Why Should Suarez Have Shook Hands?

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Why Should Suarez Have Shook Hands?
I am sure you will get plenty of mails deriding Suarez. But why should he shake Evra's hand? It's obvious he doesn't like him. Not sure i would be happy to shake someone's hand after they were abusive about my sister regardless of badly i had responded to their antagonism.
Chris, Belfast


...It may have been ill advised, but Suarez was under absolutely no obligation to shake Evra's hand. With the recent articles on F365 regarding the silliness of pre-game handshakes (which were roundly met with approval), maybe this is one issue that shouldn't be met with widespread condemnation.
Neil, Glasgow via Belfast, LFC


...I know you'll probably get dozens of mails about what a loser Suarez is and how he's so despicable and is a terrible element in the sacred English game because he didn't shake Evra's hand yadda yadda. I actually think people need to lay off, for the following points:

1. Suarez ACTUALLY didn't do anything wrong today
2. He's a grown ass man
3. Being a grown ass man means he's entitled to make his own decisions
4. We don't necessarily have to like the decisions another human being makes
5. It's clear the man is, rightly or wrongly, aggrieved 6. We don't get to decide whether the source of his consternation is valid or not
7. The man was found guilty and served his time. Now where does that mean he has to be friends with Evra? Like him? Tolerate him? Look in his direction
8. Shaking hands would've been the mature thing to do, yes, but the man was well within his rights not to want to shake hands.
Get over it.
Sbu "Sbuda" Ngwane, Durban, South Africa


...I don't understand the fuss regarding Suarez's refusal to shake Evra's hand. It is a well know fact that refusing to shake someone's hand is a sign of great affection in South America.
Francois, (some of his best friends refuse to shake hands), MUFC, RSA.


In Summary, Everyone Was To Blame
What was required at Old Trafford was everybody acting like grown-ups and focusing on the football, EVERYBODY involved in that football match came out stinking of s***.

Both managers did little to diffuse the situation with their comments, Suarez and Ferdinand should not have refused the handshakes they did and Evra shouldn't have run over and celebrated in front of Suarez like he did. Another group that should be ashamed is the Sky pundits and reporters that broadcast the match. Despite constantly saying we should 'focus on the football', they, hypocritically, did nothing but talk about Suarez/Evra. Add to this the Hillsborough and Heysel chants Man United fans were singing and, while I heard none there probably were some, Munich chants by Liverpool fans, and what a terrible day for English football that was.

Surely all this could have been saved if the FA gave the same help to Evra/Suarez that they gave to John Terry by removing the pre-match handshake?

Onto the football, with the exception of Valencia who, despite his complete one-footedness, was outstanding yet again, and Rooney's well taken finishes, every player was at best mediocre. There were times when Scholes, Giggs, Welbeck and De Gea showed some elements of class, at least in comparison to the woefully useless Stewart Downing. Glen Johnson once again showed his defensive liabilities, and although he made a few nice moves going forward, he always seems to cross from deep or come inside, get beyond the fullback once in a while Glen! And lastly, that game really showed how important Lucas is to Liverpool.
James (What an embarrassing day for any English football fan) LFC


Or Are Liverpool To Blame?
My beef isn't with Suarez - he's deluded, he bites people, he doesn't know better - the beef must surely be with Liverpool FC.

An ever changing story during the inquiry, immediate rejection of the allegations before any facts had emerged and their continued desire to antagonise suggests that not only do they know Suarez is guilty but they are using this whole episode as a poorly executed 'siege mentality' mechanism. The aim of this exercise must surely be to develop some form of loyalty from Suarez and 'do a Mourinho' - neither of which are likely to happen.
Dave from Croydon


Ashamed
Can I just say that I am passionate LFC fan but today find myself feeling utterly ashamed. Our performance both on (Downing) and off (Suarez) the pitch were disgraceful.

I am desperately hoping that we can become the club I so desperately want us to be.
Dominic Wilson


The Pithy Corner
Luis Suarez. Is there a more despicable character in the Premier League today?
Si (He actually makes me sympathize with Evra, and I hate Evra)


...Luis Suarez: making Joey Barton look like a model professional
Steve (Does anyone like Suarez?) Webb


... For f*cks sake. Can everyone just grow up.
Phil AVFC


Man United v Liverpool Conclusions
* Stewart Downing is utterly pants. He can't pass, cross, beat a man, tackle or do anything that one might expect of a Premiership footballer. Or a footballer in any division. Someone please enlighten me as to how he still draws a wage from anyone except for Burger King.
* Isn't it about time Glen Johnson got moved into midfield? Didn't have a bad game defensively today but was our only real attacking threat and poses more danger down than the right than the ageing Kuyt.
* Charlie Adam seemed a bit confused when he came on. He was playing a football match but looked and acted more like he was entering a pub fight and just wanted to crack a few skulls.
* Is it just me, or does Andy Carroll always look like he's about to burst into tears every time something doesn't go his way?
SmegB, LFC (still trying to pop my mailbox cherry, nudge nudge wink wink MC)


...I was a bit disappointed that your 16 concs only managed about four points (and I am repeating a couple) but...

