David Coote has made a fool of himself – but worse, he has undermined referees | Paul MacInnes

There’s plenty I’d rather not explore regarding the video of Premier League referee David Coote. I’m not curious about why he appears disheveled at some strange after-party during Covid. I’m not interested in finding out who’s recording him or why, especially as he expresses his apparent disdain for Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp in a way that could embarrass even a sailor. What I really want to understand is what made him think that saying anything at all was a smart move.

Coote has been temporarily removed from his role by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) while an investigation is underway regarding the incident. The officials' organization did not provide any details on the expected duration of this process, but unless the online rumors suggesting the incident was fabricated by AI turn out to be true, the situation seems quite clear-cut. The 42-year-old has tarnished the sport's reputation and is likely facing the possibility of never being able to officiate again.

Honestly, it wouldn't be surprising if things turned out this way. Coote has embarrassed himself in a way that’s hard to understand. In the early 21st century, a man in his late 30s was willing to go on camera and make harsh and likely defamatory comments about one of football's biggest stars and the club he was affiliated with, which is one of the sport's major institutions. To suggest that Coote genuinely thought these comments wouldn’t see the light of day would be an insult to anyone who believes in fairy tales. It’s not just foolish; it’s downright stupid, and it might even show a sense of arrogance—something Coote has publicly criticized. In another video, Coote apparently tells his audience not to share it—saying, “just to be clear, this video can’t go anywhere … seriously”—which makes me want to express approval in an exaggerated way as I write this.

Coote has generally performed reasonably well during his six seasons among the elite group of English referees. He has officiated one international match: Armenia versus Estonia in the 2020 Nations League.

Two seasons ago, he officiated the Carabao Cup final, marking his most significant role as a referee, and it went off without any major issues. However, it seems that his responsibilities as a VAR official have irked Klopp during his time as Liverpool's manager. The most notable grievance was Coote's failure to act on the foul by Jordan Pickford, which led to Virgil van Dijk’s ACL injury. Until recently, there weren't many claims of Coote being biased or incapable; however, that perspective has shifted.

That’s the larger issue with Coote’s actions. He failed himself and the game, but he also fueled a lot of conspiracy theories. Nowadays, many fans enjoy imagining that the authorities have it in for their team, especially during the downtime between matches. It’s not just the supporters; Nottingham Forest showed this when they publicly criticized referee Stuart Attwell, which ultimately led to a hefty £750,000 fine from the FA. This kind of behavior is common, and it often stems from nothing more than a gut feeling.

Thanks to Coote, those concerns can be addressed. If anyone argues that it's unreasonable to believe a referee could let personal grudges affect their job, just refer to this two-minute episode of foolishness as evidence. This serves as clear proof of what referees really believe, especially if you’re already someone who finds them frustrating. Why should I trust them again?

We find ourselves in a time when trust is hard to come by, as many of us grow increasingly wary of others' intentions. Football already faced its share of trust issues, and those concerns are only set to escalate. It's almost comical that a sport that prides itself on its seriousness could see its integrity tarnished by a video featuring an adult attempting to gain the approval of onlookers in a minimalistic room. Unfortunately, while it may seem funny, the impact of this situation is quite serious.