David Coote has reportedly been axed by UEFA following the emergence of a controversial video. Premier League referee Coote is reportedly "devastated" after footage showed him uttering an expletive-laden insult aimed at former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, referring to him as a "German c***."
This incident led to his immediate suspension by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), who are conducting an in-depth investigation—with Coote's job on the line.
UEFA acted swiftly, dropping Coote from his scheduled Nations League assignment, per the Mirror. Coote had recently taken the role of VAR official for the Champions League clash between PSV Eindhoven and Girona, having been considered one of England’s top referees.
However, he now faces a career crisis as details regarding the authenticity of the video come to light - he has privately confirmed its legitimacy to his superiors.
The Football Association are poised to launch a separate inquiry, with the potential use of nationalistic slurs likely to exacerbate Coote’s disciplinary woes.
The PGMOL seeks clarity on the video's context and timeline, evaluating further action, while the refereeing community reels from the fallout.
Mike Dean, a former Premier League referee who has now transitioned to commentary with Sky Sports, expressed that the scandal has severely impacted the reputation of referees.
He disclosed that after reaching out to Coote, who is struggling to salvage his professional standing, he received a personal reply that Dean chose to keep confidential.
Dean elaborated on Sky Sports: "He'll be devastated, it's damaging for everyone involved. I texted him yesterday just to see how he was, he replied with a message which I wouldn’t share.
"I don’t think it’s damaged his career beyond repair. It’s something that’s never happened before and the PGMOL will have to have a very close look at what’s happened.
"What was said, how it happened, where he was when he did the video and I’d like to think that they can come to some kind of agreement.
"It’s also down to David, it depends on David, would he want to carry on because it doesn’t just affect him but his friends and his family as well.
"So does he want to put himself through it again, start refereeing again whether it’s the Championship, then get back into the Premier League but it will be hard to come back.
"He’ll be devastated, most of the referees will be devastated that someone has gone and done this video. Then to release it three or four years after it has supposedly been done but I’m very surprised by that.
"I think referees, assistants, coaches would have reached out to him and I think it’s something that’s never happened before. I’ve got a rough idea of what the process is and it’s one of those things that you never expect to see.
"You might see one or two things in general chat with colleagues but you don’t put something like this on video.
"He obviously says this video can never come out, you just hope it never does and unfortunately for David, it has come out three or four years if it’s verified."
