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Union still seek peace for Evra and Suarez

Comment: 0 February 15th, 2012 by: admin

The Professional Footballers’ Association are still trying to get Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and Liverpool’s Luis Suarez to come to terms after a racial dispute that escalated when the latter refused to shake the hand during their weekend meeting at Old Trafford.

Although it proves to be a tall task, union boss Gordon Taylor believes that the two players can find common ground and end their controversy even if they do not end up as friends.

Taylor, who made immediate attempts to diffuse the situation when it began in October, thinks that the two players need to realise that one aspect of the game should be enough to see them through this controversy: respect.

When asked if he still wanted to play a part in the process, Taylor said: “It’s important to do things. Liverpool is a club that has very much been part of the social responsibility of football and will be involved going forward.

“We want to draw a line under what’s happened and try to learn from it for the future.

“A number of people thought it would nice to have an apology for what had been said rather than just the handshake, but sometimes you’ve got to play with the cards you’re given.

“Of course, with over 3,000 [PFA] members, it’s not possible for everyone to be friends, but we’re just asking them to have respect for each other and colleagues. That’s the object and any means to achieve that, we will take.”

Taylor also believes that cancelling the pre-game is unnecessary. The Respect Parade was scratched off the QPR and Chelsea tie as a result of John Terry’s alleged racial slurs on Anton Ferdinand.

“People are saying, ‘Stop handshakes before games’ but no, football is a sport and these things have to go all the way to the grass-roots of the game.

“I see no reason not to have that. Football ought to be setting the right example and bringing people together, not separating them. To run away from that now would be the worst thing possible.

“Everyone’s saying that the anti-racism campaign has been damaged and of course it’s not its finest hour, but the progress that has been made and the fact it’s been so publicised is an indication of how far things have gone.

“Saturday was a terrible day for the image of the game but Sunday [when the apology was made] was a step in the right direction, albeit one with the involvement of the [Liverpool] owners and the involvement of sponsors.

“We’ve got to make sure we continue with that,” Taylor continued. “Not just with Liverpool, but all the professional clubs. Apologies have been made and accepted and we need to move on.

“It’s important to keep the football family together, regroup and move forward with our anti-racism programme and make sure that all clubs buy into it and understand that it’s for the best possible reasons.”

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