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  • February 14, 2025
Referee told dismissal was ‘inevitable’ after ‘stupid’ revelations about Liverpool, Klopp and Euro 2024

Referee told dismissal was ‘inevitable’ after ‘stupid’ revelations about Liverpool, Klopp and Euro 2024

A former Premier League referee says it was “inevitable” that official David Coote was sacked as a result of his “stupid” actions.

The England referee was initially suspended by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in November after he was caught on video making derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former boss Jurgen Klopp, and subsequently for appearing to be a white powder at Euro 2024 to sniff.

The PGMOL confirmed that the 42-year-old had been dismissed on Monday, saying a thorough investigation had found that he had “seriously breached the terms of his employment contract, as a result of which his position was deemed untenable”.

Now ex-referee Keith Hackett, who officiated in the Premier League between 1992 and 1994, has given his opinion on Coote’s dismissal, saying the whole affair was ‘damaging’.

Hackett told it Football insider: “When we first saw that set of video clips it was damaging to the reputation of English referees. It is understood that following their investigation, the PGMOL are satisfied that Mr Coote is guilty of breaching his terms and conditions of employment.

“The PGMOL has emphasized that they have an ongoing duty of care to David Coote and that he has the right to appeal. It is a long road to reach the top referee with many years of dedication and a stupid action on his part has resulted in the inevitable action of his employer, the PGMOL.”

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The decision of the PGMOL

Despite Coote’s dismissal, the PGMOL said they would continue to support the disgraced referee and remain “committed to his well-being”.

The governing body added that Coote, who appeared to call Klopp a German ‘c***’ and Liverpool ‘s***’ in a video released in November, has the right to appeal the decision.

A statement from PGMOL reads: “Following the conclusion of a thorough investigation into David Coote’s conduct, his employment with PGMOL has today been terminated with immediate effect.

“David Coote’s actions were found to be a serious breach of the terms of his employment contract, resulting in his position being deemed untenable. Supporting David Coote remains important to us and we remain committed to his well-being.

“David Coote has the right to appeal the decision to terminate his employment.”

What does the future of Coote look like?

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said Coote’s position was “untenable” after these incidents came to light.

He told it Sky Sports News: “It’s about making sure he’s okay. After the investigation, his position was untenable. We have a code of conduct that we as referees must sign. They agree to live a life different from what we’ve seen in the last four weeks.

‘When you see what happened, it must have been as much of a shock to him as it was to everyone else, considering some of these videos are four or five years old. He agreed that it was him, but when it came out he must have been as shocked as anyone.

“Then you see it unfold and you can imagine the personal trauma he’s going through, the turmoil in his mind. What they had to do is ensure that his well-being is as important as making the right decision and the right conclusion in this process.”

It remains to be seen whether Coote, whose last match was Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League on November 9, will ever referee another match.