jamie Vardy's "Having a Party" podcast to playing games such as seeing how long he could officiate without blowing his whistle, sometimes lasting 20 to 25 minutes before VAR was implemented. He also claimed to have stood in the centre circle for up to 15 minutes in some games.
Senior figures within the refereeing community have reportedly questioned the plausibility of Dean's claims, according to the Daily Mail. Another former referee, Graham Scott, writing in The Athletic, expressed confidence that neither of Dean's stories were true and that he had "embellished both out of all recognition."
Dean, 58, officiated at the highest level of English football for over 20 years. Refereeing in England is currently overseen by Pro Ref, the organization formerly known as PGMOL. Hackett added that Dean "has clearly damaged his reputation" with his comments, stating, "The fallout does not help current refs."
