THE media have made a big deal out of it. Alex Ferguson has blown it out of all proportion. Rival fans have pointed the finger. Rent-a-quotes have fallen over themselves to comment.
And absolutely none of it – not one little bit of it – is surprising.
It’s what the media do. It’s what managers do. It’s what rival fans do. It’s what Gordon Taylor does.
Now – again – Liverpool’s reputation is being tarnished.
Now – again – Kenny Dalglish, the club’s management, the owners, the fans – are being questioned.
Now – again – the whole sorry affair is being replayed.
Newspapers, radio, TV, Twitter and internet forums represent water torture for the soul.
And all because Luis Suarez couldn’t bring himself to shake Patrice Evra’s hand.
A handshake doesn’t matter – it’s only a handshake, say those that defend Suarez.
Exactly. So shake the hand.
It’s meaningless, they say. Yes it is. So shake the hand.
Personally, I can’t get too angry at the media response to what happened at Old Trafford.
They’re firing shots at the club I love again. Never a nice feeling.
But Suarez loaded the bullets, spun the chamber and handed over the weapon.
Shake the hand – no story. No outrage. No George Galloway. No comparisons with General Pinochet.
Suarez had made it clear to the club that pays his wages, the club that has gone out on a limb to defend him in recent times, that he would shake Evra’s hand.
This information ended up in the laps of the media. A line was being drawn. No more fuel for the fire. Everyone was moving on.
At last.
So to suggest Suarez is on the wrong end of an agenda when a billion people and the world’s media watched doesn’t wash with me.
Football is full of hypocrisy – it’s as much a part of the top-level game as blanket media coverage.
Managers defend their own and castigate their rivals. It happens all the time.
So does it matter that Ferguson commented so outrageously about Suarez? Not really.
And what about this incident, and that incident, this player and that player?
Well what about them? Suarez still let the club down. The fact other people have let their clubs down changes nothing.
If the roles were reversed on Saturday and Evra (who it goes without saying is no saint) had refused to shake hands with Suarez would the same words appear in the same places on the internet?
Would it be unimportant then? Would the media be wrong to place it so high on the news agenda then?
Or would those very same people defending Suarez be pointing the finger; adding weight to an incident that was over in the blink of an eye, casting aspersions about character and happily lapping up the fact that a rival club’s reputation was being dented?
Accusing the media of myopia while simultaneously displaying the same trait lessens the power of the words.
Suarez can think what he likes of Evra, I couldn’t care less. He’s a player, albeit a very talented one, but he’s not Liverpool Football Club – and that’s what matters in all this.
As a high-profile representative of Liverpool Football Club he should have thought about the repercussions of his actions.
Rightly or wrongly, his behaviour – particularly so in this circumstance – reflects on the club.
Shaking Evra’s hand would have shown a bit of class. The ability to rise above it. If he’s been wronged – and only he and Evra truly know one way or another – then he should have taken comfort in that fact, clasped Evra’s hand and moved on. No one was asking for anything more.
And I don’t believe for a minute that he didn’t think of what shunning that handshake would mean.
The fact Dalglish, and latterly Ian Ayre, have said they believed he would shake Evra’s hand is proof the matter was discussed in advance of the match.
Everyone was aware where it would go if he didn’t.
The apologies have since arrived. Rightly so, in my opinion. Yet the story will roll on.
Tomorrow, a radio station will discuss whether Dalglish should go. Similar has been suggested in the press today.
He has made mistakes during this whole sorry affair but the fact he is in the crosshairs again is down to Suarez and his momentary lapse of reason.
Suarez owes the club. Now it’s time for him to repay the faith shown in him in the place where he can make a difference – on the pitch.
That will allow everyone connected with Liverpool to do something they are now desperate for.
To move on and get back to the football.
Excellent Gareth, sums up the reality of the situation really well.
Excellent!
We all need to read something like this to get back to reality.
Thank you
Matti
SPOT ON
At last, someone with some sense, its the club that are the losers in all of this and suarez needs to take a look at himself and put the club first.
i just don’t buy it. suarez knew what was at stake and was put in an impossible situation by evra (who would have been off the hook whether he had chosen to shake suarez’s hand or not). the line was moving, he had a split second to decide whether to acknowledge evra’s lowered hand and move on, or try to grab it, and made a decision. “all is not that it seems”, as he posted later on.
one thing is for sure, we can wave goodbye to suarez this summer. the rush by many reds fans to blame him for not essentially grovelling to evra who might then have deigned to present his holy hand to be shaken, will have contributed to this.
we have the club we deserve, and its slow death started today.
It was a ruddy handshake – end the whole matter, but he decided to not do it.
He admitted to saying what he said and was properly punished for it. You can’t say racist stuff to another player – end of story.
I accept that Evra in the October match did not cover himself in glory with what he said, but Suarez still made a racist comment.
He could have put an end to the whole sorry saga and drawn a line under the matter and just shook the fella’s hand, but he didn’t and in doing so made the club look bad to the whole world. Read the apologies he let the club and it’s supporters down
are you fucking stupid go read the report you tosser
I agree with Bob. Suddenly everybody can agree it’s Luis’ fault. Extremely convinient. John Barnes is no dummy – take a read on his take of the sitrep. He’s been in the show for a long while, he’s black and very smart.
It isn’t important, as you say. Therefore, it isn’t important that he didn’t do it. Sure, he did give the morons the ammunition, but that doesn’t make them right to use it. They would still have a field day if he shook his hand, anyway. “Admissions of guilt” etc etc. It was a no-win situation and it was a personal choice, not the choice of Liverpool Football Club.
To be honest, I think it is more a case of the club letting Suarez down, as well as letting Kenny down for leaving him to fight the corner alone. Even back from the shocking legal representation.
We got backed into a corner here and it was either give in and let the bullies have their way, or stand up for what you feel was right. Suarez and Dalglish were following the latter, a certain Mr Ayre was seemingly trying to have both and failed miserably.
To me, the apologies seems as insincere as that handshake would have been……and I really, really hope they are.
Well said Danny
You are so wrong I’m embarrassed for you.
We all say ‘no player is bigger than Liverpol’ and that is true – not even Luis Suarez. I stand behind him, and the club, in their efforts to clear his name and not go quietly into the corner to accept a punishment which is unfair.
However, we can do no more on that matter except hope that Karma returns at some future date.
Therefore, if it is true that Luis agreed to shake Evra’s hand, he needed to do it so that LFC could move on. LFC is bigger than Luis and Kenny and you or I and LFC needs to get back to winning games without every press conference being about baiting Kenny about this situation and taking his eye off the ball. Take away their oxygen and the press has nothing and will move on to their next self perpuated issue.
Sorry Luis, I will defend you in this case until the day I die but the club needs to move on so you should have shook that spineless, paranoid, overrated pricks hand and then nutmegged him 5 minutes later.
I hope this is over with now and Luis remembers the t-shirts, the songs and the support of the club rather than today’s statement.
