Liverpool FC Forum

[Stu the Red]

St Mike, I made most of those points myself as did one or two others. That article is bang on the money as far as most sensible people are concerned.

[eds]

The whole thing stinks. Nobody is defending him. He's guilty and deserves to be punished.

The major gripe is about us being punished for a crime he committed while playing for his country. There are clear lines for this. A player can be banned for domestic league games, but still play European or UEFA cup games. They can be banned for club and play internationals. So why is the new rule for him only, that punishes us in the process, more than it punishes him or his national team?

This is a sport, and it’s governed by a set of rules which are put in place for the betterment of that sport. When a player steps out of the tunnel and out onto the pitch they’re to obey those rules. If a player breaks those rules then they should be punished. So, quite clearly and quite rightly, Luis Suarez should be punished. For violent conduct. Because that’s what it is and nothing more. Just like a kick is. Or a punch is. Or a headbutt is. Or an unexpected and potentially life threatening forearm to the back of the head is (no matter how much you want to pretend like it didn’t happen, Wayne). A bite on the shoulder, though f*cking stupid, isn’t worse than any of these. It’s violent conduct, should be treated as such, and that’s that. FIFA, UEFA, our FA, none of them should get to make up the rules as they go along, and certainly not because of public pressure or rival supporter reaction, but that’s what appears to be happening. If it isn’t, then how come we’ve all been asking how long his ban’s likely to be? Shouldn’t we know? Isn’t it in those rules you’ve written?

People saying he has done it three times are missing the point, it doesn't matter if he has done it ten times. Unless he did it ten times in the same match he can only be charged with the one offence. Saying he has done it twice before so he deserves it is admitting he is being punished for three offences instead of just the one. Using the same logic if a player gets several red cards, by the time they get the third or fourth red card, as punishment they should expect the death sentence, after all, they've done it before.

Each offence should be treated as an incident on its own and punished accordingly. The punishment here is disproportionate to the offence, precisely because his priors are being used against him, because of media hysteria and his (fairly earned) poor reputation.

Anyway, the most sense I've seen spoken on the subject so far on RTE.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/worldcup ... -response/

Couldn't have put this better myself Mick.

How the f**k are we getting punished harsher then Uruguay is beyond me? 

If they really wanted to be fair it should have been a two year international ban.

[laza]

From AFP

The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) says it will appeal against a four-month global ban imposed against star striker Luis Suarez for biting an Italian opponent at the World Cup.

AUF president Wilmar Valdez called the FIFA punishment against Suarez, also comprising a nine-match international ban, "totally exaggerated".

He said the appeal would be lodged on Thursday.

"We feel the decision is totally over the top because for us there was no incontrovertible proof to warrant such a tough punishment," Valdez told reporters in Rio.

"Uruguay does not seek privileges or exceptions. What Uruguay does ask is that the law be applied equally to all and FIFA should ensure that is the case.

"And we have seen more or similarly aggressive incidents than that involving Luis Suarez and yet (in those cases FIFA's) disciplinary commission did not act as it is now doing," he complained.

But he added he did not think Suarez was being victimised.

Uruguayan skipper Diego Lugano meanwhile posted a message to social media saying the squad were aghast at the punishment but felt powerless to do anything.

"Indignant. Powerless. I think this is what we all feel," said Lugano, but "those who are in charge are in charge.

"A hug to Luis, who as always will bounce back.

"We will carry on with humility, solidarity, commitment, recognising our mistakes and with our heads always held high," said Lugano, who was sat on the bench for the match as he was injured.

FIFA banned Suarez after his bite on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini in Tuesday's final group match, the suspension ending the controversial forward's involvement at the World Cup.

It is the third time the 27-year-old South American star had been banned for biting an opponent after a previous case while at Ajax in 2010 and last year playing for Liverpool when he bit the arm of Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic.

Uruguayan Sports Minister Liliam Kechichian has blasted the punishment for Suarez as "disproportionate."

"I have seen many World Cups and many incidents involving hard contact (between players)," said Kechichian.

But "this is the greatest injustice to have resulted" from such a clash, said Kechichian.

"This is something which affects the whole of Uruguayan society."

Nacional club, where Suarez started his playing career, offered him "total support" while journalist Federico Paz tweeted "9 matches ... who did Luis kill?"

Meanwhile, the head of England's players' union, Gordon Taylor, has labelled the FIFA ban a "massive backward step" for Suarez, who plays in the English Premier League for Liverpool.

Taylor added FIFA ought to have made "counselling and treatment" a condition of Suarez's ban.

He said the PFA had already helped players with mental health and anger management problems.

"I would suggest we've been successful in about two out of three cases. So the odds would be in favour if that was addressed seriously, but of course Luis needs to accept that and be prepared to undertake that."

[damjan193]

Sh*t... did not expect this. We'll appeal right? We probably can't do anything because of the reasons woof mentioned a few posts above but if things stay like this our season is over.

This kind of caught me off guard I must say.

[7_Kewell]

would be great if the punishment is reduced, but am not holding my breath...

[eds]

Sh*t... did not expect this. We'll appeal right? We probably can't do anything because of the reasons woof mentioned a few posts above but if things stay like this our season is over.

This kind of caught me off guard I must say.

We would have to appeal Jammy.

This is absolute nonsense.

No player in the history of the game has received a worldwide ban for "violent conduct" for four months! It's unprecedented and has all the marks of the English FA and even grubbier media tendrils all over it.

