Tribal Football

Liverpool hero Aldridge: If true, Coote can never referee again

Paul Vegas
Liverpool hero Aldridge: If true, Coote can never referee again
Liverpool hero Aldridge: If true, Coote can never referee againAction Plus
Liverpool hero John Aldridge believes referee David Coote's career is over.

A video of Coote slating Liverpool and former manager Jurgen Klopp has emerged over the past 24 hours, which has seen the referees body, PGMOL, suspend him while the situation is being investigated.

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Meanwhile, Aldridge wrote for the Liverpool Echo: "The viral X-rated videos of David Coote that dominated social media on Monday have once again brought the state of refereeing in the Premier League under the spotlight. He’s now understood to have admitted that it is him, and questions over his officiating of Liverpool games are something he will never be able to escape now those videos are out there.

"I’ve spoken about my problems with officiating in the Premier League time and time again in this column. For him to say what he has said in those videos, it’s condemning.

"If it all turns out to be true, in my opinion he’s bang to rights and can never referee ever again. Not a chance. His authority and neutrality would be seriously damaged.

"Referees should not behave like that.

"Of course, there is no evidence to suggest that his outburst is anything to do with his own personal allegiances. But I have always said that referees should publicly declare who they support.

"There are only a few, like Jeff Winter from Middlesbrough, who ever came out and admitted their allegiance. All the others, they are said to support Altrincham, Bishop’s Stortford, Hartlepool, Bognor Regis - all these obscure teams.

"They are in the game because they love football and they’ve always supported their football team.

"But let’s be honest, if referees came out and said who they really supported, it would kick up a right stink. They would be under even more scrutiny in the public eye.

"But that’s just tough in my opinion - they should come out and say who they support, they should clarify it but they never will."