Referee David Coote sacked by PGMOL after Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool FC comments
Referee David Coote has been sacked after an expletive-filled video emerged showing him making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) confirmed the termination of the 42-year-old Nottinghamshire official’s employment in a statement on Monday 9 December.
The body, responsible for overseeing match officials, said a thorough investigation had concluded he was “in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable”.
“Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare,” PGMOL’s statement added.
“David Coote has a right to appeal the decision to terminate his employment.”
Coote was suspended by PGMOL after the video first emerged on 11 November and was shared widely across social media.
In the video he calls Klopp a "German ****" and "f***ing arrogant", as well as criticising Liverpool saying "Liverpool were s**t".
He then uses an offensive term to describe Klopp and, asked why he felt that way about the German, Coote says he had “a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown” and “accused me of lying”.
“I have got no interest in speaking to someone who’s f****** arrogant, so I do my best not to speak to him,” Coote adds.
It is unclear when the video was recorded, however the man alleged to be Coote makes reference to lockdown and social distancing.
Klopp left Liverpool in the summer after almost a decade in charge.
The Football Association opened its own investigation into that video, understood to be centred on that last comment and whether Coote’s reference to Klopp’s nationality constituted an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules. That investigation remains ongoing.
The investigation by PGMOL which led to Coote’s contract being terminated is also understood to have looked at another video which appeared to show Coote snorting a white powder, purportedly during Euro 2024 where he was one of the assistant VARs for the tournament.
European football’s governing body UEFA also appointed an ethics investigator to look into the matter.
The FA is also separately investigating an allegation – strenuously denied by Coote - that he discussed the prospect of giving a Leeds player a yellow card with a fan prior to a match in an online conversation.
The Sun alleges after Coote booked the player, he messaged the individual back to say: “I hope you backed as discussed.”
The FA said it was investigating the allegation as “a matter of urgency”.
Coote said: “I strongly refute these false and defamatory allegations. Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life, they have never affected my decision-making on the field.
"I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability.”
PGMOL’s investigation did not look at the allegation related to the Leeds yellow card.
Liverpool have declined to comment.