Mike Dean has taken something of a kicking over the last few days after his performance in Manchester United’s victory at West Ham on Monday.
The Wirral official was slated for showing an early red card to Sofiane Feghouli for a foul on Phil Jones. It was a decision that seemed harsh to many watching, and ensured that Dean would be much-talked-about by football fans in the days ahead.
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Gary Neville was an unlikely defender of the ref after the slew of abuse that came his way, but former Premier League winger Stephen Hunt probably won’t be shedding too many tears about Dean’s treatment.
In a piece for Ireland’s Sunday Independent – which was published the day before the West Ham vs Manchester United match – Hunt branded him the “the most arrogant man I’ve ever met on a football pitch”.
Hunt, who played in the top flight with Reading, Hull City and Wolves, shared pitches with some of the biggest names in football – but according to him none came close to being as big-headed as Dean.
“There’s one referee, however, I’d like to see more respect from,” he wrote.
“You can probably guess who it is – Mike Dean. He’s the most arrogant referee going. In fact, he’s probably the most arrogant man I’ve ever met on a football pitch.
At least you could have banter with players, no matter what they were like. I’ve come across some big players in my time and there were times when you’d be thinking, ‘I can’t believe he’s said something like that’, but, even in that context, Dean takes the cake.
“He just won’t talk to you. He dismisses you like you’re a piece of dirt.”
