Not only was his tirade against Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool utterly mindless, it could cause lasting damage to the game

There is lots I do not want to know about the video featuring the Premier League referee David Coote. I do not want to know why it looks like he’s at a bleary-eyed after-party at some random guy’s house during Covid. I do not want to know who’s filming using the phone, and why, as Coote reveals his apparent loathing of Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp in language that would make a fishmonger blush. What I do want to know is what the hell persuaded him that opening his mouth at all was in any way a good idea.

Coote has been suspended from his position by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) pending the outcome of an investigation into what took place. The referee’s organisation was not going to comment on Monday about how long this process might take, but unless internet rumours of the whole thing being AI generated come true then it would appear the outcome is straightforward. The 42-year-old has brought the sport into disrepute and is surely at serious risk of never being allowed to referee again.