Neville, Keane, Carragher disagree over David Coote future on ill-timed episode of The Overlap

David Coote’s future has been discussed by the pundits on The Overlap, who were all against him being “cancelled” after the Premier League referee called Jurgen Klopp a “German c*nt”.

Coote has been suspended by the PGMOL following the clip, in which he also called “Liverpool sh*t”, and while that wasn’t enough for Gary Neville et al. to suggest he should be banned from officiating, the episode was filmed before another video came to light on Wednesday.

Coote was filmed snorting white powder during Euro 2024 in a video sent by ‘a pal’ to The Sun, prompting The Overlap to release the following disclaimer: ‘Please note this episode was record on Tuesday, 12th November 2024, Events and developments after this date may not be reflected in the discussion.’

Here’s the full transcript of the discussion between Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Jill Scott and Ian Wright:

JC: Listen, he’s had a nightmare and I don’t see how he can referee in England again.

IW: We’re saying he should’ve deleted it, but if he had, we wouldn’t have known how he felt about Jurgen.

RK: So what did he say? He’s slagged Klopp off? Do you not think other referees do it privately and think it? They must have chats with their friends, obviously he’s just been caught on camera. But if he thinks that of Jurgen Klopp, does that mean he should stop refereeing forever?

JC: I know but then say he’s refereeing and Arsenal or Man United and they’re competing [with Liverpool].

GN: You said that under your breath at the end of your answer, ‘I don’t see how he can referee in this country again’, and to be honest with you, I think that will probably be the likely outcome knowing the way in which we’re obviously going. But if you call Klopp a ‘c***’ or Erik ten Hag a ‘c***’…

RK: It’s a big leap. It’s a big leap for a guy to make a big mistake like that, whatever, to say ‘never referee again’.

GN: That’s my point, right? I agree with you… So to get it from a point whereby you’ve called a manager, what you called him, and then meaning that you’re essentially cancelled and can never referee again in this country, I’m struggling with that a little bit. I think maybe a suspension of some kind, a punishment, but then I think you should be able to come back.

JC: I’m with you. He’s done something stupid, you can imagine what the fella’s going through right now. I don’t want that, you know, talk about cancel culture, but my point being is how could he… So he could never referee a Liverpool game? But my point being is it’s not just that he can’t referee Liverpool. How does he referee Everton, their rivals?

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GN: My position, quite clearly, is I think he probably should get a suspension of some kind. I think Liverpool matches will be a no-no for him but I’d like to think he could come back and referee in the Premier League again. I don’t think someone being completely cancelled forever from doing the job for calling someone a, what he did, I can’t think that’s worthy. It’s not a sackable offensive respect of him never working again. So for me, if they do sack him, they’re effectively taking him off the employment list of everybody moving forward. And that to me, I don’t think is right.

JS: I agree with you.

JC: I just think because of what he said about Liverpool, I think it makes it difficult. I don’t want to see anyone cancelled… If you can referee in the Championship or he went abroad… my point being is if you are Howard Webb, head of referees, the eyes and the attention on him every game if he made a decision that favoured Liverpool… I think it’s very tough for him to referee around – he couldn’t referee Liverpool games – teams who were involved with them. There’d be that much attention.

RK: I think that is a bit extreme that Jamie. We had Howard Webb on here a few months ago, where they obviously look at referees who can’t manage teams they’ve supported or from certain areas. So, obviously, they’d have to look at his. He’d have to obviously take some sort of punishment, hold his hand up and certainly have a break from the game. But this idea we could say to a referee who was trained for donkey’s years, he’s made a daft mistake… But then to say you can’t [referee again].”

IW: I’m with Jamie on it. I’m not saying he should leave. I’m not saying he shouldn’t referee again. I’m just trying to say his kind of mistake that he has made, and you go back to the people who have snitched on him, even though fourth officials – they’re all snitches anyway. But the fact is that whoever has snitched on him has completely finished him in the Premier League simply because of all the variables that can happen.”

GN: Personally, I think there is a way back for him in the Premier League.

RK: There has to be.