Why Michael Oliver Doesn’t Officiate Newcastle Games Amid David Coote Saga
- A Premier League referee has been put on suspension after a video emerged of him in an offensive rant against Liverpool
- David Coote also allegedly slated former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp in the video was likely taken four years ago
- Michael Oliver has previously explained how EPL match assignments work and why he doesn't handle Newcastle games
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Premier League referee David Coote was suspended immediately after an alleged video of him surfaced online, revealing that he was using offensive terms on Liverpool and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp.
The incident has reawakened the integrity of the Premier League, which, despite being one of the best in the world, continues to be dogged by officiating issues.
Source: UGC
What has David Coote been accused of?
The alleged video of Coote shows clear bias against Liverpool and Klopp. PGMOL is investigating the 42-year-old, who is said to have admitted the video is genuine, as reported by GOAL.
The video has now raised questions about how Premier League officials are assigned to games. In a 2021 interview with Daily Mail, Michael Oliver revealed that referees have to declare their allegiances beforehand.
Why Michael Oliver doesn't officiate Newcastle United games
Michael Oliver is regarded as one of the best referees the Football Association(FA) has. He is also a self-confessed Newcastle United fan. So, what happens in such cases?
"We have to declare if we have an allegiance to any club or if a family member works at a club. You can't do any match involving that team, and I can't do Sunderland, either, for obvious reasons," said Oliver.
Sunderland and Newcastle share a heated rivalry in the Tyne-Wear derby.
Oliver also shared that he can't get involved in matches directly affecting Newcastle. For example, in past seasons, they have been in relegation dogfights.
"If Newcastle needed a point to survive and the team they were fighting to get above was, say, Villa, I couldn't referee Villa's game either. I wouldn't want to. It's not worth the hassle."
What did David Coote say about Jurgen Klopp?
YEN.com.gh has reported on the video that saw David Coote get suspended pending a full investigation.
The video which was seemingly taken a couple of years ago has Coote in a foul-mouthed rant against Liverpool and Klopp.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
