Liverpool are not the bad guys in tawdry David Coote saga and real issue can't be ignored

It has been a switch in narrative of which even the greatest crime novelists would be proud. And all within the space of less than 48 hours.

On Monday afternoon a video emerged on social media of Premier League referee David Coote engaged in a potty-mouthed discussion with a friend - subsequently identified as former Nottinghamshire cricketer Ben Kitt - during which he made disparaging remarks about both Liverpool and their former boss Jurgen Klopp.

Coote was swiftly suspended pending an investigation by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). But by Tuesday evening, the conversation had started to shift in some significant quarters away from the referee to instead focus on the target of his X-rated outbursts.

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Klopp, long gone from English football, has been lambasted by several commentators for his behaviour in the dugout while Liverpool and in particular Andy Robertson - who took umbrage with Coote during a lockdown clash with Burnley - were also criticised.

That game, in July 2020, saw both Klopp and Robertson confront Coote at the end of his first Liverpool game as referee. Robertson was unhappy he hadn't been awarded a penalty while Klopp took umbrage at a lack of protection for Alisson Becker. With no crowd present, every word was caught on camera. Curiously, Coote didn't referee another Liverpool game in the Premier League for almost four years.

Some of the unseemly behaviour of those involved was addressed and condemned at the time, while Klopp during his Liverpool tenure faced several disciplinary commissions. But it's an example of how, as with many, many other managers and players, passions can often overstep the mark in the Premier League.

It therefore seems unnecessarily opportunist to attempt to turn the spotlight on Liverpool for a situation that is very much not of their making.

So to the real crux of the issue. Coote has every right to an opinion, just like everyone. Indeed, his claim that Liverpool were 's**t' could be described as pretty generous if, as is believed, he was referring to the 7-2 Premier League loss at Aston Villa in October 2020. The Reds were absolutely appalling that day. And he certainly won't be the only person to have been rubbed up the wrong way by Klopp.

What's done for the referee is his use of the word "German" when being particularly dismissive of Klopp. The welcome desire to banish racism and xenophobia means there will be no way back from that, certainly not in the domestic game.

Of course, Klopp privately has his own views on Coote, similar to every manager on every referee. And supporters and the media regularly pass judgement on the official and his colleagues. We were all doing it on Saturday evening as Coote made a number of, er, interesting calls during Liverpool's 2-0 home win over Villa.

But while Coote naturally has his opinion on Klopp and others, the difference is he is in a position of control. He decides what happens to managers and players, not vice-versa. So once his views on individuals become public, it's over. Just a shred of doubt over impartiality is sufficient. Howard Webb, the head of the PGMOL, may want officials to be more transparent, but the extent to which Coote has become virtually see-through serves no purpose to anyone.

Inevitably, supporters have been scouring past games to find signs of a conspiracy by Coote against Liverpool, instantly drawn to the lack of punishment for Jordan Pickford's season-ending challenge on Virgil van Dijk or the non-handball of Martin Odegaard. Both were, as most have agreed, major errors of judgement.

But the same could perhaps be achieved when assessing the performances of any referee. These fans are simply seeing what they want to see.

Think about it. Why would a paid professional go out of their way to be biased against one of the most high-profile teams in the world given the intense spotlight and multitude of cameras that highlight every decision? It wouldn't take long before a rat was smelt and the referee was booted out of the game in disgrace.

Such conspiracy chat is as misguided as those waving banners claiming Premier League corruption against their team, the new shorthand for simply feeling your club is not being treated as you would prefer.

Coote isn't corrupt. He just isn't as good at his job as many of his peers. A job which, by the way, fewer people are particularly keen to pursue at grass roots. Given the prominence of the VAR role has offered another potential route to abuse for officials - even in the modern era, other than those with pointy elbows, who can remember the name of an assistant referee? - small wonder there's a slowdown in the uptake. But while fast becoming a thankless task, there can be no game without officials. We need them, so to almost certainly lose one in such a way as Coote is a concern.

Ultimately, the manner in which the footage has been leaked more than four years on suggests Coote's chief mistake may end up being his trust in another human being, a universal issue for everyone.

This is his error and his alone. So attempting to paint Liverpool as the bad guys in a tawdry episode and use Coote's indiscretion as a stick with which to beat the club's past and present is, quite frankly, preposterous.