Here’s to a happier end to Feb.
There is a very important thing that you missed out and that is your integrity and self-awareness as a person. No matter who your employer is (and I do love LFC) that doesn’t mean you have to bent backwards and take it up the ass just to satisfy them or anyone else for that matter. And I am not saying that LFC asked in that way for Suarez to do so. Lets put things in perspective. I am willing to be the bigger man and then I see that someone who tarnished my image and violated my integrity is backing out and being childish, as Suarez did I would have moved on. Thats my integrity in place and I would like to keep it. I think it was yourself that said on twitter that you would do anything to grab Evra’s hand just to show the world that I did it. Like Barnes said even if I did it wouldn’t mean shit so why bring my self and integrity down and do it. My parents say I am a bit too into LFC but they also told me one thing….when things go wrong only you can turn shit around and nobody else will look at you, not even LFC, even if you are working for them. Bottom line, if I felt my integrity was at stake, and I feel thats what Suarez felt, I would do the same as he did. Liverpool can change their image over as any brand can but a mans integrity can rarely do that once you have allowed others to tarnish your image.
Another agree from me. Nicholas M. said it All, really. Great comment.
It’s very odd, the way Evras unintelligent ‘handshakeshow’ suddenly means nothing in these new Luis-accusing TAW-writes. The tabl.media wont let up for as long as the flame burns.
What happened to ‘Go to the matresses’? This TAW-article doesn’t have much of Clemenza and Tessio.
Then he shouldn’t have told Kenny he would do it. Simple. Once he made the commitment to shake anything else was a betrayal of the club no matter how much I feel the guy has been wronged.
So when Evra dropped his hand Luis should have grabbed it to make the handshake happen? He’d offered his hand as agreed. What would you have him do? Wrestle with Evra until he shook his hand? Seems to me he kept to his word to LFC. He took the punishment meted out on the back of the bullshit of the “balance of probabilities”, he tried to comply with the handshake and now he’s apologised for not doing what he tried to do.
He has my wholehearted support.
He should have done what he did when Ferdinand refused to shake .He made a public attempt to shake then moved on.
I’m embarrassed for you. Dry your eyes and catch yourself on.
The guy doesn’t care about his integrity, if he did he wouldn’t dive all over the place. I’m not saying hes the worst for it but come on, you really are clutching at straws if you think Suarez refused the handshake to maintain his integrity. He did it because he doesn’t like Evra. Its not rocket science.
I have never seen him dive so blatantly as Bale did at Anfield. Absolutely no contact and yet he dived full length . Coverage in the press? Zip. It does not suit the agenda to attack one of ‘arry’s boys. The key point to me is that if Suarez told Kenny that he was going to shake Evra’s hand then he should have done so. End of.
Personally , having read the commission’s full report, I would like to shake Evra by the throat and I normally abhor violence.
Unfortunately every professional player dives now, but Suarez takes it to another level. By the way, I wouldn’t be upset the media failed to pick up on something, how Suarez escaped a red card for blatantly blasting the ball at the United bench I’ll never know. If Rooney had done that at Anfield there would have been a riot and he would’ve probably got a retrospective ban. Youse were really lucky there.
Here Here – finally a bit of sense.
The majority of those supporters that wanted the whole thing over and done with would have seen the refusal and shook their heads.
Whatever happened, Suarez was found to be the guilty party and was punished for it – byt Evra offering his hand and Suarez refusing it let down the club BIG time.
Then for Kenny to come off the way he did to Sky just added the shit icing to the bullshit cake. Then of course there was his leading Twittering “more to it than it looks” adding fuel to the “did Evra pull away” nonsense.
Gary Neville (sorry I’m going to say this) was right in what he said. We want United Liverpool to be the biggest fixture of the season. WE want it to be blood and thunder and massive crunching tackles. The handshake refusal, the afters in the tunnel and Kenny behaiving like an idiot made the fixture an embarrassment.
I think the whole hand shake business totally put the team off, because from the beginning Liverpool were on the back foot. Suarez should have been subbed – I would love to know what Gerrard thought of the whole debacle as I think he was the first to talk to Suarez after the handshakes.
But clearly during today the board and had to settle this issue through the apologies.
But what is most annoying is that prior to the game there wasn’t a determination set, an example to make and a lead to follow by the manager, or possibly even the captain. Because from the beginning this matter has been poorly handled by the club and most would expect that it would have behaved with dignity!
Had someone stepped up and told Suarez he would be shaking the hand of Evra, or making some kind of concillatory gesture then before a ball was kicked in anger or an handshaked we could have looked forward to a decent game of football!
Hopefully there will be a line drawn and as you say Suarea gets down to letting his football doing the talking.
Except Evra didn’t offer his hand!
I don’t fucking care what the c**t did ,he does’nt represent us.
Agree totally Gareth. Hate Sky & that Talksport shite etc but we know what they`re like.
We either don`t give a fuck & watch them shoot Kenny down at every opportunity or don`t give them the bullets in the first place. We made this very easy for them.
If I was Suarez- my cub said it believed I was innocent, they then said they would do everything to prove my innocence, they wore nice t-shirts! They then got cowboy lawyers, they then didn’t appeal, they then wanted me to shake hands with the man who ruined my name. Now if I was in Suarez’s position I would struggle to shake Evra’s hand, but I’ve supported LFC since I was 4 so would have. Why expect that from a player who’s been vilified since moving to this country?
Couldn’t agree more, except perhaps for the “class” comment still waiting for Liverpool to produce that, on or off the field.
Anyways you’ll have to forgive me but I am just off to finish writing my headlines for tomorrow’s “Daily Planet” .
“Man caught shaking hands causes a new outbreak of dick wrot” A million ethnic Inuit were today found to be dying from a severe outbreak of dick wrot thought to be caused by the shaking of sweaty and unwashed hands.
Agree totally, I still question the club though on the Saturday morning. It’s no good telling someone on a Wednesday “You will”, there should have been a club actor there in the dressing room, and on his way out he should have been reminded of his duty in no uncertain terms. He was mistaken to underestimate the gravitas of the situation but equally the club was mistaken not to reiterate its orders minutes before the event. This whole sorry saga has shown that those who are paid to handle the image of the club are poorly positioned
Another quality piece. Agree wholeheartedly with this.
Excellent article. But would shaking his hand have drawn a line under the whole sorry mess? I’m not so sure.
Suarez could of(and maybe he should of) shook Evra’s hand, scored a hat trick and won the game for Liverpool…Yet I believe the media still would have found fault in his performance. Unfortunately, the hounds of the Media smell blood and they wont rest until they get their pound of flesh!!
It’s easy for people like you to write this, you’re just commenting on something you’ve seen. Try have a little empathy with Suarez; try and understand why he may not have shook his hand. Yes, he may have let the club down by saying he would, but if, when it all came down to it, he couldn’t do it, who are you to say he was wrong? Who are you to decide the rights and wrongs of something he clearly feels strongly about?
