The Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended after video footage emerged apparently showing him calling Jürgen Klopp a “German cunt” and Liverpool “shit”.
According to the clip that surfaced on social media on Monday, Coote claimed that Klopp was “arrogant” and had accused him of lying after a 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Burnley during Project Restart in 2020. Coote took charge of Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday.
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Professional Game Match Officials Ltd said: “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation. PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete.”
The video appears to date from the 2020-21 season. The person alleged to be Coote is asked by a friend for his opinion of Klopp, the then Liverpool manager, and says: “Aside from having a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown, then he accused me of lying and then just had a right fucking pop at me. I’ve got no interest at speaking to someone who’s fucking arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him … My God, German cunt, fuck me.”
The derogatory remark about Liverpool refers to the team’s performance in a game, earlier that day according to the video, at which Coote had been the fourth official.
The friend, who appears to be recording the conversation on his phone in a sparsely decorated sitting room, goes on to clarify what he feels to be the takeaway from the conversation: “Long story short: Jürgen Klopp’s a cunt, Liverpool are all fucking bellends and we hate Scousers.”
In a separate video, Coote appears to ask viewers not to share the original recording. “Just to be clear, that last video can’t go anywhere, seriously,” he says. The friend says: “He’s a Premier League referee, let’s not ruin a bloke’s career. We’re not that bad.”
In the initial video the person alleged to be Coote holds up a still which appears to show him on 4 October 2020 on the touchline with Klopp and James Milner, during Liverpool’s 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa. In Liverpool’s following game Coote was the video assistant referee when a challenge by the Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on Virgil van Dijk that left the Liverpool defender with an anterior cruciate ligament injury went unpunished.
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Coote also drew the ire of Klopp as the VAR for the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal last December after an apparent handball in the box by Martin Ødegaard did not lead to a penalty. Howard Webb, PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer, later said it should have resulted in a spot-kick.
It is understood Liverpool feel it would be inappropriate to comment with an investigation under way. The website Transfermarkt lists Coote as having refereed eight Liverpool games, seven while Klopp was there, starting with the Burnley match. Liverpool have won five, drawn one and lost two – against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup and Brighton in the FA Cup.
Although Klopp felt the absence of VAR affected Liverpool’s defeat by City he did not criticise Coote and he did not question the refereeing after the Brighton game. Brighton felt they were on the wrong end of two decisions towards the end that might have led to red cards before their late winner.
