As a neutral I've watched this whole case unfold and read the FA independant report and it does make a good case against Suarez. Yes it is ok to call someone Negro (blackie) in South America, but it can also be used as an insult and in the context which it was used was deemed as abusive. The fact Suarez claimed he was trying to defuse the situation but pinched Evra's forearm who suggest he was trying to wind him up and the pinching has been taken as "your black". Looking at the body language there was nothing friendly about the exchange. I think Suarez went out to wind up Evra and picked the wrong kind of thing to pick on, his skin colour. He isn't a racist but picked on the first noticable think for evra which is human nature e.g. Big teeth, glasses, ginger in this case it was black an isn't acceptable here. The way the club have backed him so staunch and publically has been a bit misguided, they should have released a statement saying they are backing him through out this investigation and just shut up shop. The T-shirts were a terrible idea.
Dont think I said anything libellous, I said the club havent appealled due to the fact they feel they cant win or even get a reduced ban due to the stance the FA has taken. Rightly or wrongly the FA have taken a stance and arent going to back down. I also never mentioned anything about whether Suarez is guilty or not, just that the club have taken the decision to start the ban now rather than drag it out and possibly lose him for longer than 8 games and to just get on with it
Apologies if this is an unwelcome view. As a complete outsider here, I have to say that this is nothing less than I'd expect from a truly great club - weigh up the evidence; support your player to the hilt with as reasoned and erudite an argument as I've seen in a while; accept the situation cannot be retrieved and concede the point with honour, grace and dignity; draw a line under the whole thing and move on. I suspect a lesser club would still be whinging this time next year.
I don't think it is just a case of 'we've seen the documents and we won't appeal'. I think the club have probably taken the long term damage to the clubs reputation in to account which in light of the verdict and subsequent supporting documents could be severely damaged upon an appeal of a player convicted of using racially aggravated language. Personally i think that the explanation in the written report was fair enough. It can't be proved what was said but as Suarez's accounts changed, Evra was a more reliable witness, like it or not. I think the club are right to not appeal and just move on from the whole affair.
See this is where I disagree...it's not like when a foreigner is signed, everyone sits around a table and goes over every kind of word or phase which might or might be seen as racist in this country just incase they coincide with common use words/phrases in their country. Absurd. There is no way in hell he could know that Negro would be looked down upon so harshly here when it's common place there. That's like me moving to Nigeria and being bashed for calling someone 'lad'. Here, perfectly fine, there, who knows. I think in some cases ignorance really is a defense. Stupidity however, perhaps not. I would assume it might be dodgy to use it, but I couldn't know. Suarez's supidity based on ignorance is similar except he didn't think first. Also, I don't think the club looks too stupid at the end of it all. We defended our player, even in conceeding the ban we defend him and our resons for doing such are fair enough. The FA would never have backed down on this, they needed a big PR issue to show face in light of the blatter incident and this was terrible timing for us. Whatever LFC felt, an appeal would never have worked. I also think alot of newspapers have branded him a racist which isn't true (as evra/fa/panel have all agreed), and he has a right to sue them most likely if he wanted... All in all, disappointed, but the club has come out of it not half as bad as you make out. Only in the eyes of idiots who can't understand technicalities of using a term deemed racist in one country and the difference between that and being a racist, do we look bad. For anyone with a brain and open mind, I think it's fine.
From a personal standpoint I am saddened that Liverpool will not appeal the FA decision. Their report clearly demonstrates their inadequacies as a judicial panel. They have also created a rod for their own back - and not just in the Terry case. However, whilst being forced to adopt a pragmatic approach, Liverpool have now publically stated their opposition to both the decision, the process and the capabilities of the FA. The underlying implications contained in Liverpool's statement are that the FA are incompetent. It is now up to the FA how they react - respond and they open up the whole issue again:stay quiet and Liverpool's charges remain on the table. So why appeal - let the FA make the next move.
Well, its just my point of view, but I think the club is making a mistake in not appealing the punishment. The published report states clearly that the decision was objective not subjective (i.e. was the word spoken at all?), then spends almost all the time subjectifying it to put it into a context and accepting Evra's rapidly changing evidence about what was said and how many times, in order to pass a higher punishment on than had previously been set by precedent. Had this been a 4 match ban, I think everyone would have been satisfied with the outcome - ramping it to 8 appears patently unjust given that all parties involved agreed that Luis Suarez is not a racist...
I admire the way the always try and see the best for the club Dave, and I am not taking the piss. I also agree with the rod for their own back part. However I disagree that it is now up to the FA to act. The FA made the charge, found Suarez guilty and then banned him. The option was there to appeal, which after the strongly worded statement and T shirts etc, we all thought it was nailed on that they would. However this can only be seen as a massive back down from Liverpool in my opinion. Their legal team have obviously assessed the information and advised against the appeal ( again in my opinion ). I fail to see why the FA have to react - if Liverpool really felt it was such an injustice then they should have appealled. Although at least it will all go away now. Anyway how was Oz - I take it your back ?
Not looking at the media today it won't. No apology, no acceptance of the verdict. Plenty of snide insinuations of hidden bias and corruption at the FA. As well as being still being labelled a racist the club and Suarez are now under attack for their handling of it. Straight after the match Suarez allegedly told Comolli and Kuyt he said something which they translated and passed onto the Ref in a way that it sounded like racist language. Whether he meant "little black amigo" or "blackie" is irrelevant. As soon as it became clear he used a word that had racial overtones they should have just admitted it, argued he didn't mean it in a racist way and apologised for any offence caused (even if it wasn't intentional). If they had just done that it would all be over by now, Suarez would be back from what would have been a much reduced ban. Now every paper is slating LFC/Suarez and I wouldn't be surprised if they carry on not to see them in court again. Im sure the FA would love to flex its muscles about being called corrupt and biased.
Disgusting from LFC, on the day Stephen Lawrence got justice. As ever LFC refuse to see the bigger picture
IvorTiddler and Londonssnidest - Resident forum trolls. Everyone gather round and please - NO ONE FEED THE TROLLS
FYI in football circles we call it WUM and WUM'ing. Computer nerds use "trolls". Secondly that wasn't a WUM. If you want to see deliberate winding up check out my contributions on the united version of this thread on our board. I at least try to be objective on other boards... on the whole. If its now WUM'ing to report on facts and easily proven opinions is this WUM'ing? As reported by pro liverpool site http://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2012/01/cup-of-cock-ups-rightly-belongs-at-anfield/
I think Trolling/WUMing is more or less the same, but of course, you can't get quite the same evocative picture when using the term WUM. Either describes you, though. As for not trying to WUM - answer this question then. Patrice Evra in his evidence admitted making an abusive comment relating to Suarez' sister - this contravenes FA Rule E3(1). No charge laid. He also admitted 'racially' abusing Suarez by referring to his country/region of origin. I'm very specific here, because FA Rule E3(2) does specifiy that nation/region is covered. No charge laid. This is a blatant lack of even treatment is clearly why the club is raising the issue of bias within the FA. So why suggest the club is making snide insinuations - the evidence is in the report.
I suggest you do go read http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/112282-Because-you-are-black/page3 or at least the report because those questions were answered. There you go, a general insult. Equivalent of fuc*ing hell. There you go, he didn't even say it. You made that up. Even if he did, south America is a continent, not a race. Its about as racially abusive as me calling you European. Got any more patently wrong and biased "FACKTS" for me to bust before I go for lunch?