Would you do it if you were in his situation? Would you shake a man’s hand who you felt had lied to get you convicted of something you hadn’t done? Nobody would, only the religious types who can forgive anything would. So why do people expect him to?
Yes, he could have done it and all would have been forgotten of, but if he couldn’t bring himself to do it, I respect him more for going with his heart over his head. Hindsight can be a wonderful thing, and Suarez will probably look back and say he should have refused the handshake well before the game, but he didn’t have hindsight and if he decided on the spot that he couldn’t just ‘get on with it’, then I’m more than happy to accept that even despite all of the pressure.
Other than that, nice piece, you’re right that we shouldn’t care what others think, but so many still do, and so many still form their opinion on what others think.
I agree with you Rob. Did anybody stop to think that maybe right up to the moment, Suarez thought he could shake his hand but when it came down to it he actually couldn’t? I dont believe he would have lied to the club. He probably should have shook his hand but I dont blame him for not doing it. Some people just cant get over being labelled a racist around the world. If he feels hes been wronged then so be it. I think they should have done away with it for this game because its so fresh..they were able to do it for JT so whats why not here?
Absolutely right Gareth. Suarez should have shaken hands. The reality of what happened in the original incident is irrelevant now – all that is now being played out is about public perception of the club. And to prevent that being damaged further Suarez should have shaken hands. No argument.
Completely agree mate – cuts straight to the heart of it.
Absolutely fantastic piece.
Yep – yesterday was another poor day for both clubs and one which could have been avoided. I’m sick of the atmosphere between both clubs and something needs to be done in a meaningful and long lasting way to repair this. It’s time for the boards of both clubs to get their fingers out and climb out of their entrenched holier than thou positions and encourage the fan base to do the same.
Maybe some jointly funded projects to help communities both home and abroad with participants from both clubs (players and fans)
Lead by example
Storm in a teacup. It is Suarez’s hand to shake whomever he feels. If it isn’t a big deal, why the fuss over shaking Evra’s hand?
Anyone see the pics of Evra’s own behavior in the matter? He made it hard for his hand to be shaken by Suarez.
Why no mention of Rio’s snub or Wellbeck’s lukewarm one? Much ado over nothing. Let’s now move on.
I wholeheartedly disagree with you here. It is Luis’ decision and he may value a handshake differently than others and it is not our place to say anything. He feels that Evra abused the laws of the game and had his and his family’s name dragged through the coals for an out and out lie. His livelihood was taken by a snake and he was bitter about it.
I mean, you are acting like you know what would’ve definitely happened had he actually shook the hand. “Shake the hand – no story. No outrage.” I don’t think you should be so matter of fact about it. We see how ridiculous the press has been in their handling of this issue and there’s no way of knowing how it would’ve played out.
The recent handling today by the club and Suarez is reminiscent to me of a husband just apologizing with no real heart behind it to end a meaningless argument that his wife just won’t drop.
such a shame the owners did not enforce this in October
Danny_Nihilist.
I´m 100% in what you are saying.
order has come down, to surrender no matter what the cost are.
Excellent piece – and what are the odds that Suarez’s agent starts whispering in his ear about needing a move and a fresh start? Nice move to Spain for him, cut-price transfer fee for our damaged goods.
No doubt Evra wanted Suarez to have to reach right across to shake his hand – even more reason to be magnaminous and stretch out and shake it.
Mind you, it could be worse – we could be talking about how completely pisspoor most of the team was during the match.
Balls. The man has integrity, you want him to kiss the ass of a liar, a cheat and someone who embodies everything as an LFC supporter that you hate about the scum. Yes, Luis, take it up the hole and like it, I want to feel better about myself. outrageous.
Normally love your work, Gareth, but Ferdia’s right here. Suarez was not given a fair shake and was railroaded by the FA and United. He can or cannot shake hands with whomever he likes. If his convictions are strong and he feels wrongly accused, then no, don’t shake. Take it to the limit. Don’t kiss that filthy arse’s hand, and Fergie can fuck off while we’re at it.
He should have said in private I won’t shake then the whole pantomime would have been cancelled.
Sounds like an admission that the greater issue, the fight against racism, is not worth the holy image of a single football club. Football is certainly not the stage to address such a serious issue. As you say, the myopia and tribalism, or loyalties, runs too deep.
If Suarez believes he is innocent of the charge against him, while having to suffer his own reputation being damaged so some liar gets away with exploiting racism (evidently English society’s most mortifying skeleton which they would like to keep in the closet but don’t mind bringing out for a good dusting when it suits them) and a political tribunal judges him unfairly on the balance of probably gaining public favour, then, no, I do not think he should be expected shake the hands of his enemy. I don’t even think he should be asked to do something like that. Even if doing so protects his employers from embarrassment.
Suarez is an individual with thoughts and feelings of his own, he is entitled to change his mind and do what he feels is best for himself and his family. If Liverpool FC does not like it, they should sack him.
Liverpool’s handling of the issue was atrocious, they backed Suarez without actually doing anything to help him or help themselves for that matter. It was blind faith and perhaps they deserve some of the negativity coming their way. But just because you don’t like it or they don’t like it does not justify suddenly abandoning Suarez or forcing him into a situation he wants no part of. He served his ban quietly, he suffered the humiliation the attacks, all while maintaining his innocence. Unfair.
Oh, and why the hell does the FA help Terry out but not Suarez in terms of the forced handshake that is politically loaded? Terry – white, English, Suarez…filthy foreigner? Is that it?
QPR players told the club they would’nt shake his hand.The FA cancelled it ,remember it was the PL who was in charge of Widow Twanky’s pre-match show.
You got it wrong,Barnes got it right.
It is all very well speaking from the moral high ground when you are emotionally removed from the situation. When your reputation has been completely destroyed around the world because of the dubious testamony of an equally dubious character, i am sure you might have a bit more sympathy for Suarez.
Personally, i would not compromise my principals for anyone or anything. Had LFC asked me to shake his hand i would have refused. If that meant quitting the club then so be it.
if i felt, as Suarez obviously does, that my character has been destroyed because of lies from Evra, i wouldn’t even want to be in the same city as the little weasel.
So you think one should compromise their principles just for an easy life? If we all took that approach, we would all be speaking German by now. Wher is your backbone man? ManU are completely out of order as are the media in theri witch hunt. John Barnes says it all.
Sorry but i think you are out of line by your condemnation of Suarez.
Rob##
so right you are. spot on.
why did dalglish`s statement contain the words -`i did not conduct myself in a way befitting of a liverpool manager………..and i`d like to apologize for that`
the man that led us through the aftermath of heysel and hillsborough has to issue a statement saying those words over a few crossed words with a t.v interviewer about a handshake?
is the club having a laugh?
