Who is David Coote? Referee suspended after apparent tirade against Liverpool
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Premier League referee David Coote has been put on suspension following the release of a video that seems to show him using offensive language towards Jurgen Klopp, referring to him in a derogatory manner and criticizing Liverpool.
Video shared on social media seems to depict Coote chatting with an unidentified man, who inquires about his thoughts on a particular Liverpool match. The individual, who seems to be Coote, answers, “Liverpool were terrible.” When asked about Klopp, he says, “He’s a jerk. Complete jerk.”
On Monday afternoon, PGMOL announced, "David Coote has been temporarily suspended while a thorough investigation takes place. We will refrain from making any additional comments until the investigation concludes."
The Independent has been unable to confirm the accuracy or genuineness of the video.
So, who exactly is referee Coote, who is 42 years old, and for how long has he been officiating matches in the Premier League?
Coote, a confirmed supporter of Notts County by the PGMOL last year, began his refereeing career at the age of 16 in Nottinghamshire. He progressed through the ranks, moving from the Notts Alliance League to the National League and eventually to the EFL.
In 2010, he earned a spot on the roster of EFL referees and officiated the League One play-off final at Wembley Stadium in 2014. In that match, Rotherham United triumphed over Leyton Orient in a penalty shootout.
Coote moved up to officiate in the Premier League in April 2018, overseeing West Brom's win over Newcastle United. A few months later, he advanced to the Premier League’s Select Group 1, which represents the highest level of refereeing in England.
The official from Nottinghamshire officiated the Liverpool vs. Burnley match that ended in a 1-1 tie in July 2020. During that game, both Andy Robertson and Klopp expressed their frustration with Coote after the final whistle. It is thought that this is the game mentioned in the video that reportedly features Coote.
"How is it possible for a goalkeeper to be blocked by three players every time a corner is taken?" Klopp remarked later.
"That's not how things ought to be. Clearly, the referee didn't see it as a foul or an issue, which is why he didn't blow the whistle in those instances. I mentioned this to him, but I later understood that it didn't affect the outcome of the game."
A couple of months later, Coote served as the video assistant referee (VAR) during the contentious Merseyside Derby in October 2020, where Jordan Pickford's tackle on Virgil van Dijk was not penalized.
Van Dijk suffered a tear in his anterior cruciate ligament, leaving Klopp puzzled that Coote didn’t advise on-field referee Michael Oliver to review the video for a possible red card for Pickford.
"I clearly saw it was a penalty, and when the flag went up, I expected they would review the foul, but that never occurred," Klopp remarked.
"I can't say for sure that Jordan Pickford intended to make that move, but it's definitely not something a goalkeeper should attempt in the penalty area."
Coote served as the VAR for the 1-1 match between Liverpool and Arsenal last December, which was part of Klopp's last season at Anfield. In that game, the Reds felt wronged when they were denied a penalty after Martin Odegaard handled the ball in the box.
Howard Webb, the leader of the PGMOL, acknowledged that both referee Chris Kavanagh and the VAR official, Coote, made an error by not giving a penalty.
The most notable match he has refereed, in terms of prestige, was the 2023 Carabao Cup final, where Manchester United secured a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium.
Recently, Coote officiated Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday night.
Last month, he was the referee for West Ham's 2-1 victory over Manchester United, where the Hammers received a penalty during stoppage time. This match ultimately became the final game for Erik ten Hag as manager of Manchester United.
