SUAREZ FEELS THE BACKLASH
LUIS Suarez is facing a ban that is set to run into next season after the Liverpool striker was charged by the FA for his outrageous bite on Branislav Ivanovic.
The Liverpool striker was charged with violent conduct at the end a dramatic day during which Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall admitted she was torn over the gesture by Suarez of donating his fine to the families of the 96 victims.
Suarez, who was fined an undisclosed amount by Liverpool yesterday, will learn his fate tomorrow when a three-man independent regulatory committee sits to hear his case.
Nobody from Liverpool or the FA will be present. The FA felt a mandatory three-match ban would not be sufficient punishment for this offence and it is likely that he will receive a suspension similar to the seven games he served during his time at Ajax, when he bit PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal.
Suarez has accepted his financial punishment from Liverpool and asked for the money – thought to be more than £200 000 (R2.8 million) – to be donated to the Hillsborough Families Support Group (HFSG) for the “inconvenience I have created to the Liverpool fans and Ivanovic”.
While acknowledging that Suarez was trying to do the right thing, Aspinall – the chairwoman of the HFSG, whose fight for justice has been characterised by respect and dignity – admitted that the incident during Sunday’s 2-2 draw was “awful”.
“I would rather not be accepting the fine from Luis Suarez because I would rather he had not bitten that player,” said Aspinall, who stressed that she did not consider turning down the donation. “It is a nice gesture, but it is a terrible thing under the circumstances. We can’t say we are grateful because we would rather him not have done that at all. It is an awful thing at any time – not just this particular week. It is nice to know he knows he has let himself, the club, the fans and the (Hillsborough) families down.
Respect
“We could refuse to accept it, but it is going to have to go to someone, and he wants to show respect and remorse to the families.”
Suarez has been genuinely contrite about the latest disgraceful episode of his career and the Professional Footballers’ Association, which said it would be “embarrassing” if he were named Player of the Year next Sunday, has offered to help with improving his behaviour.
He will receive the same help at Anfield. Liverpool employ top psychologist Dr Steve Peters, who is credited with playing an instrumental role in transforming the fortunes of British cycling.
Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre insisted Suarez would not be sold. “It affects his future in the sense that we have to work with him on his discipline.
“But Luis is a very important player to the club. He’s a very popular player with his team-mates.
“He’s a fantastic player, top scorer and everything we’d want in a striker, so there’s no change there. This is more about getting him back on the right track and it’s largely down to Brendan (Rodgers) now to work with him on that side of his character.”
Liverpool have been criticised for not issuing their own suspension and for leaving it to the FA to deal with the incident.
Yet some Liverpool fans will believe that for Suarez to face such a big ban is unjust, given what happened to Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe in 2006 when he bit Javier Mascherano.
Since that incident, though, the FA has changed its rule book and had that incident occurred now, Defoe – who was booked during that game against West Ham – would have been charged again, given the circumstances.
Players’ union boss Gordon Taylor said: “While it’s good he made a personal apology, we have got to work hard with him and I hope the club agree on this anger management business to avoid it happening again.” – Daily Mail