Yep I’ve said this today too…let the football talk now. We’re gonna be watched for some time now though, quite sad…let Steve Clarke do the interviews from now on too hey
There were 2 distinct parts to this saga which unfortunately became blurred – the racist remarks, and the tribalism between LFC and ManU. The racist remarks were just wrong, no matter which players were involved, but the situation would not have been so incendiary if either player played for a different club. Unfortunately, for some, the LFC-ManU hatred took over the rights and wrongs of what was (or was not) said.
The handshake after a game (any game) is a sign of respect for an opponent and thanks for a game. The shaking of hands before a football match is a stagemanaged piece of tat introduced by FIFA as part of their “Fair Play” campaign and picked up by the FA when they thought they might get the World Cup. The FA went out of their way to protect (then) England captain John Terry by abandoning the handshake prior to the QPR-Chelsea game. The FA should have done the same for yesterday’s ManU-LFC game but, as neither Evra nor Suarez were England players, they didn’t give a toss. Regardless of his (right or wrong) feelings of injustice, Suarez should have taken the hand and help diffuse, what was always going to be, a volitile atmosphere. Fortunately he didn’t react to Evra’s antics at the end of the game, unfortunately other LFC players did. Very few covered themselves in glory yesterday meaning it will all come up again when they meet next season. The atmosphere is sour enough between the two clubs, this just made it worse.
The apologies and Ian Ayre’s rebuke of Suarez will lower the temperature for noe, but you can guarantee it will all be raked up again next time.
Fergie and united have got exactly the outcome they were after. Liverpool fans verbally fighting with each other,a liverpool legend ridiculed,even by his own, by people who aren’t fit to lace his shoes. possibly are best player being. actively driven out,along with that living legend,with a reputation in tatters.a proud clubs reputation dragged through the sewer.what happened to shank,s vision of the liverpool family? No,kenny isn’t the enemy,luis suarez isn’t the enemy,fsg aren’t the enemy nor ian ayre,the real enemy is the shower of shit at the end of the east lancs road,don’t ever forget it.
I had not paid attention to the build up in the press, nor do I have Sky Sports ‘Blow It All Out Of Proportion’ News, so I was blissfully unaware of any agreement made before the game. If he has misled the club then an apology is appropriate, but Ian Ayre’s input was not required.
The key question is why the club are so annoyed? If they were trying to railroad Suarez into a gesture to save face then they are as much to blame as he is. And I can’t help feeling they are now hypocrites following their strongly worded statements (which shocked many of us) about the findings of the FA hearing and the decision not to appeal. Those words contributed to this sorry situation and galvanised a fanbase, so to back out of their support now because a choreographed show didnt go how they wanted is just totally weak.
This handshake should have been an entirely personal choice. If Luis chose to shake Evra’s hand in advance of a sporting contest, fine, but to to turn this into a gesture of concilliation over the whole affair and actively become a part of this circus was a mistake.
When Luis leaves the club, and I have no doubt it will now be sooner than later, I will forever remember him as the guy
who gave a little FU to the FA, the PFA, the media, Man U, and even the directors of his own club. I can’t help but admire him for his belligerence… Its just so…. scouse..
A good article and one that has made me consider the issue from a fresh perspective (my thinking so far has been centered around the effectively meaningless pantomime that is the handshake parade), so thank you.
But it does adopt a pretty significant assumption as its foundation.
A hand shake may be deemed meaningless by some; in which case, yes I see the argument – make the gesture, it doesn’t matter.
However; does anybody know how Suarez feels about the handshake?
Perhaps to him it isn’t meaningless. Perhaps to him it is of notable significance. Perhaps despite intentions to do so he couldn’t ultimately do so. If so, the assumption fails and the article loses some of its premise.
Does anybody know? I’m sure somebody will ask in the fullness of time and I look forward to the outcome.
To be fair, it was more than a handshake. The context is crucial.
The context here is the first start for a player following being found guilty of racially abusing a player. Then in a huge match watched by millions around the world, the person found guilty of racial abuse refused to acknowledge or shake the hand of the man he was found to have racially abused.
So it is understandable that this inflammatory gesture garners many various responses…
Frankly, I find the fact that Suarez didn’t want to shake the hand of someone he believes has wronged him and defamed his reputation a breath of fresh air. Suarez showed more integrity than most in this case.
He should have kept Kenny in the loop, perhaps, but for all we know, he made his decision at the last minute or may have even intended to go through with the handshake and decided to change his mind at the last minute.
Eva is still a disgusting excuse for a human being, so is Ferguson, the only manc who came out of this episode with a little dignity was to my great surprise, Wayne Rooney.
Anyways, let’s move on as everyone says and wants to, play great football the remaining of the campaign, win two trophies and finish fourth.
“You’re disgusting and a liar, now let’s move on”
lol don’t think that’s how you go about it
And what of a manager whose crass mismanagement and inability to make an intelligent comment (such as: “Suarez was wrong not to shake hands and we will speak to him urgently”) made things so much worse?
Still, Kenny’s idiocy means that we aren’t discussing how the Reds are now sitting above Norwich and behind Newcastle in the league and reports are that Suarez’s future is on shaky ground. Like the reds can afford to lose him.
Not sure how it got to this but Kenny Dalglish scores very lowly for his management, league cup final appearance notwithstanding.
“YAWN” where’s your sister.
Dont agree with that. Lfc made a shamble of his defence yet he was the one who suffered the ban. The reds had played jus a few days ago against man u without suarez and won, so it was not an absolute necessity that suarez start this game. That they even had to sit him down and talk about shaking hands shows that they were trying to portray a ‘holier than thou’ attitude without caring about the players feelings. Durin the ban, did the club even get a psychiatrist to help suarez deal with the issue, coz this is where it would have been dealt with? Apologies from both player and manager is jus airing dirty linen for the sake of political correctness. If they wanted the issue swept aside, the management would have done better to insist suarez start from the bench and thus avoid all the hand shakin mess.
Suarez’s mistake was not that he didn’t shake Evra’s hand, it was that he told Kenny he would do it and then didn’t.
He was right not to shake the hand of a man he believes lied about him, damaged his career and tarnished his image and reputation. Why should he shake that man’s hand?
He was wrong to tell the club, and specifically the manager that he would do so before hand however. He should have just refused straight away. The club would have backed him, as they have backed him in almost everything.
Hallelujah
Plenty of blinkers here it seems. Did no one see Evra drop his hand as Suarez approached. Seems the trickster and liar has duped many here as much as they have the club.
The club have failed Kenny, Suarez and let Evra play his trade. He’s about as angelic as Suarez is but once again blinkers only see what Suarez does and nothing that Evra does.
We haven’t come out of this well but we weren’t meant to, were we?
This should have been seen coming down the tracks, it should not have happened……..kenny should not have started him therefore no handshakes needed. End of.
Just by chance have sky news on and it showed the ‘handshake that never was’ again. Sorry but the smirk on Evras face after is enough for me. If I was Suarez and I thought it would cause this much crap I’d have drawn back, knocked him out and given them something to talk about. Whatever we think he might have felt a handshake would be an admission of guilt so if thats the case I dont blame him.
