Wenger intimidated me most as a referee – Mike Dean

One of the most recognised football referees, Mike Dean, has revealed that the most intimidating manager he ever met in his career is a former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger.

Speaking to Football Focus, the 53-year-old Dean, who will be retiring from at the end of this season, said he found it tough refereeing Arsenal games.

• Nigeria’s box office records N346.6m revenue in March
• Injustice fueling insecurity in Nigeria – Ex-minister

He said, “It has to be Arsene (Wenger) when he was at Arsenal. I always found it tough, not refereeing Arsenal in general, but refereeing Arsenal when he was the manager. 

“It was just his presence – he wanted the best for Arsenal all the time and if he could get any way of getting one over you he would do.

“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.”

He further said he was nervous early in his career with players like Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira in the league. 

He said, “You had massive, big-personality players, the (Roy) Keanes, people like that, (Patrick) Vieira – they were all around then.

“For me to come from the Football League to the Premier League and referee those players, it was just a massive step. I was a bit nervous and a bit scared of making a decision.”