Luis Suárez

[Shaggy]

I agree, he's a tit. But he's the mouthpiece for the PFA and therefore seen to have authority and credibility - hence he was interviewed. If he's saying it publicly, then you'd think he'd been media briefed beforehand on what to say...

Taylor is never briefed - he says what wants with impunity.

Regarding "previous":

Much has been made of the Suarez’s previous disciplinary offences but the FA is limited in this respect.

For example, the other biting incident in Holland, when Suarez was playing for Ajax, cannot be used against him as it was not under the jurisdiction of the English FA.

His previous record in England does not include any previous misdemeanours for violent conduct and so the FA is again limited as to how much emphasis they can place on his previous character.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...aham-Bean.html

[Tribute]

A red card is a red card, if someone gets sent off serves their suspension and comes back and gets sent off again they still do 3 games.

Previous incidents (One in a completely different league!) shouldn't even come into account.

Shouldn't. But in this case, they're (Taylor, and therefore the PFA are) saying it does. Go figure...

[Sarb]

Graham Bean thinks the ban is 10 games because LFC/Suarez dared indicate that 3 games was enough. WTF. So if you don't agree with the FA they will just ban you for more games for the sake of it? What a total complete bunch of idiots.

[Tribute]

Taylor is never briefed - he says what wants with impunity.

Regarding "previous":

...so if that's the case, the FA should come out and say 'Shut the **** up' to Taylor as he's publicly spreading mis-truths...

..then we should bring in the big guns and shoot the FA's case to pieces for not following their own procedure... is that likely?

[Shaggy]

...so if that's the case, the FA should come out and say 'Shut the **** up' to Taylor as he's publicly spreading mis-truths...

..then we should bring in the big guns and shoot the FA's case to pieces for not following their own procedure... is that likely?

It'd be lovely but I'm not holding my breath.

They'll find a loophole or change the rules overnight to suit.

[rob_247]

This is what I don't understand.

Lee Cattermole for example - 6 red cards I think for basically being a dirty cunt. Does his history of collecting cards get taking into account for each ban? Nope.

Bans don't roll over unless they get a suspended ban, and bans have never increased in size exponentially if you're a troublemaker and keep getting into trouble. So why is it only Suarez who's 'previous character' is being taken into account when dishing out a punishment?

This.

Repeat offenders do not get increased bans per future incident. The exception would seem to be Suarez's where if he used racist language again he could expect to be treated far more severely.
That should not hang over him for every other incident. If he'd made a two footed lunge and been send off I wouldn't expect his ban to be massively increased, I don' see the difference with this.
The judgment that biting is worse than a forearm smash or a headbutt doesn't sit well with me at all. If it's violent conduct it should be treated as such and punished inline with previous convictions.

Any change made to policy to increase punishments should be made outside of an ongoing case and then applied to all future incidents. Picking on one case simply because of media hysteria and Suarez's pantomime villain status is wildly unfair and seems to have been done to appease that hysteria. Ironically it seems to be stoking a reaction in some quarters of the press that the FA have somewhat lost the plot with regards to handing out punishments that fit the crimes.

[Chazza]

The way things are going we will appeal it and the ban will get increased.

[Tribute]

Ferguson has a list of offences as long as my arm - have the FA ever taken his substantial previous into account? Nope. They ban/punish him on the merits of each case - they don't pile up the suspensions for constant abuse of officials.

...Fergie is untouchable. No governing body has ever had the bottle to stand up to him and as he's now the self-assumed Godfather of Football, they never will.

[McDermotX]

FWIW, I was probably 50/50 in favour of Suarez staying for next season before the bite. Even though he had signed the new contract, a player such as that is always gonna be focused on winning trophies, and certainly the draw of the continent, CL football, money etc would be a huge factor, never mind the media/fan pressure he does be under in England.
I think a fair amount of people on here wouldn't have begrudged him the move last summer if all the negative pressure on him, and his family, was taking it toll, and a huge offer came in.
He knuckled down, started making inroads with media, played exceptionally well etc. He was still a hate figure with certain elements, but certainly more to the level of pantomime villain than previously. But, he let himself down on a couple of occasions, ultimately culminating with last week and yesterday's ban.

