David Coote produced an admirable act of humility as picture of shamed ref working as Evri delivery driver went viral

The Sun

a day ago

BIZARRELY, David Coote's former career as a Premier League referee will stand him in good stead as a delivery driver.
He'll be dealing with two yellows every working day, just as before.
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Only instead of cards, it's those two thick, emulsioned lines by the roadside where he swings his Evri van in front of a school entrance and slaps on the hazard lights before dumping a poly-wrapped, fake Nike top from China on the wrong doorstep.
What a come-down for the man who took charge of a Wembley final involving Manchester United and Newcastle only two years ago.
Equally, what an admirable act of humility and courage by someone who brought shame upon himself and his profession but, as he says so himself, 'is trying to move forwards and regain a sense of purpose and responsibility'.
When one of football's most promising officials was captured on video, slurring his way through a foul-mouthed rant at Jurgen Klopp, it was easy to dismiss him as another pompous and pumped-up symbol of the Premier League era.
But as this fascinating story unfolds, Coote more and more is morphing into its victim as opposed to its perpetrator.
By labelling Klopp a German c*** and snorting cocaine to earn a 16-month ban, he let himself down.
But maybe he did so as a release from the relentless pressure heaped upon him as a referee at the top level of our national game.
At first Coote appears as a p****d-up prima donna, showing off in what he believed was the assured privacy of intimate surroundings with friends, having a pop at Liverpool's manager because he could.
It's some fall from officiating the 2023 Carabao Cup final to haring around his home county of Nottinghamshire dropping off parcels part-time for minimum or living wage.
But having been sacked by his paymasters at the PGMOL, the fact he is not too proud to take any job to get back on his feet suggests a person ready to pay their penance.
It's not just the animated reaction of Klopp that is to blame.
There are 20 unexploded bombs like him managing in the Premier League because they are under enormous pressure, too.
Klopp's heated exchange at Coote after Liverpool did not get a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Burnley is just one example of the dozens that litter every season.
Every decision referees make is under more scrutiny than ever before.
Whether that's the fault of TV's ever intrusive coverage or that there is silly money involved in men's football today is irrelevant. It's how life is.
I imagine Thomas Bramall, the latest referee to be walking around with a target on his back for blowing his whistle too quickly in Aston Villa's final-day defeat at Man Utd is starting to understand the reality of life as a top-class ref.
Reality of life as a top-class ref
The intricacies of his mistake are too complicated to explain in one column but it's fair to say he cocked up.
In their defence, Villa were largely restrained in their vocal reaction despite lodging a formal complaint, as is their right.
The wider criticism has been astonishing and whether justified or not, young referee Bramall is being painted a pretty grim picture of what's in store if he stays in his job.
It's patently obvious by what's happened to Coote that it's an alarmingly quick process to plummet from the heights of running a showpiece final in front of 90,000 fans to becoming a delivery boy.
But while it's tempting to feel sorry for him, we should not.
We should instead give credit to a bloke who made a mistake and is now trying to put it behind him without crying out for pity.
And perhaps reflect on the foundations of fury that can make referees crumble so spectacularly as he did.
Besides, dealing with frothing managers day in, day out who feel totally wronged by even the slightest thing that goes against them is actually the perfect training for becoming a white van man.
Try pulling out on him at a T-junction.
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MILLIE BRIGHT'S shock withdrawal from the Euro 2025 squad reminds of one thing.
Women look after themselves better than men, physically and mentally.
They tend to be braver than men too when it comes to knowing their limits.
It takes courage to pull out of an international tournament — especially when England are defending their European crown.
The 31-year-old Chelsea defender admits she had to fight off her ego to make the call.
That is something men rarely do enough of, overcome primeval urges and make a decision in favour of their own well-being at the top level of sport.
Too many would lose that battle with their own psyche. Pull out and you are still considered a loser among the boys.
Bright is a winner for thinking of things more important than football.
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INGESTING biometric tablets to record things like stress levels from the inside is both fascinating and horrifying.
England's players have been doing this under boss Thomas Tuchel's instruction as they prepare for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Andorra.
Now, I have no idea if these tablets are single-use, and I don't really want to ask anyone at the Football Association for the details either.
But if not, just picture the scene 24 hours after swallowing — when what goes in must come out.
Lots of Premier League stars peering down between hairy legs on the loo.
And who on earth has the job of washing them?
Or maybe each player has his own, complete with initials — like 'HK' for Harry Kane — to avoid unpleasant mix-ups. Yuk.
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IN the final scene of The Empire Strikes Back, the rebel fleet disperses as Luke Skywalker and pals head for different galaxies at the speed of light.
The break-up of Bournemouth's over-achieving squad this summer has a similar ring to it.
First Dean Huijsen heads to Real Madrid, now Milos Kerkez looks bound for Liverpool. Newcastle are eyeing Dango Ouattara.
Pretty soon the gallant band of brothers — which beat Arsenal (twice) and Nottingham Forest, also coming close to European qualification — will be splintered across the football cosmos, leaving Cherries manager Andoni Iraola standing alone like Obi-Wan Kenobi.