Gary Neville believes David Coote should remain as a Premier League referee despite the leaked video which threatens to end his career.
The Manchester United legend has argued that Coote, 42, should be taken off Liverpool games but thinks cancelling his career is a step too far.
Coote is in hot water after a video of him branding Jurgen Klopp a ‘German ****’ and Liverpool ‘s***’ emerged and he has been suspended by the PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing games in England.
Many have defended Coote’s right to let off steam in private but others have questioned how much he and other officials can be trusted to be impartial.
‘For David Coote to be removed from Liverpool games, I think, (that) would be a good step,’ Neville told the It’s Called Soccer podcast.
Gary Neville has called for Premier League referee David Coote to keep his job but be kept away from officiating Liverpool games after his expletive rant
Coote (above) described Jurgen Klopp as a ‘German ****’ in a foul-mouthed tirade during the video and has since been suspended by refereeing chiefs PGMOL while they investigate
‘In employment law – and I’m not an employment lawyer – but if you call someone a name, I feel like it’s a warning. A second warning, a final warning. I don’t feel like it’s an axe, (nor that) it’s a sack.
‘I feel like taking him off Liverpool games and giving him a final warning is probably something that should happen but I don’t feel he should lose his career and everything he’s worked all his life for.
‘I don’t feel he’s crossed that line; that line that I feel would have been crossed if he’d said, “I’m not giving Liverpool another decision again.” That’s it, he’s done, he’s out of there.
‘But he actually just doesn’t like the character of a certain (former) guy at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp. He actually said he liked James Milner, who was also a Liverpool player. I don’t know, I’m a bit stuck on it.
‘For me, you’re stepping into a workplace environment and thinking, would you want to see your team-mate lose their job for that? I’m not sure I would for that.’
The PGMOL are investigating the video and Coote’s future will be decided accordingly.
He has reportedly admitted that it is genuine but does not remember the full contents of the conversation.
The 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 victory over Aston Villa at the weekend
He and former Liverpool boss Klopp had several runs in with each other over the years
‘Liverpool were s***,’ Coote said in the video. ‘(Klopp is a) ****, absolute ****. Aside from having a right pop at me when I was refereeing them against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then had a right f***ing pop of me.
‘I have no interest in speaking to someone who is f***ing arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him. (James) Milner is all right, I get on with him. You can see me there with a ‘mask’ on. But, my god, German ****, f*** me.’
In a second video, he said: ‘Just to be clear, that f***ing last video cannot go anywhere, seriously.’
His friend in the video, identified by Mail Sport as Ben Kitt, added: ‘He’s a Premier League referee, let’s not ‘f***ing ruin his career. Let’s face it, we’re good blokes but we can’t ruin a bloke’s career. We’re not that bad. Also, he’s a f***ing legend.’
Some fans have suggested that Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Burnley in July 2020 could be the root of the controversy after Andy Robertson had strong words with Coote at full time, with Klopp also appearing frustrated.
‘You didn’t see anything in the whole game apart from (inaudible) in the last minute,’ the Scottish defender says. ‘F*** me. What’s the point of having youse in the middle? What’s the point in having you? F*** me, honestly.’
While the microphones clearly picked up Robertson’s words, it is not clear from the footage what Klopp says as he leans towards Coote and walks alongside him.
In another video from the same post-match scenes, Trent Alexander-Arnold says: ‘…(if) it’s not a penalty (…) the contact echoed round the f***ing stadium.’
