Richard Keys slams ‘sneaky weasel’ for leaking David Coote video

Richard Keys has urged PGMOL to go easy on disgraced referee David Coote and slammed the ‘sneaky weasel’ who leaked the video that has landed the match official in hot water.

Footage which began to circulate online on Monday appears to show Coote making highly derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, including reference to the German’s nationality, and the Anfield club.

The FA has launched an investigation that will focus on Coote’s remark about Klopp’s nationality and whether it constitutes an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules.

Coote, meanwhile, was suspended by PGMOL on Monday pending a full investigation.

‘We became aware of a video which was being circulated on social media that we are taking very seriously,’ PGMOL chief Howard Webb told Match Officials Mic’d Up on Sky Sports.

‘We have instigated a full investigation and one of our referees, David Coote, has been suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of that investigation. There isn’t much more I can say pending the outcome of that investigation.’

The other man in the video has been confirmed as Ben Kitt, who works for executive search firm Forsyth Barnes.

‘This is something that we are taking very seriously and we have suspended Ben on full pay while we investigate further,’ company co-founder Roheel Ahmad said in a statement.

‘Although we are still in the process of gathering all the facts, we do know for certain that the video was taken some years before Ben became an employee of Forsyth Barnes.’

While it is unclear whether or not Kitts was responsible for the video ending up in the public domain, Keys believes Coote was stitched up and shouldn’t lose his job over the scandal.

He wrote on his blog: ‘Coote has been silly – that’s all. He should never ever have made the video that some sneaky weasel has leaked in order to cause him harm. Tick. I’ve been there too.

‘What he said wasn’t smart, but if the recording was made on the evening of his clash with Klopp (as I’ve read) no wonder he was all fired up. How often have we been told refs are only human?

‘We all have feelings. We all have likes and dislikes. Refs are no different.

‘We’ve known for years that big clubs get decisions. There’s bias for you right there.’

He added: ‘Bobby Madley – who found himself at the centre of a storm a while back – put his life back together working in the EFL (after a spell abroad) and I don’t see any reason why Coote can’t.

‘If we genuinely believe in ‘well being and mental health’ we have no choice but to sanction Coote and then let him get in with his life. Anything else might lead to a devastating outcome. Tick. I’ve nearly been there.’