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Mike Dean has recently opened up on what it was like to referee Arsenal during his 22 years as a Premier League official, and suggested legendary manager Arsene Wenger wasn’t his biggest fan.
As with most referees, Dean is a divisive figure, but he is one of the Premier League’s most talked about referees, not least because of some of his bizarre antics on the field.
Although officials are much-maligned, it is an impossible job to keep every player and manager happy, with the 57-year-old recently revealing that Craig Bellamy was the toughest player to referee, despite being fine to deal with off the pitch.
Speaking to Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney on the latest edition of The Overlap Fan Debatethe former referee also named which manager he found it difficult to get along with, revealing the feeling was very much mutual…
Mike Dean names Arsene Wenger as the “hardest” manager to deal with
The Tranmere Rovers supporter revealed he was told by people who used to work at Arsenal that Wenger would effectively write off games when Dean was in charge, believing the Gunners had “no chance”.
“As soon as the fixtures come out on Monday and he knew I was reffing, straight away he’s like ‘oh my god he’s reffing us this weekend, we’ve got no chance’, so straight away, he’s knackered straight away isn’t he.
“He was probably the hardest one.”
Clarifying why Arsene Wenger was tough to deal with, he said: “I never got on with Arsene Wenger, and that was just, I don’t know what it was, whether it was every time I reffed them they lost, I don’t know, but I just couldn’t get on with him.”
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In 2009, the Arsenal legend was also sent to the stands by Dean in the dying embers of a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United back in 2009, having been seen kicking a water bottle in frustration.
Dean has previously shared details of a particularly ferocious run-in they had after the Gunners drew 1-1 against West Bromwich Albion back in 2017, saying: “He was very aggressive leaning towards me, pointing aggressively at me saying: ‘You’re not honest’ on numerous occasions.
“I replied: ‘So you’re calling me a cheat.’ He replied: ‘I maintain what I say, you’re not honest.
“He then said: ‘You’ve done this to us many times before, you’re supposed to be professional, you’re a disgrace.’ He was then ushered out of the room by the West Brom safety officer.”
While they didn’t see eye-to-eye prior to the 76-year-old leaving Arsenal in 2018, it appears they have since managed to put their differences behind them, with Dean saying: “Since he has finished football I have seen him and he has been great. Cross the white line and everyone is different, like referees. We are normal people.”
