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PREMIER LEAGUE referee David Coote has now been SUSPENDED while the PGMOL investigate a shock video that appears to show him hitting out at Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited says that Coote has been suspended "with immediate effect pending a full investigation".
Two men can be seen in shock video with Liverpool referred to as a "s*** club" and former manager Klopp described as a "German c***".
The full transcript from the two videos that began to circulate on social media on Monday are below.
Coote “cannot recall” abusing Jurgen Klopp in the video rant that seems certain to end his refereeing career.
But the Nottinghamshire official is NOT denying the accuracy of the footage which has gone viral on social media.
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He is understood to not be denying the accuracy of the comments although he has admitted to refs’ chief Howard Webb that he cannot recall all the contents.
The debacle seems almost certain to end with Coote being sacked.
What was said in the alleged David Coote video about Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp?
First video
First man: "What did you think of the Liverpool game earlier when you were fourth official?"
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Second man (allegedly Coote): "Erm Liverpool were s***."
First man: "What did you think of Jurgen Klopp?"
Second man (allegedly Coote): "C***, absolute c***."
First man: "Why would you say that Jurgen Klopp is a c***?"
Second man (allegedly Coote): "Erm, aside from having a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown.
"Then, he accused me of lying and then just had a right f***ing pop at me - and I’ve got no interest in speaking to somebody whose f***ing arrogant.
"So I do my best not to speak to him. [James] Milner is alright, I get on with Milner."
First man: "James Milner, he gets on with James Milner."
Second man (allegedly Coote): "You can see me there with mask on."
First man: "Mask on, obviously."
Second man (allegedly Coote): "Yea Covid, got to be done. Social distancing right? We’re two meters apart."
First man: "We have to social distance."
Second man (allegedly Coote): "Yep, so but [exhales] my God. German c***, f*** me."
First man: "Long story short, Jurgen Klopp’s a c***, Liverpool are all f***ing b******s, we hate Scousers."
Second video
Second man (allegedly Coote): "Right just to be clear, that f***ing last video cant go anywhere, seriously."
First man: He’s a Premier League referee, let's not f***ing ruin his career.
"Like let's face 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."
Second man (allegedly Coote): "So, yeah."
First man: "So lets not ruin his career."
What will happen next?
The PGMOL have confirmed that David Coote has been suspended.
A statement read: "David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation.
"PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete."
It is not yet clear if the PGMOL will take further action against the referee.
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They will need to check if the video is legitimate or a 'deep fake', given Coote's protests that it is not him in the video.
Coote, 42, has been a Premier League ref since April 2018 and belongs to the Select Group of Referees.