LONDON – He is the maverick referee at the eye of the storm and one best known for theatrical gestures, dummying the ball and even celebrating his own officiating.
If Mike Dean gets a big decision wrong – as he did when sending off West Ham’s Sofiane Feghouli against Manchester United on Monday – he is not going to get off lightly. In short, Dean makes it about him when he should be trying his best to go unnoticed.
His range of facial expressions and wild hand gestures would easily land him an audition for the lead in a West End musical should he decide to hang up the whistle.
Indeed, Sportsmail can reveal that the Wirral-born official is a former ballroom dancing champion, and some colleagues believe this is the inspiration behind his flamboyant, yet controversial, style.
“You don’t like to say it, but it’s almost like he wants to be the centre of attention,” said Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith, while Niall Quinn added: “Time and time again I look at this guy Mike Dean and his arrogance alone, and I suppose running the show and looking the part... it puts me off.”
When Dean celebrated Louis Saha’s goal for Spurs at Arsenal in 2012 – a result of him playing an earlier advantage – he performed a hop and a skip on the edge of the penalty area before finishing with a straight arm pointed back towards the centre circle. It would have scored well on Strictly Come Dancing, but probably didn’t belong on Match of the Day.
Dean is aware of the backlash such actions can provoke, and we understand he is working with a coach in a bid to tone down his mannerisms. But it is said that the reason for his demeanour is simply that he loves his job.
That being the case, close friends have told us that Dean is devastated by the reaction to his early dismissal of Feghouli following a challenge on Phil Jones during West Ham’s 2-0 defeat at home by United. The Hammers are appealing against the red card.
He is, though, determined to take charge of Tottenham v Aston Villa on Sunday.
“He knows he made a mistake and is disappointed enough with that, but the reaction to it has left him devastated,” a source told us. “He has been excellent this season and people forget that.
“He was one of the referees who worked so hard to enforce punishment for holding and shirt-pulling at corners and free-kicks. He was brave enough to give some very high-profile penalties.
“He wants to get everything right, but that isn’t possible and the reaction has been way over the top. But Mike is a bullish character and he’s already looking forward to Sunday.”
Family man Dean – who is married to Karem and has two daughters in their early 20s – has grafted to get to the top of his profession and takes motivation from having worked in a chicken factory before being appointed to the select group of referees in 2000. He is now the longest-serving top-flight official.
The 48-year-old has given up alcohol and is obsessed with diet and keeping in shape, having carried weight early in his career. There isn’t an excess ounce on him these days, and that is in part thanks to his love of golf. Dean has a single-figure handicap and has caddied for Sophie Walker on the Ladies European Tour.
Of her right-hand man, Walker said: “He’s the best yardage pacer I’ve had and I talk a lot and he listens. If I need him to back me up he’s good at that because he’s very positive and I’m enjoying having him on the bag.”
Walker, like many of Dean’s friends and colleagues, was taken by his sense of humour. Sources call him “hilarious and very quick-witted”, someone who does not get involved in the politics of refereeing circles.
He is rated as one of the very best and is considered unfortunate never to have refereed at a major tournament given the presence of Howard Webb and Martin Atkinson ahead of him on Fifa’s elite list, but ‘Deano’, as he is known, has tackled every hurdle with a trademark joke.
The problem, however, is that his personality can often spill over into his refereeing – and no one wants the man in the middle taking centre stage. That is where Dean has found himself this week, and not for the right reasons.
Calls for him to quit, however, are, as Gary Neville said, somewhat unfair, as Dean remains one of our most competent referees.
There is plenty of time yet for the wacky whistler to grace Strictly.