Gary Neville gives his verdict on whether David Coote should lose his job – after suspended Premier League referee called Jurgen Klopp a ‘German ****’ and Liverpool ‘s***’
Gary Neville believes David Coote should remain as a Premier League referee despite the leaked video that threatens to end his career.
The Manchester United legend argued that 42-year-old Coote should be removed from Liverpool matches but believes canceling his career is a step too far.
Coote is in trouble after a video emerged of him branding Jurgen Klopp a ‘German ****’ and Liverpool a ‘***’ and he has been suspended by the PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing matches in England .
Neville spoke before a second video emerged on Wednesday evening showing the official allegedly snorting a line of white powder.
“If David Coote is removed from Liverpool games I think that would be a good move,” Neville told the club. It’s called football podcast.
Gary Neville has called on Premier League referee David Coote to keep his job but stay away from officiating Liverpool matches after his abuse
Coote (above) described Jurgen Klopp as a ‘German ****’ in a foul-mouthed rant during the video and has since been suspended by referees chief PGMOL while they investigate
‘In employment law – and I’m not an employment lawyer – but if you swear at someone, I feel like it’s a warning. A second warning, a final warning. I don’t feel like it’s an axe, nor do I feel like it’s a bag.
‘I feel like taking him out of the Liverpool games and giving him a final warning is probably something that should happen, but I don’t feel like he’s losing his career and everything he’s worked for all his life. must lose.
“I don’t feel like he crossed that line; I think that line would have been crossed if he had said: ‘I’m not giving Liverpool another decision.’ That’s it, he’s done, he’s out of there.
‘But actually he just doesn’t like the character of a certain (former) Liverpool man, Jurgen Klopp. He actually said he liked James Milner, who was also a Liverpool player. I don’t know, I’m kind of stuck with it.
‘For me, you enter a work environment and you think: would you want your teammate to lose his job over that? I’m not sure I would do that.’
The PGMOL is investigating both videos and Coote’s future will be decided accordingly.
He has reportedly admitted that the first video is real, but does not remember the full content of the conversation.
The first viral video shows Coote looking worse for wear as he delivers an explicit rant about Liverpool and Klopp.
Coote was the man in charge during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend
He and former Liverpool boss Klopp have clashed several times over the years
“Liverpool was damned,” Coote said in the video. ‘(Klopp is a) ****, absolutely ****. Apart from right-clicking me when I refereed against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then got a bloody punch from me.
“I’m not interested in talking to someone who’s damn arrogant. That’s why I try my best not to talk to him. (James) Milner is doing well, I get on with him. You see me there with a ‘mask’ on. But my god, German, fuck me.”
In a second video, he said, “Just to be clear, that damn last video isn’t going anywhere, seriously.”
His friend in the video, identified by Mail Sport as Ben Kitt, added: ‘He’s a Premier League referee, let’s not ruin his career. Let’s face it, we’re good guys, but we can’t ruin a guy’s career. We’re not that bad. Besides, he’s a legend.’
Some fans have suggested Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Burnley in July 2020 could be the cause of the controversy after Andy Robertson had strong words with Coote at full-time, with Klopp also appearing frustrated.
“You haven’t seen anything the whole game except (inaudible) in the last minute,” the Scotland defender said. ‘F*** me. What’s the point of having you in the middle? What’s the point of having you? F*** me, honestly.”
Although the microphones clearly picked up Robertson’s words, it is not clear from the footage what Klopp is saying as he leans towards Coote and walks next to him.
In another video from the same scenes after the match, Trent Alexander-Arnold says: ‘…(if) it’s not a penalty (…) the contact echoed through the damn stadium.’