PGMOL already punished Coote for Liverpool rant but ‘use of German’ could lead to ‘stiffer sanction’

PGMOL ‘was made aware’ of David Coote’s sweary rant about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp ‘shortly after it was recorded’, according to ‘staggering reports’.

Old video footage surfaced on social media in which a friend asks Coote about a particular Liverpool performance, to which the Premier League referee replied: “Liverpool were s**t.”

Coote continued: “C**t, absolute c**t. Aside from having a right pop at me when I was reffing against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then just had a right f***ing pop at me. I’ve got no interest in speaking to somebody as f***ing arrogant.

“I do my best not to speak to him…my god, German c***t. F*** me.”

The friend then adds: “Long story short, Jurgen Klopp’s a c***t, Liverpool are all f***ing bellends and we hate Scousers.”

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) then suspended Coote as pending investigation.

Reports initially suggested that Coote insisted to his bosses that the video was ‘not genuine’ before ‘accepting’ that he does in fact think Klopp is a c**t.

It has now been claimed that PGMOL have known about the video all along and the Premier League referee was removed from officiating Liverpool in the Premier League.

He did not referee the Reds for nearly four years before taking charge of a match against Brighton in March 2024.

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Journalist Francois Plateau wrote on X: ‘Staggering reports suggest that PGMOL was made aware of a video circulating of David Coote shortly after it was recorded.

‘Coote was allegedly removed from officiating Liverpool matches in the Premier League but later resumed duties in a lesser capacity as a video assistant and fourth official.

‘He was eventually reinstated as a referee for Liverpool in the Premier League, having not officiated a Liverpool match in the league for about four years until he took charge of a game against Brighton at Anfield in March of this year.’

The match in question in the viral video was a 1-1 Premier League draw behind closed doors against Burnley on July 11, 2020.

His next league match refereeing Liverpool came against Brighton on March 31 this year.

Between then, Coote refereed three Carabao Cup and two FA Cup matches involving the Merseyside club.

A report from The Times also claims that Coote could be charged by the Football Association over his use of the word ‘German’ in his Klopp tirade.

This is because ‘references to a person’s nationality can lead to stiffer sanctions’ and Coote is now in danger of ‘an aggravated misconduct charge’.

The report states:

David Coote could face an aggravated misconduct charge by the FA for referring to Jürgen Klopp as a “German c***”, because references to a person’s nationality can lead to stiffer sanctions.

The FA confirmed it has launched its own investigation into Coote after he was suspended by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after a video emerged which appears to show him using foul language to abuse Liverpool and their former manager.

FA rules state that an “aggravated breach” includes a reference “whether express or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin and/or nationality”.

It is highly unusual, and perhaps unprecedented, for a match official to face such an FA charge. Although the video appeared to only be intended for private consumption between friends and was filmed several years ago, that would not prevent the FA from taking action.

“We are aware of the matter, and we are investigating,” an FA spokesman said.