Premier League referee suspended

Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended after a video allegedly showing him making derogatory comments about Liverpool and the club's former manager Jurgen Klopp was circulated on social media.

Refereeing body PGMOL says the suspension comes into force with immediate effect and is pending a full investigation.


https://x.com/Josh97LFC/status/18559689 ... MQgwQ&s=19

Top Premier League referee David Coote, is understood to have accepted the viral video in which in which he appears is genuine. However, it is believed he does not recall the content of the discussion, recorded several years ago.

Saudi Arabia for him...

The video of Premier League referee David Coote’s alleged expletive-laden insults about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp carries ramifications far wider than abusive words used on shaky mobile phone footage.

Coote has been suspended by refereeing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) with immediate effect pending a full investigation, while the Football Association has launched its own investigation.

The video has been widely shared around social media. It has not been verified by the BBC, but a source has said the PGMOL investigation is treating it as genuine. There has been no denial nor apology yet from Coote.

If this proves to be legitimate, the fall-out will land on every official throughout football’s pyramid. In the current climate of social media debate, 24/7 punditry and tribal fandom, it will provide fuel for the conspiracy theorists who believe that any decision made against their team is provoked by a grudge, personal bias or dislike of their particular club.

The notion is misguided as any mistakes made by those who take charge of games, as with players, are because of honest human error, not ill-feeling towards - or bias against - a particular manager, player of club.

The problem for the head of PGMOL, Howard Webb, is that Coote’s words, should they be confirmed as genuine, will fly in the face of that belief to many, going to the heart of what should be every official’s personal code.

Referees will inevitably have clashes with teams and individuals given the high-stakes nature of professional football, but there must be a belief that any lingering antipathy is put aside the moment they take change of their next game.

The rise in dissent towards officials was reflected in the £1m of fines for surrounding referees and mass confrontations in 2022-23. That resulted in a clampdown on player and manager behaviour at the start of 2023-24 and by Christmas 2023, bookings for dissent had doubled to 1,813 from 966 at the same stage the season before.

The figure trebled in the Premier League from 24 to 80, with referees' chief Webb saying the "culture change" to try to "reset behaviours" towards officials was "early days" but "moving in the right direction".

As Webb has been at pains to point out, referees are human – but they must also be impartial and professional. The slate must be cleaned of any previous confrontations next time paths cross.

It is stretching reality to breaking point to suggest all is sweetness and light between officials, players and managers but what has to be real is the principle that none of this goes through any official's mind when it comes to the decision-making process.

In other words they, as in the time-honoured adage about Caesar’s wife, must be above suspicion.

Referees' body PGMOL says it is taking new allegations around Premier League official David Coote "very seriously".

Coote is suspended from his role pending an investigation into a video which emerged earlier this week, in which the 42-year-old appeared to make disparaging remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

On Wednesday the Sun newspaper published pictures it says were taken during this summer's European Championship, alleging they appear to show Coote sniffing a white powder through a rolled up US bank note.

Coote was working at the Euros in his capacity as a match official.

A PGMOL spokesperson said: "We are aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously."

Uefa now looking at things.... like said Saudi league for him!

Uefa now looking at things.... like said Saudi league for him!

Not sure Saudi will even have him with the new allegations.

If it's true that he was taking cocaine while he was at a tournament, there's no way back for him.

Idiot really to even let someone film/take pictures while doing this stuff because he'll know he was in a decent job.

On the other hand, referees work very hard to reach the top and this tarnishes them all - even though the majority are doing their best in a tough job.

Uefa said an investigation has been launched into a potential violation of its disciplinary regulations with an "ethics and disciplinary inspector appointed".

The European governing body said Coote had been withdrawn from an international commitment this week and added: "The Uefa Referees Committee immediately suspended David Coote until further notice on 11 November - in advance of the upcoming round of Uefa matches - when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour."

This does referee’s no good at all.

I have followed his career with shock. I can’t recall the game but he gave one of the most inept refereeing performances ever at the CCS a good few seasons back.
I don’t buy into bias especially the Welsh thing but this prize turnip makes it a possible but the probability is he just guesses nearly every decision

Klopp should have lifetime ban for his antics and while some managers and players seem to get away with it more than others.

I’d have only the captain game speak to the ref 15 mins before, after and during the game. Straight yellow if anyone speaks to any of the refs. The 4th official stuff is also batshit crazy, he should be in the stand

Uefa now looking at things.... like said Saudi league for him!

Not sure Saudi will even have him with the new allegations.

If it's true that he was taking cocaine while he was at a tournament, there's no way back for him.

Idiot really to even let someone film/take pictures while doing this stuff because he'll know he was in a decent job.

On the other hand, referees work very hard to reach the top and this tarnishes them all - even though the majority are doing their best in a tough job.

Probably right ned ..instead of shooting himself in the foot he's probably shot himself in head ! But this is a long history of people in public eye allowing themselves to be filmed being idiots .

Uefa now looking at things.... like said Saudi league for him!

Not sure Saudi will even have him with the new allegations.

If it's true that he was taking cocaine while he was at a tournament, there's no way back for him.

Idiot really to even let someone film/take pictures while doing this stuff because he'll know he was in a decent job.

On the other hand, referees work very hard to reach the top and this tarnishes them all - even though the majority are doing their best in a tough job.

Probably right ned ..instead of shooting himself in the foot he's probably shot himself in head ! But this is a long history of people in public eye allowing themselves to be filmed being idiots .

Correct. I think back to the likes of Richard Bacon getting him sacked from a decent TV job for getting caught taking cocaine - just like this scenario.

Nobody is saying referees should be whiter than white in their personal lives, of course they'll get up to stuff and say stuff.

But allowing yourself to be filmed/photographed while doing that is just stupid.

He's ruined his whole career just like that and people will always see him as "that referee who got sacked for hating Liverpool and taking coke".

Uefa now looking at things.... like said Saudi league for him!

Not sure Saudi will even have him with the new allegations.

If it's true that he was taking cocaine while he was at a tournament, there's no way back for him.

Idiot really to even let someone film/take pictures while doing this stuff because he'll know he was in a decent job.

On the other hand, referees work very hard to reach the top and this tarnishes them all - even though the majority are doing their best in a tough job.

Probably right ned ..instead of shooting himself in the foot he's probably shot himself in head ! But this is a long history of people in public eye allowing themselves to be filmed being idiots .

Correct. I think back to the likes of Richard Bacon getting him sacked from a decent TV job for getting caught taking cocaine - just like this scenario.

Nobody is saying referees should be whiter than white in their personal lives, of course they'll get up to stuff and say stuff.

But allowing yourself to be filmed/photographed while doing that is just stupid.

He's ruined his whole career just like that and people will always see him as "that referee who got sacked for hating Liverpool and taking coke".

I'm lucky never did social media so people can look for ever and won't find me anywhere! Not sure why celebrities footballers ect get involved in things that can ruin their reputation and livelihood for a quick 1 minute of fame... stupidity spring to mind.