Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg visits Adelaide to talk to local whistle blowers
ONE memory still gives Mark Clattenburg chills after more than 300 games as a referee in England’s Premier League. He was in Adelaide this week to tell local whistle blowers what it was.
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ONE memory still gives Mark Clattenburg chills after more than a decade as one of Europe’s top soccer referees.
The English official had just overseen Real Madrid’s penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid in last season’s UEFA Champions League final when something unexpected happened.
“At the FA Cup final the week before I was booed going up to get my medal, which is a horrible feeling because you’ve put all your effort into the game,” Clattenburg, 42, recalled.
“But then to walk up for my medal in a Champions League final and get clapped by both sets of supporters was weird.
“That’s something that will always stick in my mind – on the biggest night of my life, I probably delivered my best performance as a referee.
“It still makes me shiver.”
Controlling the pinnacle of club football was the highlight of Clattenburg’s career which included last year’s European Championship final and the London 2012 Olympics decider.
Clattenburg, who took charge of more than 300 Premier League games, was in Adelaide this week to share stories from his 27 years as a whistle blower at a Football Federation SA workshop for local referees.
“I like coming here to pass on my experiences,” said Clattenburg, who also officiated the Socceroos clash with Brazil at the MCG on Tuesday.
“The young referees are getting a little bit of support and understanding of what it’s like to be a Premier League referee. Hopefully others can see what I’ve done and learn something.”
Clattenburg earned promotion to the Select Group of EPL referees in 2004 and was added to the FIFA international list two years later.
He said becoming the youngest official in England’s professional ranks since World War II presented a bigger test.
“That was the most challenging because I wasn’t accepted in a man’s game,” said Clattenburg, who made his fourth-tier debut aged 24.
“I was a young boy so I was fighting with the players to keep control and they were trying to put pressure on me to make decisions in their favour.
“When you gain experience you learn to deal with that better, but at that time I wasn’t really dealing with it correctly.”
Clattenburg said former Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United striker Craig Bellamy was among the most difficult players he had refereed.
“He was a player that always liked the last word and was always playing on the edge.”
Last year’s world referee of the year rated Manchester United’s Sir Alex Fergusson the most challenging manager he had dealt with.
“I’ve spoken to him off the field since and he’s an absolute gentleman and a great guy.
“But he didn’t even have to speak, that stare used to leave the hairs standing on the back of your neck.
“It was just that presence that he had and the aura that probably put pressure on referees when they didn’t need it.”
Clattenburg looked back on a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in 2007 as a low point.
The County Durham official had overseen cross-town clashes in Manchester and North London the previous fortnight, but was embroiled in controversy after sending off two Everton players.
Clattenburg also awarded Liverpool two penalties in its 2-1 victory and denied the Toffees a late spot kick for a dubious Jamie Carragher challenge.
“I went into it probably too cocky because I’d nailed two other derbies and I thought I was invincible,” said Clattenburg, who did not referee another Everton game for five years.
“But it backfired on me because I had an absolute beast in one of the best derbies in the world.
“I didn’t prepare properly, mentally I wasn’t right and I let the game down.
“It’s something I will always regret, but I’m sure Everton fans will never let me live it down.”
The veteran of 576 professional English games shocked the football world when he stepped down from the EPL panel last year to take up a position as head of referees in Saudi Arabia.
He said the scrutiny on officials had soared since the advent of social media, global television coverage and Video Assistant Referees.
This was illustrated when Clattenburg had the Champions League and Euros logos tattooed on his arm to commemorate the crowning moments of his career.
“The backlash in England was quite unfair because no one has the right to tell me what I want to do with my body and I was proud of what I had achieved.
“But I’d had such a wonderful year in 2016 and it was getting to a point in my career where internationally I couldn’t really achieve much more.
“I felt it was an opportunity to finish on a high.”
Originally published as Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg visits Adelaide to talk to local whistle blowers
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