David Coote: PGMOL suspends referee after alleged comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp

Premier League Referee David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect after footage showed him making foul-mouthed criticism of the former referee Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp appeared on social media.

Two videos have been shared which allegedly capture Coote, 42, calling Klopp ‘bloody arrogant’ and a ‘German bastard’.

It is currently unclear whether the footage is legitimate and when it was recorded, but the content, which was widely circulated on Monday afternoon, is now the subject of an investigation by PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing in English football.

It is believed the video was filmed during the 2020-2021 season with a PGMOL source with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity and indicated Coote has not denied it is him in the photo.

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A statement from PGMOL read: “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation. PGMOL will make no further comment until that process is complete.”

In the first video, which appears to have been filmed on a phone and spans one minute, Coote is asked for his opinion on an unspecified Liverpool match and then by manager Klopp.

About Liverpool he says “s***” before adding: “Apart from the fact he popped the right hand at me when I whistled against them Burnley in lockdown.

“He accused me of lying and then just punched me. I have no interest in talking to someone who is damn arrogant. I try my best not to talk to him. (James) Milner is doing well. I’ll continue with Milner.

“You can see me there with a mask on. Social distancing – 10 meters apart. But my God, German c***, fuck me.”

A second, shorter video is included that emphasizes the importance of not sharing the first clip.

Coote has been a Select One referee, the highest level in Britain, since the 2018/19 season, having officiated his first Premier League match in the previous campaign.

This season he was responsible for six Premier League games, the last of which was as referee in Liverpool’s 2-0 win on Saturday. Aston Villa at Anfield.

Liverpool is aware of the video in question, but does not yet want to comment publicly.

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What is Coote’s Liverpool background?

By Liverpool correspondent James Pearce

Liverpool have had a number of high-profile encounters with Coote in recent years.

Rewind to last December and Jurgen Klopp was outraged that Coote, who was on VAR duty, did not advise referee Chris Kavanagh to go to the pitch monitor after Arsenal‘S Martin Odegaard handled the ball in the penalty area.

The crucial clash between two Premier League title rivals ended 1-1 at Anfield.

Klopp said: “I’m pretty sure someone will come and explain to me why it wasn’t a handball, but I don’t know how?”

Referee chief Howard Webb then admitted that Coote had made a mistake and the penalty should have been awarded.

Webb told Sky Sports’ Match Officials Mic’d Up: “All the feedback we got afterwards was very clear: the game expects a penalty in this situation and I agree with that. This is one where we have not achieved the right result on that basis.”

Coote was also the VAR at the time Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford‘s challenge on Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk went unpunished during the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 2020.

Van Dijk tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and was sidelined for nine months. Klopp was perplexed why Coote did not urge referee Michael Oliver to take action against Pickford after watching the replays.

(Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)