PGMOL probes video appearing to show ref David Coote in X-rated rant at Jurgen Klopp
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The refereeing association of the Premier League is looking into a video that reportedly captures one of its top referees, David Coote, making derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, labeling him as “f****** arrogant” and using an offensive term.
Videos being shared on social media depict Coote chatting with an unidentified man, who questions the official about his thoughts on a particular Liverpool match.
A man who seems to be Coote expresses, "Liverpool was terrible."
When asked about Klopp, Coote didn't hold back, saying, “I can’t stand him. He’s truly difficult.” He went on to share his experience: “During a match against Burnley in lockdown, he really went after me, claiming I was lying and just generally being quite confrontational. I have no desire to engage with someone who’s so full of themselves. I try to avoid him as much as possible. [James] Milner is fine, though.”
In another video, Coote clarifies, "Just to be clear, that last video absolutely cannot be shared. I'm serious about this."
The Independent cannot confirm the video's content, and neither Coote nor the Professional Game Match Officials Board, which oversees referees, has provided any comments at this time. The PGMOL is currently reviewing the footage.
Coote officiated the game as Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday night. It's not yet known whether the video in question was filmed prior to or after this match.
In the video, Coote seems to mention a game from the 2020/21 season where Liverpool faced Burnley, which ended in a 1-1 tie at Anfield.
Coote served as the VAR during Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Arsenal last December, which was Klopp's last season at Anfield. In that match, the Reds infamously missed out on a penalty when Martin Odegaard handled the ball in the box. Howard Webb, the PGMOL chief, acknowledged that both referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR Coote made a mistake by not awarding a penalty.