Karma is a bitch and hopefully when she lands she’ll land hard.
No, Gareth. I think you’re wrong.
How do you know Luis didn’t intend to shake the liar’s hand as he said he would, only to be confronted, when he got there, with him subtly executing the snide trick of moving his hand down to his side to make him have to reach for it? How do you know that – after all he’s taken as a result of that individual’s lies – if you were in his position you wouldn’t have reacted exactly as he did in that split-second? He was stitched up by Evra again, who was reduced to reaching out and pushing Luis arm upwards to try and make a big show for the cameras. Evra knew what he was up to and his every wish came true.
The truth needed to be told today, not swallowed to smooth things over at the behest of owners who it seems didn’t ‘get’ us after all. And furthermore, today, our greatest ever player and a man who embodies all LFC stands for has been forced to apologise to Sky tv by owners – where have they been during all this by the way? – more concerned about selling a few shirts than having the balls to stand up for the name of the club.
Never thought I’d live to see the day Kenny Dalglish was hung out to dry by the club he loves.
There is no basis to call Evra a liar.
You’re just taking the piss now…
Apart from the fact hes been branded one long before this incident…and I doubt liars only lie once
If you think he has lied before but not in relation to this incident then you should make that distinction clear.
red not dead, in the aftermath of heysel the name of this club was f##king mud ( and rightly so btw), if you mentioned the name of LFC around the world people spat on the floor in disgust, if you turned on the telly, switched on the radio or opened a newspaper someone somewhere was putting the boot into the club.
we were even ripped to shreds by thatcher in a press conference on the white house lawn, we became pariahs not just of football but international sport, this club was a byword for scum.
the managers job at LFC was not just the biggest poison challice in the history of football but in the history of any sport anywhere.
this club was on it`s knee`s in 1985 but kenny dalglish decided to pick up the poisoned challice because he felt he owed this club and the supporters something. he did it out of a sense of loyalty, (some people might have to look that word up in a dictionary).
because dalglish did the job with such dignity and his teams played with such style and because we didnt throw any success in other peoples faces LFC was accepted back into the sporting fold again.
then in 1989 when another horrendous disaster hit this club dalglish was there again not just for the club and the fans but to help lift this city up off the floor again.
it`s no wonder he had to retire due to ill health.
and now the manager who was there for this club in its darkest days is back in charge again and after doing an incredible job in the second half of last season he has us in our first cup final in 5 years and 4 points off a champions league place with half the season still to go.
how the hell can you put the words crass mismanagement and idiocy in a post about kenny dalglish?
I have been accused of racism and convicted of it by a kangaroo court, and then banned eight games.
The accuser is the only evidence in the entire matter, and his reputation is highly questionable to say the least.
After my ban I am spread across the nations media and called racist openly.
Would I shake his hand? Would I bollocks. Never.
And my employer has no right to expect it of me, and tell the nation it was supposed to happen.
The charge against Suarez was clearly proven.
On a probability.
No it wasn’t. It was based on a “balance of probability”. There was no “proof”.
The charge was ‘proven’ using ‘evidence’ which satisfied the standard of proof required, which was the flexible civil standard of the balance of probability. This was done so clearly.
Not in a court of law it wouldn’t. It was based on the FA’s arbitary standards.
It wasn’t a court of law and the standard of proof used was higher than many civil cases.
Have to disagree, Gareth.
Mainly because it’s very easy to get on Suárez’s back about this; but absolutely have no idea about what actually happened; what was said by Luis & when; whether any refusal by Evra to shake hands was discussed; the psychology of both men in the moments before the ‘fake’ shake – which would have been a hugely mitigating factor, as ‘non-victim’ Evra, meets the ‘lying, cheating, racist cannibal’ face-to-face…
In a stadium where he knows he will get serious stick from 70,000 MU fans, but not really knowing what that is like… Do we even know what happened in the tunnel before the teams came out?
Also, did Evra withdraw his hand or not? Doesn’t matter? I would seriously beg to differ, what would you have Suárez do; play finger-tickle?
Do you insinuate that Suárez’s ‘refusal’ was premeditated? Seriously malicious, that one … Are you a psychologist perhaps, or have extraordinary powers of observation & perception, even the Extra-Sensory type? Don’t be quick judging motive (I’m not saying you have); because that can leave the most sapient looking like a cretin.
No, Mr. Roberts, unbecoming. What’s next? “Defending the indefensible”?
Suarez admits he didn’t go to shake Evra’s hand…. everyone agrees that was wrong. What’s your point exactly…?
Excellent piece.What was wrong with Suarez showing he was the bigger man i.e he holds out his hand strongly to Evra waits for him to take it and looks him straight in the eye to say you got me once you wont get me again.Then play his heart out help his team get victory.
By doing what he did he gave a slap in the face to Kenny and the club after it was agreed what would happen.
I also think Kennys comments during the whole
saga have not helped and only fuelled Suarez’ sense of grievance.I know everybody is defending Suarez but maybe he’s a bit of a loose cannon.
In the end if were still talking about this in a couple of months then today’s mea culpas would have failed.
Iposted an earlier in support of your article and i have just now read all the comments.First thing I’d like to say is people need to forget about Fergie and Man U.Everyone who follows football for any lenth of time knows Fergie is a hypocrite and resents LFC with a passion.So we need to ignore who did what and when in the past.People are talking about who the enemy are
when we should be more worried about our friends around the world and what they are thinking now.
This is more important than all the recriminations.Liverpool have gained so much goodwill around the world for the way they have conducted themselves .Especially in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE and particularly the heroics in Istanbul.
This is so important when it comes to sponsors etc.
At this moment Liverpools name is being dragged through the mud whether we like it or not.So in my view it is the responsibility of all those who love LFC to be open and considered
and cool the anger and not be so quick to react to every petty provocation,especially in todays world of mass communication.
Suarez has given appologies for all that he done. for LFC and MU and all the world. and case closed..why we have to provoked what Fergi said.
This is our club..no body perfect.
the only one thing that Suarez need to improve his attitude and performance. that’s all.
As i’m supporter of LFC.. i should be give my favor..my pray.
Shake or not only Suarez knew..what have to do.
Expresses my feelings exactly – Suarez owes LFC big time and should pay back with interest
Anyone who thinks that evra withdrew his hand is clutching at straws. I’ve supported Luis throughout this whole saga, but even I can admit that by telling the club he would shake evras hand and then not doing it, he has let Kenny and the club down in a big way. It’s created a whole new shitstorm, which is exactly what the club doesn’t need right now
It was a mistake but I dont think it was supposed to happen like that. Thats probably what he meant by his tweet that everything wasnt as it seems. I think he tried to do Tue right thing by saying he would but when it boiled down to he couldn’t. I do think that Evras hand was quite limp but thats neither here nor there. If Suarez felt he couldn’t bring himself to shake the hand of a man who has turned his world upside down then so be it.
