A video showing referee David Coote criticizing Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp circulated on social networks. The content appeared on the platform X, but the exact moment of recording is not clear, leaving spectators and analysts with questions about when the exchange took place and in what context it occurred.
The clip features Coote, who served as a substitute official in a recent Liverpool match, claiming that the Reds were playing terribly. When questioned about Klopp in the same informal setting, he described the manager as a scumbag, a complete scumbag. The recording appears to have been made during a private chat among friends, with no verified date or place for the conversation. The emergence of the video has prompted further discussion about boundaries between match officials and managers and how off field comments might influence perceptions of the game.
In response, Klopp was quoted or paraphrased as saying that Coote had previously criticized his work during a match against Burnley held during lockdown and had accused him of lying. Klopp reportedly asserted that he does not engage with arrogant individuals and makes a point to avoid conversations that feel disrespectful or unproductive. The language attributed to Klopp underlines the strain that can arise when professional relationships fray and when public narratives collide with private conversations that later surface online.
PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing in England, said it was investigating the incident and that Coote had been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry. The move aligns with established procedures designed to review potential breaches of conduct by match officials, and it signals that the governing authorities are treating the matter with formal seriousness rather than allowing it to drift unresolved. A note from the federation indicates that the investigation will examine the full sequence of events, including the context in which the remarks were made and any supporting evidence that can clarify intent. This marks a standard disciplinary pathway in English football where comments made in private settings can still trigger official scrutiny and potential sanctions.
Klopp has been in charge of Liverpool since 2015. After the end of the 2023/2024 season, he stepped aside as the club’s manager, with Arne Slot from the Netherlands taking the helm. Under Klopp’s leadership, Liverpool enjoyed a period of substantial success, lifting the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup. The record of those achievements has solidified Klopp’s status among the club’s most influential figures, even as the recent controversy has shifted attention toward the relationship between managers, officials, and the media in a high pressure league. The transition to Slot has been framed by supporters and analysts as a new chapter for the club, one that will be watched closely as the team contends with evolving competition and a shifting competitive landscape across European football.
Previously RFU and UEFA discussed the future of Russian clubs, a reminder that governance and strategic questions about club participation and competition formats continue to shape the broader football ecosystem beyond England. Such conversations illustrate how administrative and regulatory developments in one country can influence the tone and direction of the sport across multiple leagues and federations. Observers note that the current incident involving Coote and Klopp sits within a wider context of ongoing debates about accountability, performance standards, and the professional conduct expected of officials in elite football. The episode thus becomes part of a larger narrative about how institutions respond to sensitive moments that play out in public, both on and off the pitch, and how those responses affect the game’s credibility among fans, players, and coaches alike.