No one to blame but himself.
Yes, the ban is completely over the top. Farcical even, and the FA have displayed their bias against him for the entire football world to see.
Hand on my heart, we should fight it, purely to drag the FA into the mire. Not reasonable thinking I know, but its hardly reasonable governing of the game from the FA. Plus, I'm not certain we'll be having to deal with him after this season.

We shouldn't get rid though on our terms, he's one of the top 5 strikers in world football, seems to enjoy his football with Liverpool for the most part, comes across as a hugely popular member of the squad and to all intents and purposes, it's players like him who attract other potential signings to the cause.
That said, I think the balance has shifted from that 50/50 of earlier in season, and he may ultimately see it as the best time to uproot his family and make a new life in Spain or Germany.

[Arn]

He must have had 20 suspended sentences. Total prick

If I was Liverpool manager, tomorrow i'd come out all guns blazing and blast the FA for their double standards. Once it's out there, it's out there. So what if they fine him or ban him. I would proper lay into them and end it with 'Ban me then you cnuts'

Rodgers isn't a big enough name to be able to do that. Very few managers would get away with it.

Mourinho, Pep and Rafa is the onky three I think would be able to do it and get away with it.

Rafa did it once, his so called rant.

We aren't exactly good at PR either so we would most probably mess it up.

[Sarb]

If I were Suarez I'd take the FA to court. If he wants to move on, what is he going to lose. It's pretty clear that they're wholly inconsistent and victimising him. To any normal person, it's pretty clear cut.

[Shaggy]

FWIW, I was probably 50/50 in favour of Suarez staying for next season before the bite. Even though he had signed the new contract, a player such as that is always gonna be focused on winning trophies, and certainly the draw of the continent, CL football, money etc would be a huge factor, never mind the media/fan pressure he does be under in England.
I think a fair amount of people on here wouldn't have begrudged him the move last summer if all the negative pressure on him, and his family, was taking it toll, and a huge offer came in.
He knuckled down, started making inroads with media, played exceptionally well etc. He was still a hate figure with certain elements, but certainly more to the level of pantomime villain than previously. But, he let himself down on a couple of occasions, ultimately culminating with last week and yesterday's ban.

No one to blame but himself.
Yes, the ban is completely over the top. Farcical even, and the FA have displayed their bias against him for the entire football world to see.
Hand of my heart, we should fight it, purely to drag the FA into the mire. Not reasonable thinking I know, but its hardly reasonable governing of the game from the FA. Plus, I'm not certain we'll be having to deal with him after this season.

We shouldn't get rid though on our terms, he's one of the top 5 strikers in world football, seems to enjoy his football with Liverpool for the most part, comes across as a hugely popular member of the squad and to all intents and purposes, it's players like him who attract other potential signings to the cause.
That said, I think the balance has shifted from that 50/50 of earlier in season, and he may ultimately see it as the best time to uproot his family and make a new life in Spain or Germany.

I agree we should fight it, and fiercely. Take it to the top, as far as we can possibly go - but we'll probably roll over and let them dry hump us again.

[Sarb]

And I'm astounded we still have the same lawyer as with the racism case. Pretty piss poor

[fah-q]

You know the same rules don't apply to him as others though, so it's pointless even mentioning him.

Take Joey Barton as an example. He's had extra games added for the same reason. I'm not justifying it, I just think that's the angle the FA will use to justify the 10 game ban.

FWIW although I seem to be one of the most vocal on here speaking out against Luis, I still wouldn't sell him, and I still think the ban is OTT.

Joey Barton was given that ban for the offences committed on that occasion, not for previous.

[Sarb]

I agree we should fight it, and fiercely. Take it to the top, as far as we can possibly go - but we'll probably roll over and let them dry hump us again.

We should have taken the racism case up higher too. Was total bollocks that. 8 game ban on word of one person against another.