The football world is abuzz with developments both on and off the pitch. Former Premier League referee David Coote is facing serious repercussions for past misconduct, while Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has publicly addressed the controversial sacking of Ange Postecoglou.
David Coote, who was dismissed from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December, has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for comments he made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. The charges relate to a video recorded in July 2020, which surfaced on social media in November 2024. In the video, Coote is heard making derogatory remarks about Klopp, including references to his nationality. The FA has deemed this an "aggravated breach" of its rules, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality.
The FA's statement reads that Coote has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to the comments he made about Jurgen Klopp in the video. It's alleged that the referee acted improperly and/or used abusive and/or insulting words. The FA also confirmed that no charges would be brought against Coote regarding separate allegations of gambling misconduct, which were fully investigated. Coote has also been banned by UEFA until June 30, 2026, following a separate video showing him appearing to use cocaine.
Coote's offensive remarks included calling Klopp a "German c" and "f arrogant." He also described his experience as a fourth official at a Liverpool match as "s." In January, Coote came out as gay and said that a lifelong struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to the rant about Klopp and his drug use. He stated, "My sexuality isn't the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I'm not telling an authentic story if I don't say that I'm gay and that I've had real struggles with hiding that."
Meanwhile, Daniel Levy has spoken publicly for the first time about Tottenham's decision to sack Ange Postecoglou. The Australian manager was relieved of his duties earlier in June, just weeks after leading the club to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final, ending their 17-year trophy drought. Despite this success, Levy insisted that the decision to sack Postecoglou was "the right one" for the club's future.
Levy explained that the decision was a "collective" one made by the board. He expressed gratitude to Postecoglou, stating, "I'm very grateful to Ange, I don't regret appointing Ange. In his first season, we finished fifth, and in our second finish, we were over the moon to win a trophy." However, he emphasized that Tottenham's ambitions extend beyond winning the Europa League. "But it's not enough," Levy said. "It's what we haven't done that is more important, we need to win the league. We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League. We want to win."
Tottenham moved swiftly to replace Postecoglou, hiring Thomas Frank from Brentford. Levy highlighted Frank's intelligence, communication skills, and technical expertise as key factors in his appointment. Levy stated, "Whenever you have a new coach it's always a fresh start. You always have different ideas. But we want to build on the success of winning a trophy last season. One of the things that stood out to me with Thomas is that he's clearly highly intelligent. Great communicator. Super human being. Plus all the other technical aspects that are obviously important."