No one condones his behavior, it's gobsmackingly stupid but I'm absolutely staggered that no one (FIFA, the Uruguay FA, our club etc) has got to the bottom of why the f**k he is so bat-shit crazy. Everyone thinks that by applying ridiculously long bans, it will deter him from doing it again. Which it hasn't so the man obviously isn't right........

[red till i die!!]

Sh*t... did not expect this. We'll appeal right? We probably can't do anything because of the reasons woof mentioned a few posts above but if things stay like this our season is over.

This kind of caught me off guard I must say.

knocked most of us for six 
yeah apparently the situation is that they banned him from club duty and gave us no power to appeal. we are also reported to be seeking legal advice on the matter. the uruguayan fa is going to launch an appeal so hopefully it will be somewhat successful. the best we can hope for is that the club bit gets overturned or suspended. no date for an appeal set at this time.

[killerp]

Don't worry guys we have Aspas, Boroni & Lambert for cover...

we are fooked!

[killerp]

Liverpool games Suarez will miss:

16 August:  Southampton (h)

23 August: Manchester City (a)

30 September: Tottenham Hotspur (a)

13 September: Aston Villa (h)

16/Wednesday 17 September: Champions League group game

20 September: West Ham United (a)

23/Wednesday 24 September: Capital One Cup third round

27 October: Everton (h)

30 September/Wednesday 1 October: Champions League group game

4 October: West Bromwich Albion (h)

18 October: Queens Park Rangers (a)

21/Wednesday 22 October: Champions League group game

25 October: Hull City (h)

[Greavesie]

We must be able to do something about the club part, not even training is a joke - this has easily hurt us more than Uruguay. Just read that Gordon Taylor has laid into FIFA for not insisting any sort of rehab course was included in the punishment - he may have a point with that one like

[kazza]

Wanted man: Luis Suarez is still attracting interest in Spain

Barcelona and Real Madrid both still want to sign Luis Suarez from Liverpool despite the striker being banned for four months, according to Guillem Balague.

Suarez was found guilty of biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in the crucial World Cup Group D clash on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old will be unable to play club football until October 26 – which will see him miss domestic matches and three Champions League fixtures - as well as being suspended from international football for nine matches.


Sky Sports' Guillem Balague believes there will still be interest in Liverpool's Luis Suarez despite the Uruguayan receiving a 4 month ban from 'all footba
But Balague insists the Spanish giants will be undeterred in their attempts to snare the Uruguayan forward, with Barca the favourites to sign him in a deal worth 80million euros.

Balague told Sky Sports News: “I was in touch with both Barcelona and Real Madrid. I wanted to see first of all if there was going to be any official reaction – obviously not. And secondly I wanted to know if they would still be interested with the player.  The answer was not very ambiguous - I think they will be, I am certain they will be.

Favourites
“In the case of Barcelona, they think they are favourites for his signature. They think that this may make things much faster. But we will see – that is just speculation. What is for certain is that they would still like to sign the player.

“It is not ideal obviously but it is quite clear it has become a sporting and footballing decision as a priority in both cases. Conversations with Real Madrid have been taking place for quite a while and they thought they had an advantage over Barcelona. But it all changed over the last couple of months when the player let his representatives know that it was Barcelona that he wanted to go to.

“Barcelona are still the favourites to get him as half of his family – his parents in law live near Barcelona – and he goes there very often. His first daughter was born in Barcelona and his wife spends a lot of time in Barcelona. But it doesn’t close the door to Real Madrid and prior to this last incident he hadn’t closed the door to staying at Liverpool. But that seems difficult now"

However, Balague believes there is little prospect of either of the Spanish sides securing Suarez on the cheap. And if the Uruguay striker is to move to move to Barcelona, it could depend on the agreement of a swap deal between the clubs and relevant players.

“I very much doubt that Liverpool will say, ‘take him out of our hands’,” Balague said. “I think there is a buyout clause, two in fact I believe, one for English clubs and one for foreign clubs. The one for foreign clubs is about 80million euros – that is the money Liverpool will want and that is the money that Barcelona and Real Madrid will be counting on spending on him.

“In the case of Barcelona they don’t have all the money in cash and they would like to include players. There are talks of Pedro and Alexis Sanchez [moving to Liverpool in exchange] but you have to convince the players of that.”

[lakes10]

should have been longer in my view. I also think any player seen doing a ankle stamp should be banned fro 6mth.

[C-R]

Wow been away since just after 1pm yesterday and learned about the ban by text message

Disgusted by FIFA banning him from club football for 4 months, our club lawyers along with Suarez lawyers and Uruguay lawyers need to get their heads together and ***** FIFA from every angle

Yes, Suarez was very much in the wrong and should be punished but not our club, disgrace

When i think to the USA V Ghana match where Clint Dempsey was elbowed in the face and had his nose broken a few days prior with no action whatsoever taken against the other player

FIFA are the most corrupt organisation on the planet, I remember a certain Marc Bosman having the courage and back bone to take on FIFA in the european court system and winning which changed football forever and unless our lawyers do something similar these corrupt b@stards are gonna continue their organised crime style activities

Still fcukin fumin here 

[red till i die!!]

I also think any player seen doing a ankle stamp should be banned fro 6mth.

seriously, i think i actually split my side laughing at that nugget 

[C-R]

Giorgio Chiellini: The ban is excessive.

Rumor is that Uruguay will call Giorgio Chiellini as a potential witness in the defence of Suarez