PGMOL boss Howard Webb has confirmed that “a full investigation” will be carried out after a leaked video of Premier League official David Coote emerged online.
Coote has been suspended by refereeing chiefs after footage, which appears to be several years old, showed him calling then Reds boss Klopp a “German whore” and “f***ing arrogant”.
PGMOL, the body responsible for match refereeing in England, is investigating the authenticity of the images in question, as Webb confirmed on Tuesday night.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Mic’d Up show, Webb said: “We became aware, Leon (Osman), of a video that was circulating on social media which we are taking very seriously.
‘We have launched a full investigation. One of our referees, David Coote, has been suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of that investigation.
PGMOL boss Howard Webb (pictured) has broken his silence over the emergence of a controversial leaked video of Premier League official David Coote.
Coote (above) described Jurgen Klopp as a ‘fucking German’ in a foul-mouthed tirade during the video and has since been suspended by PGMOL refereeing bosses while they investigate.
Coote (left) tells the camera “that damn last video can’t go anywhere” in the second video posted online, while the man identified as Kitt (right) says “let’s not ruin his fucking career.”
“There’s not much more I can say at this point until we’ve worked through that investigation.”
The PGMOL confirmed that Coote has been suspended with immediate effect in a statement on Monday.
It said: ‘David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation. PGMOL will not comment further until the process is complete.
The shocking video, which has gone viral on social media, appears to show Coote looking shabby as he rants explicitly about the Merseyside club.
“Liverpool were shit,” the man Coote allegedly said in the video. ‘(Klopp is a) bastard, absolute bastard. Apart from punching me when I was refereeing against Burnley in the lockdown, he accused me of lying and then punched me.
‘I have no interest in talking to someone who is fucking arrogant. So I try my best not to talk to him. (James) Milner is fine, I get on well with him. You can see me there with a ‘mask’ on. But, my God, you German bastard, fuck me.
In a second video, the man added: “Just to be clear, that last video can’t go anywhere, seriously.”
Coote has been a Premier League referee since 2018 and has since had many clashes with Klopp, who left Anfield at the end of last season.
Midway through last season, during Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool in December, Klopp vented his fury at Coote and the rest of the referees after his team were denied a penalty despite Martin Odegaard appearing to handle the penalty. ball inside the 18-yard area.
Coote and former Liverpool boss Klopp had several falling outs over the years.
Coote was the man in charge during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa this weekend.
Chris Kavanagh, who was the match referee, signaled for play to continue and play was not stopped by the referees for a VAR check, with Coote confident that the Norwegian only touched the ball in the act of falling, which he did not. It is considered punishable by the Premier League rules.
“Yes, I’ve seen it,” Klopp fumed after the game. “I’m pretty sure someone will come and explain to me why it wasn’t a handball, but I don’t know how. I’m not saying the referee can see it because I don’t know where he was at the time.”
Referring to Coote’s role in the incident, he added: “But how can a guy in an office see that and not come to the conclusion that maybe it’s worth the referee taking another look?”
Howard Webb, director of PGMOL, later admitted that Kavanagh and Coote made a mistake by not awarding a penalty to Liverpool during the 1-1 draw.