With David Coote being investigated by the PGMOL, FA and UEFA following two compromising videos, he’s at risk of losing a significant pay packet depending on their verdicts
With David Coote being investigated by the PGMOL, FA and UEFA following two compromising videos, he’s at risk of losing a significant pay packet depending on their verdicts With David Coote being investigated by the PGMOL, FA and UEFA following two compromising videos, he’s at risk of losing a significant pay packet depending on their verdicts
Premier League referee David Coote finds himself under an increasingly intense spotlight as one of the UK’s most high-profile officials.
His role is in serious jeopardy after a week of controversies and allegations. The 42-year-old was suspended by the PGMOL after a clip emerged allegedly showing him making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Following that video, further footage surfaced of Coote allegedly snorting a white powder with a bank note. That video was reportedly taken while he was on duty at the European Championships in France this summer.
Coote currently receives a hefty salary from PGMOL and often takes charge of some of the the country’s biggest encounters, including the Carabao Cup final in 2023. So as the controversy involving one of the Premier League’s most senior officials rumbles on, Mirror Football takes a look at his overarching situation.
What is David Coote’s salary?
Referees in the Premier League are paid between £73,191 and £147,258 per year and this is based on their experience and ranking. Officials also receive a match fee of £1,116 per game, or £837 if they’re working as the video assistant referee.
According to The Athletic, referees can earn bonuses based off the quality of their performance. This is judged using ‘key match incidents’, meaning the more they get correct then the higher the fee they receive.
A report from The Sun claims Coote is currently paid £100,000 a year. The highest paid Premier League official of all time is believed to be Mike Dean. The 56-year-old was reportedly earning an annual summary of £200,000 in his final years as a top-flight official.
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What allegations is David Coote facing?
Coote was allegedly caught on camera in a verbal tirade aimed at Klopp and Liverpool in which he referred to the 57-year-old as a “German c**t”. He also appeared to claim that Liverpool were “s**t” in a match that he had overseen.
In an exchange with a man sitting next to him, Coote, speaking about an interaction with Klopp, can be seen to say: “C**t, absolute c**t. Aside from having a right pop at me when I was reffing against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then just had a right f*****g pop at me. I’ve got no interest in speaking to somebody as f*****g arrogant. I do my best not to speak to him…my god, German c***t. F**k me.”
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After the release of the video, which is believed to have been taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, PGMOL swiftly acted to suspend Coote and immediately launched their investigation. “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation,” their statement read. “PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete.”
UEFA also took action against the official by removing him from their list of referees for the upcoming international fixtures. Events then took a further twist with a second video allegedly showed Coote snorting a white powder. According to The Sun, the eight-second WhatsApp video allegedly shows him using a rolled up US bank note to snort a four-inch line of what appears to be a white substance.
It was said to be taken on July 6 this year, a day after France faced Portugal in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals – a fixture in which Coote had been acting as a support VAR official. In response to the latest allegations, a PGMOL spokesperson insisted they were taking them ‘very seriously’.
They added Coote remains under investigation, but is being offered support. “We aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation,” a spokesperson told Mirror Football.
“David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period. We are not in a position to comment further at this stage.”
A spokesperson for UEFA told Mirror Football: “The UEFA Referees Committee immediately suspended David Coote until further notice on 11 November – in advance of the upcoming round of UEFA matches – when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour.”
What punishment could David Coote receive?
PGMOL could now suspend Coote for an extended period of time or even remove him from his duty as an official altogether. As well as the impending investigation by PGMOL, Coote could now also face the wrath of the Football Association.
According to The Times, the FA will conduct their own separate investigation for the use of the word “German”, which could lead to an aggravated misconduct charge. FA rules state that an “aggravated breach” includes a reference “whether expressed or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin and/or nationality”.
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An FA spokesperson said: “We are aware of the matter, and we are investigating.” It’s believed that Coote is now considering quitting his role as one of the Premier League’s highest ranking officials before he is sacked, with the referee admitting that the first video, in which he made the comments about Klopp, is genuine.
There’s been various opinions on what fate Coote should face. Prior to the second video, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville insisted that the 42-year-old shouldn’t be sacked, while former Premier League referee Mike Dean also believed there could be a way back for Coote. But the footage of him allegedly snorting a white substance at the Euros could make his position untenable.
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