Suspended Premier League ref David Coote’s former colleague breaks silence on what ‘highly-strung’ official, who known as Jurgen Klopp a ‘German ****’ in leaked video, is REALLY like

Former Premier League referee Peter Walton has opened up on what David Coote is really like after controversial remarks he made about Jurgen Klopp in a video went viral.

Coote has been suspended by the PGMOL after footage – which appears to be from several years ago – showed him calling then-Reds boss Klopp a ‘German ****’ and ‘f***ing arrogant’.

The PGMOL has launched an investigation and is looking into the possibility that it is a deep-fake or made using artificial intelligence.

Coote, 42, has now reportedly admitted it is genuine, but does not recall the contents of the entire conversation.

And Walton, who was an official in the top flight between 2003 and 2012 and now works as a refereeing analyst, has provided an insight into the 42-year-old.

Although Walton admitted that suspending Coote after the ‘shocking’ video was the correct action to take, he called for clarity surrounding the clip and claimed it came as a ‘huge surprise’.

Writing in The Times, he said: ‘There are some Premier League referees I consider more loose-lipped, and more laddish in their behaviour away from the public spotlight. David is not one of them.

‘I would have described him as captain sensible, maybe a bit highly-strung at times, and not one of the lads. 

‘Unlike some referees, you rarely see him laughing and joking with players during matches — he is generally very straight-laced. I look at the video and wonder if part of the problem is that he is trying to be someone he is not.’

Walton had direct, albeit limited experience with Coote towards the back end of his career and insisted he was a ‘reasonable choice for mid-level Premier League matches’, claiming ‘you know what to expect from David’. 

Walton went onto highlight that he was worried about the impact the whole episode will have on Premier League referees, highlighting how Coote has been ‘compromised’ by his comments about Klopp and Liverpool.

The 65-year-old also gave his thoughts on Coote’s run-ins with the German over the years and hinted that officials always need to keep their heads whatever the situation they find themselves in.

‘He looks to be one of the more difficult touchline personalities of recent times to manage,’ Walton added. ‘But those are the ones above all that require the referee to remain calm. The language used in the video — assuming all is as it seems — is clearly offensive.’

The PGMOL had confirmed news of Coote’s suspension in a statement on Monday evening. 

It 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.’

The astonishing video, which went viral on social media, appeared to show Coote looking worse for wear as he delivered an explicit rant about the Merseyside club.

‘Liverpool were s***,’ said the man alleged to be Coote 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, the man added: ‘Just to be clear, that f***ing last video cannot go anywhere, seriously.’

The game the man alleged to be Coote is referring to in the video was Liverpool’s controversial 1-1 draw with Burnley back in 2020. 

In the match, which saw Liverpool drop points for the first time at home that season, Andy Robertson was caught on camera angrily confronting Coote in an expletive-laden rant after not being awarded a penalty.

‘How’s that not a penalty is a disgrace,; the Scotsman fumed after the game. ‘How the f*** is that not a penalty? You didn’t see f****** anything. 

‘You didn’t see anything the whole game apart from f****** booking them in the last minute. F*** me. What’s the point in having you in the middle? What’s the point in having you? F*** me. Honestly.’

Coote has been a Premier League referee since 2018 and had plenty of run-ins with Klopp, who left Anfield at the end of last campaign.

Midway through last season during Arsenal‘s clash with Liverpool in December, Klopp vented his fury at Coote and the rest of the match officials after his side were denied a penalty despite Martin Odegaard appearing to handle the ball inside the 18-yard box.

Chris Kavanagh, who was the match referee, waved play on and the game was not stopped for a VAR check by the officials, with Coote confident that the Norwegian only handled the ball in the act of falling, which isn’t deemed punishable by the Premier League’s rules. 

‘Yes I have seen it,’ Klopp fumed after the game. ‘I am pretty sure someone will come to explain it to me why it was not a handball but I don’t know how? I don’t say that the ref can see it because I don’t know where he was in that moment.’

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, possibly it could be worth the referee having another look?’

Howard Webb, head of PGMOL, subsequently admitted that Kavanagh and Coote made a mistake by not awarding Liverpool a penalty during the 1-1 draw.