Premier League referee David Coote was fired this Monday (9) after the English refereeing body considered his position “untenable” following a video becoming public in which he criticized and insulted former Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp .
Coote, 42, was suspended last month after a video circulated on social media in which he called Klopp “arrogant” and used offensive language.
“After completing an in-depth investigation into David Coote’s conduct, his employment with PGMOL (English Association of Professional Referees) has been terminated today (Monday) with immediate effect,” the body said in a statement.
“David Coote’s actions are considered a serious breach of the conditions of his employment contract, making his position untenable,” the statement added, although it insists that “supporting David Coote remains important to us and we remain committed to his welfare “.
Coote’s statements that appeared in the video may refer to a match he refereed between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020, which ended 1-1.
After that match, Klopp criticized Coote, saying the referee was too lenient with the Burnley players.
Coote is also being investigated by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) following a video in which he appeared to smell white powder during Euro 2024, a tournament in which he served as a referee.
In turn, the English Federation (FA) is also investigating an alleged conversation between Coote and a fan in which the referee agreed to show a yellow card during an English second division match.
The last Premier League match he played in was Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on 9 November.
