Mark Clattenburg made the decision to quit refereeing at the age of 41 after deciding
he ‘wasn’t bothered with criticism from José Mourinho
Having picked up the whistle in non-League football in 1994, the County Durham-
born official worked his way up the pyramid to reach the Premier League in 2004 and
Fifa’s elite list two years later.
Mark Clattenburg fell out of love with the game after losing his patience for
complaining managers and disagreeing with his fellow refs.
In the 46-year-old’s autobiography, which has been serialized in The Times, he
revealed the moment he decided to quit English football.
Following a match between Manchester United and Stoke City, Mourinho voiced his
frustrations with the official and earned an earful in reply.
Read Also:Luke Shaw slams Jose Mourinho over his constant criticism
Clattenburg has admitted to throwing a boot at a wall and shouting at the manager to
get out. Overwhelmed by the stresses of the game, he felt that he ‘could not be
bothered with idiots like that anymore’.
After leaving the Prem for a job overseeing referees in Saudi Arabia, he moved to the
Chinese Super League and now works with Uefa in Greece
One bone of contention Clattenburg maintains with his time in England is the
response to his un-referee-like penchant for tattoos and fresh haircuts.
As the referee for both the 2016 Champions League and Euros final, his decision to
mark the occasions with tattoos drew criticism.
But he wrote: “It was the best thing I ever did.
“Many people get it done but in refereeing, people frown at anyone doing anything
different.
“Your tie has to be the right length, your shoes have to be right… an old-school
mentality.
“[Pierluigi] Collina, the best referee in the world, had tattoos. But there seems to be
an English thing dictating how you should be. I was called vain, a disgrace.
“Why shouldn’t a referee have a nose piercing if they want? You are in the public eye
and people assume they can criticize you
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