What's the story?
Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg is set to quit the Premier League to officiate in the Saudi Arabian League. The statement on the official Premier League website read, “The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) would like to wish Mark Clattenburg well as he prepares his move to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.”
It further stated, “Mark is a talented referee, he has been a great asset to the English game and hopefully an inspiration to those who want to get into refereeing at the grass roots of the game.”
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In case you didn’t know
The now 41-year-old took charge of his first Football League game in 2000 as a 25-year-old and joined the PGMO group of officials a few years later in 2004. He is regarded as one of the best referees in the world and took charge of many important games at the highest level throughout his career.
Last year was a memorable year for him as he officiated the UEFA Euro 2016 final, the 2015-16 Champions League Final and the FA Cup final as well. He was rumoured to be interested in offers from the Chinese Super League in December 2016, but chose Saudi Arabia as his next destination, after 12 years in English football.
The heart of the matter
Mark Clattenburg has a good reputation in the world of football and according to The Sun, he was disillusioned with the PGMOL management. Especially by the way it is run by Mike Riley and the lack of support officials get in the game.
As is the case with most referees, Clattenburg was also involved in a number of controversies during his time in England – he got an eight-match ban after being charged for owing £60,000 after a failed business venture in 2009, was involved in a racism row in 2012 and then breached refereeing protocol for speaking on the phone with then Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock before leaving the ground for an Ed Sheeran concert in 2014.
What’s next?
As per reports, he will quit the Premier League before next round of fixtures on February 25. Clattenburg previously stated that he is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Howard Webb by helping a country like Saudi Arabia ‘develop their football’ and that ‘money has never been a driver’ for him.
Sportskeeda’s take
As per reports, the exact reason for his departure from the Premier League after 12 years is unknown. A few papers are claiming disillusionment with the PGMOL as the main reason behind his decision but nevertheless, the English game will be grateful to Mark and his consistency officiating games.
He has been an important referee for the FA and UEFA during his time in Europe.