* No sympathy for Kenny, sorry. Suarez looked half a player: no way a starter.
* Total failure throughout to deal with Scholes. No pressure at any point: total tactical failure IMHO.
* We are the worst crossers of the ball in the league: watching Downing and Johnson repeatedly fail to clear the first man is nauseating (though Downing's free kick attempt made me chuckle).
* The first actual real cross (Adam's free) led to the goal. Why oh why don't Adam and Gerrard get into positions to cross the ball - bizarre.
* No Adam, Bellamy or AndyC from the start: unforgivable.
* Johnson wrong side of Rooney for both goals, and a third time for a big chance, and dismal all round. Really poor. He is truly a liability and thankfully the next England manager will put Richards in swiftly.
* On the bright side Scholes, Rooney, Welbeck, Skrtel, Agger and wee Fabio all actually played good football today.

But where your concs really missed out was not looking at the contribution of one Jordan Henderson. Aimless, wayward, dithering, poorly positioned, giving the ball away - it was like StevieG was playing with a ball and chain. Jordan doesn't even look fit for the Champo let alone a 20m price tag. Love to know his pass rate compared with Scholes 90+% with one fewer midfielder!
Jamie (Let's talk about the football.)


It Was All Horrible
As an Aston Villa fan, I've seen some truly awful, turgid, dispiriting games of football. But I've never seen anything quite so soul-destroying as the Man Utd - Liverpool match on Saturday. I hate that what could have been a really enjoyable game was actually just horrible. It was ugly and spiteful and petty and the sort of thing that made me not want my 2-year-old son to become a football fan.

I don't care who did or didn't shake hands. I don't care which horrible character danced idiotically in the face of another horrible character. I don't care which of two hypocritical and self-serving managers grabbed some scrap of moral high ground when they're both as cynical and despicable as each other. I don't care about moronic fanzines that think KKK references are helpful or appropriate. I just care about a simple game called "football." And Saturday lunchtime had nothing to do with football. It was horrible. Just horrible.

I'm sure you'll have fans of both clubs mailing their side of the argument for the next few days but, honestly, I think I speak for fans of every other club when I say that, in supporting the pathetic behaviour that was on show on Saturday from both teams and managers, you're as bad as each other and you need to take a look at yourselves and ask whether you even like the game of football. Because it certainly doesn't seem like it.

Football is bigger than vindictive tribal feuds. It's supposed to be a pleasant diversion from life.
Mark Casey


Time To Get Rid
As a Liverpool fan it's very rarely I agree with Alex Ferguson but it's hard to argue with his claim that Suarez shouldn't play for Liverpool again.

Despite how obviously talented he is as a player I've grown very weary of his antics since he's joined. Putting the Evra case to one side, he is a diver, shows clear dissent to referees, and constantly throws a strop whenever thing don't go his way. He reminds me very much of Nani when he first arrived at United.

About That moment; refusing to shake Evra's hand was embarrassing, petty and very very reckless. Ferguson said it could have caused a riot and he was right. That could have easily spilt into a 22 man brawl. I feel ashamed that he plays for Liverpool. It's those sort of actions that tarnishes a world footballing legacy that has been built up over decades.

Liverpool should suffer with him until the summer and load him off to whoever wants him. It's hard not to feel sorry for Dalglish after making sure everybody knew that the handshake wasn't going to be an issue. I wish there was more to discuss about the actual match but in truth it was forgettable.

To echo Alex Ferguson's words, Suarez is a disgrace. I would prefer to never see him play again. Suarez's talent isn't worth the trouble he causes. If Dalglish has any sense he'll call a press conference to condemn what he did and cut him loose in the summer. But sadly we all know that won't happen. To all the angry emailers don't hate Liverpool, just hate Suarez.
Joe, Dublin.


Superhuman
If I could have any superpower it would be to pass like Paul Scholes
David Speaks


The Best Of Myles
I'm sure you'll get a load of mails about the handshake but I'd just like to point out that Rooney's record in the big games this season has been outstanding. One against Spurs, 3 against Arsenal, 3 against Chelsea, 2 against City and 2 against Liverpool. Can't ask for much more than that.
Flann O'Brien


Wenger Knows
I would like to point out to all those Arsenal fans who booed Wenger when he took off Oxlade Chamberlain against Man Utd and chanted 'You don't know what you're doing' that today Arsene made three inspired substitutions:

Ramsey came on for Metersacker and he scored the equaliser.
Henry came on for Oxlade Chamberlain - He scored The Winner.
Arshavin on for Walcott - Assisted the winning the goal.

After guiding the club to its most successful period in its history, maybe, just maybe, Arsene knows what he is doing. We are now 4th in the league (Before the Spurs vs Newcastle game) and we are in the FA Cup and Champions League. We may well crash out of those competitions in the next fortnight but I implore ALL Arsenal fans to judge Wenger at the end of the season.

After the United game the majority of Arsenal fans slammed the team and said we had no chance of finishing in the top 4. How have these fans not learnt so much can change so quickly in football? So please show a bit more patience and respect to the man who has transformed the club since taking over. Please.
Fraser Carr.


Moyes For Chelsea?
Presumably Chelsea will be looking for a new manager again next summer. Surely they could do far worse than looking at the man who was sitting in the opposing dugout today. Year after year David Moyes teams outperform squads that have spent multiples of what Everton have yet he has not been offered a bigger job, how long more can he be ignored by the top six?
Deiseboy


Frozen Nipples
Can someone please tell that young Toon fan that if you have to take your shirt off in sub-zero conditions them you must be a big, fat, wobbly tub of lard, not a skinny stick of celery.

As to the football itself, wow. Being a Spurs fan for over 40 years I still wasn't sitting 100% comfortably at half-time, too many bad memories, but wow. That's all.
John, THFC in Saigon