Summed up well Gareth, and the club always is No 1. Evra’s after match behaviour completely submerged by Suarez hype though, provocation on par with G. Neville, and zero comment. Rational thought says everyone move on quickly, emotional reaction at his histrionics still remain rooted….
Luis may have been wrong to tell his employers one thing, and do another, but please spare me the ‘it’s just a handshake’ line.
Sorry, but please provide me with the examples when you have, in work, been accused of racism by a co-worker who changed their story several times, and then found guilty by an employment tribunal despite those lies. Then, of course, been branded a racist by every newspaper, radio host, and pundit across the country – something affecting not just you, but your family too. And then been ordered to shake that person’s hand.
When you’ve walked in those shoes you can say what was right and what was wrong. Because I’m willing to bet you wouldn’t shake that person’s hand, because I’d be f****d if I would.
Let’s stop passing this off as a normal day dealing with nasty co-workers in the office – because it’s not.
Evra never changed his story to be fair, that was Suarez…
This kind of misinformation is provocative and half the problem!
Yes he did. First he accused Suarez of saying something more pointedly offensive, then changed the number times that it was said.
Evra taking the word ‘negro’ to mean something more offensive initially is not changing the accusation. It was what the commission understood the word to mean, not Evra.
Evra only ever said he heard the word used 5 times. He was totally consistent with this. Suarez on the other had was shown to have lied in giving evidence.
Really wrong to spread misinformation like that.
So where did 7 or 10 come from? Or n****r for that matter? Read the report you will find that there are inconsistencies in Evras evidence too
7 is when included Suarez’s account. He claimed he said it once, but put it at two separate occasions, so they counted it as 2.
“10 times” is a figure of speech in France. Suarez’s side agreed this is so.
Evra never claim Suarez said the n-word, only that he understood it to mean that. But it was only judged on the commissions understanding of the word, not Evra’s.
Evra initially reported that we has called a n****r.
Yes, Evra took it to mean the n-word initially. I said that.
But Evra is a fluent Spanish speaker…surely he would know that negro is Spanish for black? Where did he get n****r from? They werent speaking in English. And adding 2 extra times from Suarezs evidence…that is lunacy!!!
To be honest ive gone over this a million times so this is the last im saying. And on the handshake, yes Suarez was wrong to say he would do it and then not but I dont think it was premeditated by Suarez and Dalglish, I just think when it came to the crunch he just couldn’t do it.
And in giggs evidence he told the ref he was being called black. So he did know what it meant on the pitch.
This dispute over how Evra chose to translate the word is barely relevant because it’s the commissions understanding of the word.
Evra’s accusations of what was ACTUALLY said were always consistent.
Apart from when he told Canal+ that Suarez had said it at least 10 times, obviously.
The report itself, whilst pointing out that the burden of proof requirement would be be as for a civil case – i.e. needed only to be ‘on the balance of probabilities’ – also stated that where the charge was serious a ‘heavier’ burden of proof should be sought. So, somewhere between ‘on the balance of probabilities’ and ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ then.
I cannot see how a heavier burden of proof was satisfied in this case. Evra said one thing, Suarez said another and no-one else heard anything. The witness of neither player was fully credible nor reliable, and whilst you may argue that Suarez’ was more ‘unreliable’, for a case with consequences as serious as this one it beggars belief that they could come up with any kind of verdict that leaves a man with his reputation destroyed without a single shred of corroborated evidence.;
I’m afraid LFC have paid dearly for their behaviour in this whole saga. It doesn’t really matter what Evra did or did not do, Luis used a certain word he should not have, and he should have at least acknowledged he played some part in all of this, however minimal. Instead, the club’s and luis’ position was that of victims, “we did nothing wrong and all the fault lays with everybody else”. Luis kept behaving like a victim, the fans and the club kept protecting him and he acted as if he is allowed to as he pleased, no repercussions whatsoever.
If Luis told the club he would shake Evra’s hand, then he should have stood by his word and do it. Yes, of course it is possible that in the moment, Luis couldn’t do it and of course it is only human, but when you go back on your word, you are bound to hurt someone and they deserve an apology. That is why he should have apologized. Not because he is guilty of something, not because of Manchester United, Evra, Ferguson, the media or something like that, but because he gave his word and went back on it, wether it was right or wrong, it doesn’t matter.
Several comments read and still the bottomline is one….even if Suarez told Kenny he would shake the liars hand, the situation can change very easy as Ferdinand did. I bet you he never even intended to shake his hand. I believe Evra’s gesture was a) to prove suarez skipped from shaking his hand b) to make him not shaking De Geas hand he was pulling it back. I watched the Tower Heist movie recently and they said the same thing. You have to adapt in a situation and quickly. Split second decision and even though, as Suarez and Dalglish said the intention was there, the withdrawal of Evra might have caused anger from Suarez. Probably, his dignity and integrity prevailed and so he skipped. I can’t help but admit that I would do the same because as I said in my previous comment I am solely responsible for turning the situation around. LFC didn’t protect Suarez with the racism allegation, didn’t protect him on the handshake incident (could have used him as a sub – even though he agreed to shake hand) and by the looks of it put a huge white flag up after the incident. Only one making sense is Barnes and I feel the bottomline anything Suarez would do he would come out the wrong end by one of the parties (MUFC/LFC fans) I got a friend he is so happy calling him nazi (he is English/African by the way – maybe the way forward for England as well to be politically correct)….and bases his decision on the report and his actions.
very good points made and couldn’t agree more. Suarez is extremely naive if if thought not shaking was a good thing. Well in.
http://www.footyextra.com/blogs/u/Nigel_Jemson/nigel-jemson-s-blog/posts/evra-and-manchester-united-are-not-blameless-in-this/
Interesting take on the whole saga…..but speaks with wisdom as well
Who’s decision was it to change the protocol of the handshakes?
Normally the away team line up and the home team walks along the line to shake hands.
Was it to save Evra “the victim” the indignity of having to offer his hand to Suarez?
Fish rots from the head, and the FA is stinking up English football.
Please fellow LFC fans, stop squirming about trying to suggest that Evra made it difficult for the handshake to take place. It matters not: if Luis wanted to shake his hand he could have stood and waited holding out his hand, however long it took. It’s that simple.
What is also obvious is that if Luis did not want to shake Evra’s hand – and no, I wouldn’t blame him for feeling that way – he should have made that clear to the club well before the game, then this whole media brouhaha could have been avoided, as it was with the recent QPR/Chelsea cup tie.
By telling Kenny Dalglish that he would do so and then refusing to do so come the moment, Luis has dropped the King and the club right in it. He’s let everyone down, and it’s currently a field day for all and sundry to have a pop at LFC. No player should do that to his club – Luis knows that and he’s apologised.
Other than that, I’ll only add that there was measured and intelligent comment from John Barnes on R4’s Today programme, not least in pointing out – viz the behaviour of Evra on Saturday and the post-match opinions of his manager – that neither club has covered itself in glory over this whole affair. I’ve said it before: LFC should employ Barnes as its media PR go-to guy/ambassador: he’s very good at it.
