So, no, it’s not just a silly mistake and it’s not simply a case of “all refs think it, he’s just been caught saying it”. It’s a question of judgement and his complete lack thereof putting him in a situation where external forces could decide the outcome of football matches/titles.

It’s a big deal.

For all we know, the initial video (and subsequent one) could have been used to force Coote to make game-changing decisions. Involving ALL teams. Or used to force Coote to show a certain number of yellow cards for betting purposes. He’s essentially been compromised as a referee for 4 years.