Referees’ chief believes David Coote still ‘deserves’ role in English football
Referees’ chief believes David Coote still ‘deserves’ role in English football
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David Coote “deserves” to have a continued role in English football, the chair of the Referees’ Association has said. Coote’s contract as an elite referee with Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) was terminated last month after a video emerged showing him making derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former manager Jürgen Klopp. A separate video also showed Coote taking cocaine.
In an interview with the Sun, released on Monday evening, Coote came out as gay and said his struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to his making bad choices, such as the video about Liverpool, and his use of drugs. Coote remains one of the most highly regarded video assistant referees in Europe, and is keen when the time is right to have a role related to officiating, if not an on-field one. Paul Field, the chair of the RA, which looks after the welfare of referees at all levels, has seen the work Coote has done with young officials and hopes that experience is not lost to the English game.
“He deserves to have a role,” Field said. “The work he does with young people is exemplary. He’s an unbelievable tutor. He puts so much time and effort into the up-and-coming grassroots officials. He has a magnificent role to offer in terms of coaching, mentoring and support.
“I’d love for him to stay in the UK. I’d love him to be part of the English Football Association, training, mentoring, out of the public light to look after himself. He has so much to offer. I don’t think he knows how much respect he has from other referees for the work he has done.”.
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