Views here seem to be coloured by whether your more concerned about the club’s image or an individual’s reputation and character.
I’ve loved this club for most of my 53 years but some things are bigger. Luis has been destroyed over this with next to no backing from the club after the initial couple of statements in his support. And it looks like they’re hanging Dalglish out to dry as well now.
After a promising start, I’m having strong doubts about our new owners and their supposed leadership. Theyve shown no interest at all in this until the PR has looks like it might start hurting their asset.
Understandable from a commercial perspective, but empathy with the fan base? I’m not seeing much evidence at the moment.
Dealing with these kind of issues is primarily the managers job. You seldom see executives stepping in with such issues at other clubs. Generally they shouldn’t, but Dalglish has been so poor and allowed it to become so farcical that they ultimately had to and undermine the manager.
Don’t necessarily agree its the part of the managers remit, but if it is they should have stepped in a lot sooner then. This has been going south at a rate of knots since the verdict was published, and that was in December.
Personally, I’d welcome news that FSG were selling up. Underwhelmed by their performance so far. The one thing they have in their favour is that they’re not Hicks and Gillett. That’s not saying much.
Owners are understandably very wary about overriding the manager. In this case they had assurances both players would shake hands and the issue would be put to bed.
Infuriatingly for them, Dalglish and Suarez have both chosen to continue and exacerbate the issue greatly.
I, like a million other LFC fans have backed Suarez and Kenny’s defence of him.
There was always the whiff of scapegoating about the original report, with the FA trying to get back at Sepp Blatter for not awarding the World Cup (he suggesting that racism should be sorted with a handshake……how ironic).
Now, we are left trying to assess the fallout…….
There are 2 possibilities:
1. Luis couldn’t bring himself to shake hands on the grounds of his personal integrity…..maybe he didn’t know he was going to refuse until the last second. He felt wronged by Evra, wronged by the acres of media coverage labelling him as ‘racist’….. and couldn’t bring himself to do it.
2. He isn’t as mature as the ‘personal integrity’ idea requires and he acted on selfish impulse. This possibility is painful to contemplate, and would suggest dalglish’s blind faith in his innocence was misplaced. It also painfully opens up the possibility that the FA panel had discerned that in his evidence and branded him ‘unreliable’.
We all come to the conclusion that we want 9 or need to).
The person we need to hear from is Suarez. If he says that 1. is the reason….he might win back support from the loyal fanbase, who, like Dalglish, got down in the trench with him. Many of the messages here express an understanding of why he might not have been able to extend a hand to Evra.
If the reason was 2. that would become quickly apparent….and we’d at least know what we are dealing with.
Dalglish, might reconsider his own position though if he feels he’s been on the wrong horse all along. He’s a man of integrity and throughout he’s put the club first…..he must have been mortified to have been painted in to a corner again. that’s why this was an important article.
Even if Suarez was defending his honour, which we could all understand, his refusal to follow through put his staunchest defender in the dock….the man who has acted as a lightening rod throughout the whole saga.
A big part of me would of liked it if he had done a zinedine zidane and nutted him in the chest, and or, one of the black players punched him for belittling the race issue just to gain a sporting advantage, however, If we don’t stand up against this it will be a massive let down, it has become about justice, which, is an even bigger issue then racism. I think LFC should sue the F.A over the Suarez affair and they should have the shake up the deserve
No player is bigger than the club. Agreed. However, a man’s worth is incomparable. Put yourself in Suarez’s shoes for glimpse of what must truly be a shocking reality. I’ve lost no respect for Suarez but rather the club and a clutch of the fans.
Exactly Ian. This isn’t like sleeping with a teammates girlfriend or being caught with a few joints…this is being labelled a racist. It is an utterly horrendous and very hard label to shake off. I could take the jibes of homewrecker or junkies but I wouldn’t be able to go into a stadium of thousands chanting racist at me.
i think evra did drop his hand and i think saurez was definately going to shake it as promised to kenny ,saurez being the type of person he is though in that split second decided not too and fell right into his trap,when all was done saurez says something to pepe looks like “did you see that?” which explains his comment all is not what it seems,
Kennys repeated calls when he first took over is we all have to be on the same page,this whole episode has put a stop to that, who benefits from this? our rivals,bet you the red nosed one is sitting in his office laughing at the fuss and unrest this has all caused,
this whole episode has really pissed me off,what can we do criticise the owners? kenny? saurez ?ayre? now the media is saying they feel sorry for lfc fans after club hung us out to dry mischeif making again are we really that gullible? what can we do? go on twitter and whip up more shit about how its been handled ? NO . maybe start supporting the team and players manager and win carling cup go all out for 4th its definatly there for the taking all this shit will be forgotten the quicker we move on and dont rise to the shit being thrown at us heres hoping
It might be useful to consider why the handshake was scrapped at QPR and not United. And let’s be honest, whether we think that Suarez lied about his intentions or changed his mind at the last moment, there was always the possibility that this would provide an avoidable flashpoint.
Again, we’ll probably never know. But having been put in a somewhat similar situation a very long time ago by the police who, without informing me, sent someone who had assaulted me over to my place to apologise and persuade me to drop charges, it can get quite emotional when you come face to face with someone you don’t exactly hold in high regard, to put it mildly. Let’s just say that while I did handle it pretty well, it did take an extreme amount of self-control. I also didn’t have 70000 people screaming abuse at me. Or the majority of the media branding me a racist for the past few months.
So, did anything big happen since the QPR game? Oh. John Terry stripped of the England captaincy and Capello resigns in protest shocker, you say? A slightly paranoid mind might think that certain people within the FA would be glad to have that displaced from the sport pages. Just saying.
I appreciate what you’re saying here Gareth, but I don’t really agree. I don’t think him shaking Evra’s hand would have made any difference. This just gave the press an easy thing to target. They would have found something else. A look, a motion, a wink, a nudge in the box…they would have found and targeted Suarez regardless. If you think this all would have gone away because of a pointless handshake, then think again about the media reporting on this whole sorry affair.
It’s a tough one. I really believe that every person has the right to do what he/she wants, and if Suarez really didn’t want to shake Evra’s hand, he is allowed to make that decision for himself. But on the other side, there is the club that he is representing and how this action may affect them. I think he was put in a shitty position regardless. The fact so much has come down to a handshake is ridiculous. The UK media absolutely lambasted Blatter for suggesting a handshake would solve these issues and now they’re suddenly acting like it would have brought peace to all mankind. It’s a farce, but I honestly think no matter what Liverpool and Suarez would have lost in this situation.
If you think a player accused of racial abuse refusing to shake the hands of the person he abused in the glare of the world is no different from he doing so, then you live in a different world than most human beings.
Claire. Do you work for Patrice Evra? Or is your one-eyed bias and simple-minded partizan attitude purely your own?
