Week 17

May the joyous season bring you love, happiness and health.

Why the upbeat mood?

TWENTY FOUR POINTS baby!!!!!!!

Yep. Been a good week for me. Top scoring this week. Increasing the gap at the top to 44 points.

Of course anything can happen in the New Year and with plenty of transfer options for everyone (except harry who has exhausted his 8 transfers) the ‘marathon not a sprint’ idiom is very relevant and should be heeded.

Only three other managers scored double figues (TC - 16, James - 11, Nick PC - 11)

Bottom of the heap this week (and in the table is McNick) with 3.

Table:

Major talking points this week? Can I really pass up this opportunity and not talk about the buck-toothed one?

You are mistaken, I am going to follow my club and keep a DIGNIFIED silence. No t-shirts, no promises to walk with him. Nooooooooooo. Oh ok!

But before I start I want to that while there is of course some bias in my opinions I do not actually think Suarez is a racist. How would you prove it anyway? He fucked up and should take his punishment. The way Liverpool have gone about the whole affair is what irks.

What follows is on the basis of original evidence where Suarez ADMITTED to using a certain word. For me a huge issue is that after the verdict Liverpool’s reaction has been crass, tactless and a PR disaster.

Their attempt to turn Evra into the villain shows they have not ‘got it’

Good article on the incident - click here

“Suárez’s intent is not the point. Nor is his character. The offence was the “insulting words” he used, and confessed to, in a roundabout way, with his plea of cultural mitigation.”

And this is the point that I have laboured when faced with an ignorant and incorrect version of the events.

THE FA HAVE NOT SAID SUAREZ IS RACIST. How could you prove that anyway.

This is what they said:

1) Mr Suarez used insulting words towards Mr Evra during the match contrary to FA Rule E3(1);

2) the insulting words used by Mr Suarez included a reference to Mr Evra's colour within the meaning of Rule E3(2);

Liverpool’s subsequent statement is cringe worthy:

“We find it extraordinary that Luis can be found guilty on the word of Patrice Evra alone when no-one else on the field of play including Evra’s own Manchester United teammates and all the match officials – heard the alleged conversation between the two players in a crowded Kop goalmouth while a corner kick was about to be taken.”

Are they THICK? Suarez admitted to using the word and his defence was to do with cultural difference, that it is acceptable when used in Uruguay when addressing a friend, a mate, a pal.

This leads on to the next point. Evra is NOT his friend. So why use the word? To illicit a reaction? Probably. It’s done all the time in every match. Difference is that Suarez used the wrong word.

Was it insulting? Yes

Did it refer to Evra’s colur? Yes

Guilty as charged. Let’s move on.

But no. Liverpool in their attempt to elevate their self-pity city status to another level came out with their absurd statement and THEN those t-shirts.

HE HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF USING OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE. Was there any need for the t-shirts?

I would be interested to see what others think. I have read loads on the subject, from both sides and try to keep an open mind on it but I can’t see why Liverpool couldn’t have just advised to Suarez to apologise if offence was caused, state this was not his intention (which was his original defence anyway) and move on. Short and dignified accepting the FACTS. This story would have died in a day.

The attempted smear on Evra is also laughable and FACTUALLY incorrect. Contrary to anything that has been peddled by Liverpool, Evra has NEVER made an accusation about being racially abused.

The alleged incidents where he has are detailed in this article: click here

“But Evra never cited racism in the Chelsea case, contrary to what you may have read elsewhere. Liverpool's extraordinary statement referred to Evra having no credibility and used as an example his "prior unfounded accusations". Except it was Mike Phelan, United's assistant manager, and Richard Hartis, the goalkeeping coach, who purported to hear the word "immigrant" used at Stamford Bridge. The story that it was Evra has gathered so much momentum now that even the usually reliable Press Association presented it as fact. Liverpool, they said, were referring to "racism allegations Evra made against Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell, which were not proven. The truth is something completely different. Likewise, Evra kept his distance when two deaf United fans complained they had lip-read Steve Finnan making a racist remark to him during a Liverpool-United game in 2006. The simple truth is that Evra has complained of being racially abused only once before, and that was the 1-1 draw at Anfield on 15 October.”

Before the FA verdict this is what Dalglish said:

"We would rather have it done and dusted, out in the open.
"Whoever is the guilty party - the person who said it or the accuser - [should] get their due punishment."

Backtracking are we Kenny?

The subsequent wearing of the T-shirts only confirms one thing – and this is my bias coming through - Liverpool's self-delusion. After all they are openly and publicly promoting a player, who abused another player and made reference to his race.

Some other articles for your perusal:

click here

“Suárez has not been convicted of being a racist. To prove or demolish such a contention would require rather more than the 40 hours of deliberation undertaken, over four days of hearing and sifting evidence, by the panel. He was simply convicted of insulting Evra during the course of an exchange”

and here

“Firstly way before the decision was in, Liverpool completely ignored the FA’s request that both clubs do not comment on the case as it is in motion. This would be to avoid affecting the outcome and causing it to be blown all out of proportion. Liverpool probably did not succeed in the first and certainly have accomplished the second. Surprisingly even Manchester United were able to keep completely quiet about the entire situation. Sir Alex Ferguson did not comment on it where as Kenny Dalglish could barely contain himself.”

and here

Finally another consequence of the past week is that it has neatly and conveniently (for him) deflected the total and direct spotlight that should be on John Terry. His use of ‘inappropriate’ language towards Anton Ferdinand would in most people’s eyes (who have seen it) definitely constitute as being racist.

When you recall Villa-Boas’ statement that WHATEVER the outcome he will support his player, it is a shocking thing to say.

Gentlemen, enjoy your festive break. Eat well and be merry.

Regards

Your chairman