I have no connections to football whatsoever. But feel free to explain why you think I’m biased and simple-minded.
For someone who claims ‘no connections to football whatsoever,’ you seem to have plenty to say on the subject. Furthermore, if that’s the case what on earth are you doing posting on a football blog?
Or are you, as I suspect, a supporter of a rival team on a bit of a troll?
Who’s Glen, Claire?
Glen, Claire – who’s R. Anderson?
Sorry you disapprove of what I say. I feel I’ve been as fair as I can though.
If Suarez says he didn’t do it and he thinks Evra lied, who are you to tell Suarez was wrong? You weren’t there, nobody else heard anything but them two, it’s word vs. word, a toss of a coin, when there is nothing to support the accusation in terms of actual evidence, there are very little grounds to say Suarez and/or Evra are lying.
If Suarez remains consistent in believing he is innocent of racist abuse – and refuses to shake the hand of somebody he feels falsely accused him – how on earth is that no different to actually abusing someone?
You seem to be playing devil’s advocate for the sake of it, that last comment there was senseless, refusing to do something isn’t the same as actually abusing someone, they’re completely different and should be judged individually.
Let’s reverse this for just one minute.
Why would any self respecting black person want to shake hands with someone who has been “found guilty” of calling him a n***** 5, 7 or 10 times.
Why would someone who had actually done that have a problem with shaking Evra’s hand.
Perhaps the answer lies with who was telling the truth in the first place.
Was found guilty of saying ‘negro’ 7 times actually…
Sorry you missed the irony in the three numbers quoted but you haven’t answered my main point of why would Evra who thought he had been been called the most offensive word in the english language to a black person want to shake hands with Suarez.
Please stop it. Saying ‘negro’ (or ‘black’) is not an offence. Saying it as part of an insult is. That’s what Suarez was found guilty of.
Evra was (understandably) incensed when he thought he’d been called ‘n***er’. He later realised he’d misunderstood. So it all then boiled down to whether Suarez said it in an insulting way or not.
The commission decided it was insulting (with no evidence) and we are where we are.
I wouldnt mind betting that if Evra hadnt misunderstood the meaning of the word in the first place, this would never even got as far as a complaint to the referee. Instead we have an apparent breakdown of society.
I honestly don’t know if Suarez made a racist comment to Evra. But neither do you nor anyone else. And just because the commission found him guilty on no evidence whatsoever you appear to want to believe the worst of him.
Do you always go with the official line? Ever heard of
miscarriages of justice happening before? And that’s usually with at least some evidence to backup the original verdict. Here there’s none.
Still think some people are missing the basic point here: Luis Suarez told the club he had no problem with shaking Evra’s hand … but then did not do so.
As I said before, if Luis Suarez did not wish to shake Evra’s hand he should have said so last week, so the club could have dealt with the authorities re the obvious issues that would arise. As is, he has dropped the club in the mire – to the extent that we read today that Standard Chartered, who sponsor the club to the tune of £20m per annum, is unhappy with the damage being done to the reputation of LFC.
The apologies are a start, whether they’ll be the end of it I very much doubt.
Interesting pod – with many good points made.
Claire just do us all a favor and wind ur neck in. You,like the majority, haven’t a clue what happened on the pitch at Anfield. You clearly haven’t read the report or you would have noted the inconsistency contained within. Personally there is no way I would shake the hand of somebody who I believed had wrongly accused me of something like this Luis will have my support until proven otherwise. Now how about you answer Jim’s question?
Claire…thanks for such a good laugh.It’s like watching one of those magicians doing a three card trick-find the ace or whatever it’s called!
No wonder you understand Evra so much lol!
Aithough to keep pulling the same rabbit out of the same top hat does become a bit tiresome.
A well written article Mr Roberts. The crux of the matter is that the trust placed in one person’s abillity to do the right thing has been destroyed. No one can have a go at Kenny for whay happened. (What was said in the interview after the game has to be taken into context, thus being he had just seen his team lose to their bitterest rivals and he wouldn’t have had a clue at that moment about what Suarez had done.) Fair play Kenny and LFC have apologised, but the damage inflicted by someone’s childish immature amd petulant behaviour will take time to heal. I feel that Suarez’s position at the club is untenable and that he must go in the summer. (I may be in the minority with this line of thinking, but so be it.) I hope Kenny and the management team learn lessons from this and do much better research into any player’s character before signing said player. Im not saying that every player should be a saint, because that would show naivety. But there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed and unfortunately for Luis Suarez’s career at LFC he crossed it.
No I’m sorry I dont agree. To sell Suarez would be giving whiskey nose and all his lapdogs what they want and I’ll be fucked if id be happy with that. He made a mistake on Saturday but I certainly dont think it was as premeditated as some make it to be. I think when it came to it he just couldn’t do it and so be it. He has apologised to the club, the fans and to Kenny I dont think there is anything more people can ask of him except to go out to the pitch, score goals and win games. What fans need to do is stop arguing with hacks on social networks sites and just accept that no matter how much we scream and shout, opinions are set, most happily in the fact that its against us, Liverpool, and will not change.This too will pass, its not the first time a player has caused disruption to a club, todays news is tomorrows fish dinner. Such is life.
Great article Gareth, nail on the head.
Well said Gareth. Common sense.
Tell me claire how a an fa disciplinary panel, with a 99.5% conviction rate,can possibly give suarez a fair hearing on such a serious charge? I believe the fa were out of their jurisdiction to pass judgement on racism with no actual evidence. That the “ balance of probabilities ” is an inadequate burden of proof
Tell me claire how a an fa disciplinary panel, with a 99.5% conviction rate,can possibly give suarez a fair hearing on such a serious charge? I believe the fa were out of their jurisdiction to pass judgement on racism with no actual evidence. That the “ balance of probabilities ” is an inadequate burden of proof . I have yet to have to an answer as to why the police didn’t get involved? Take the recent incidents with the fans,the police moved straight in.
would you (gareth) blithely shake the hand of somebody who had lied and forced you out of the game you love. it is very easy to sit on the sideline firing bullets knowing nothing is coming YOUR way.
the one thing luis did wrong in this whole affair was to indicate he would shake hands that is the only thing he has done wrong.
The gist of the piece is that Luis let the club down with this mischief, which consequently brought further bad press.
Whilst I would agree that Suarez has let Kenny, the fans and (some of) his teammates down with this action, especially after intimating that he was going to shake hands, none of us know what kind of grudge (if any) Luis holds against LFC ‘the club’ for its handling of his case.
The club massively let Luis down by not initially defending his case competently and then further by not appealing. “We will provide Luis with whatever support he now needs to clear his name” (LFC statement in response to original charge).
Luis should feel aggrieved by the actions of the club. It is understandable if the image of LFC (the club) was not part of the reasoning behind his split-second decision to swerve a handshake. Of course, two wrongs don’t make a right, but any bad press coming the club’s way can be considered a consequence of its own actions in failing Suarez.