Premier League - Suarez and Dalglish apologise for behaviour

Sun, 12 Feb 15:30:00 2012

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has apologised for his refusal to shake Manchester United defender Patrice Evra's hand, while Kenny Dalglish has said sorry for his comments in a post-match interview.

Handshake row at Old

Suarez snubbed Evra before Saturday's Premier League match at Old Trafford, receiving widespread condemnation.

The Uruguayan has recently returned from an eight-match ban after an FA Independent Commission found him guilty of racially abusing Evra.

The 25-year-old said: "I have spoken with the manager since the game at Old Trafford and I realise I got things wrong.

"I've not only let him down, but also the club and what it stands for and I'm sorry. I made a mistake and I regret what happened.

"I should have shaken Patrice Evra's hand before the game and I want to apologise for my actions.

"I would like to put this whole issue behind me and concentrate on playing football."

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre said: "We are extremely disappointed Luis Suarez did not shake hands with Patrice Evra before yesterday's game. The player had told us beforehand that he would, but then chose not to do so.

"He was wrong to mislead us and wrong not to offer his hand to Patrice Evra. He has not only let himself down, but also Kenny Dalglish, his team-mates and the Club. It has been made absolutely clear to Luis Suarez that his behaviour was not acceptable.

"Luis Suarez has now apologised for his actions which was the right thing to do. However, all of us have a duty to behave in a responsible manner and we hope that he now understands what is expected of anyone representing Liverpool Football Club."

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and manager Kenny Dalglish have apologised for their behaviour around Saturday's game at Manchester United. - 2

Dalglish had said on Thursday he expected Suarez to shake Evra's hand, but reacted angrily when questioned about the incident after United's 2-1 victory.

He told a Sky Sports interviewer: "I think you're very severe and I think you're bang out of order to blame Luis Suarez for anything that happened here today."

However, he has now said sorry, commenting: "Ian Ayre has made the club's position absolutely clear and it is right that Luis Suarez has now apologised for what happened at Old Trafford.

"To be honest, I was shocked to hear that the player had not shaken hands having been told earlier in the week that he would do.

"But as Ian said earlier, all of us have a responsibility to represent this club in a fit and proper manner and that applies equally to me as Liverpool manager.

"When I went on TV after yesterday's game I hadn't seen what had happened, but I did not conduct myself in a way befitting of a Liverpool manager during that interview and I'd like to apologise for that."

United issued a statement accepting the apologies: "Manchester United thanks Liverpool for the apologies issued following Saturday's game.

"Everyone at Old Trafford wants to move on from this. The history of our two great clubs is one of success and rivalry unparalleled in British football.

"That should be the focus in the future of all those who love the clubs."

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said after the match that Liverpool should axe Suarez.

He said: "He's a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club, that certain player should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again.

"The history that club's got and he does that and in a situation like today could have caused a riot. I was really disappointed in that guy, it was terrible what he did."

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and manager Kenny Dalglish have apologised for their behaviour around Saturday's game at Manchester United. - 3

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Comment 1606 - 1625 of 1625

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  1. MARKHAMO: Time for you to return to Rampton for a­ further course of electric shock treatment, ask the­ doctor to give you 20,000 volts, that should suffice­ for now. You are a COMPLETE FOOL.

    From John, on Wed 15 Feb 9:53

  2. To Gerry 1624, so if you have an insider, how come you­ are not mentioning the suarez spitting at the man utd­ players?

    From AH, on Tue 14 Feb 14:37

  3. Fegie please caution your wild and untrained cats. We­ respect you but when fail to truthful in matters like­ this then you'll lose all that respect. Why did you­ not mention about Rio's behaviors both on and off­ pitch? Why did you not talk about Evra's stupid­ celebration after the match? Do you know he could have­ caused more trouble with that stupid behavior? All you­ could see and talk about is Surez not shaking­ Evra's hands. Why should he shake Evra's hands?­ What happened when Bridge refused to shake Terry and­ other similar incidents? why must surez's be so­ much talked about? Is it because he's not English­ or because he's a good player? Do you think­ it's easy to let go off in the mind some one that­ cost you 8games? He's human and should be given a­ chance to regain himself and he'll come out better­ both mentally and otherwise. Let us all stop shying­ away from the truth. Fegie was biased and Rio was very­ wrong in all manners. As for Evra, I think he deserves­ some ban for grabbing surez hand when he refused to­ shake him and his stupid celebration. If someone­ refuses to shake you you don't force him rather you­ give your hand to others and let the authorities and­ public comment on it. Your trying to force him looked­ like an attack on him. When Bridge refused to shake­ Terry, Terry did not try to force him for a hand shake.

    From AbsoluteFlowerGyrl, on Tue 14 Feb 7:47

  4. Poor Suarez you now know what this country is all­ about. Because it concerns sir Alex that's why your­ club have left you to work alone. Instead of defending­ you they abandoned you. Evra should be warned­ seriously, he's beginning to get involved too much.­ Why did he put that stupid act after the match? No one­ is talking about Rio, a grown man behaved like a child,­ you can as well call that racism. He had no issues with­ Surez but because surez refused to shake evra and he­ refused too, thats too bad of him. Evra said so many­ stupid things about Arsenal the manager sometimes last­ year and no body warned him and has been involved in­ too many ill mannered issues and I think he deserves­ some caution. Rio should have left the matter with the­ football authority to deal with instead committing the­ same offense every body wants to surez for. I am­ disappointed in Liverpool. Rio is part of the problem­ JT is having at the moment and he just practiced in­ saturday game on surez. As a senior player in EPL he­ should show good example and not encouraging racism­ he's claiming to be fighting. Rio, you are a total­ disgrace. We can now put 2 and 2 together in your­ fight for your brother against JT. Rio should be­ charged too.

    From AbsoluteFlowerGyrl, on Tue 14 Feb 7:25

  5. Suarez was WRONG to apologize, he was 100% RIGHT NOT TO­ shake hand with FILTHY SCUM evra

    From Istina Boli, on Tue 14 Feb 5:04

  6. BREAKING NEWS, I have it from a witness in the tunnel­ what happened. Ferdinand tried to punch Suarez and­ missed, nearly knocking out Agger. Agger retaliated and­ give Ferdinand a crack. Then mayhem ensued. what did­ Fergie have to say about that.FA. Truth. Why did'nt­ he stand up for his brother the same way ?? makes you­ wonder does'nt it.

    From Gerry, on Tue 14 Feb 4:42

  7. Whilst I commend each party for finally apologizing;­ these apologies have I'm afraid come far to late to­ undo the damage which has been done: to each­ party's reputation!
    Had Suarez; Dalglish &­ Liverpool FC issued these public apologies as soon as­ Suarez was found guilty by the FA, then this racism­ controversy could have been diffused quickly: without­ any one of the aforementioned being tarnished­ indefinitely.
    The fact that it took 7 weeks for Messrs­ Suarez; Dalglish, and their employers (Liverpool FC) to­ come to the patently obvious (to any normal; rational;­ decent & morally upstanding person!) realization­ that they were totally & utterly in the wrong, in­ pretending that none of them had done anything wrong,­ and further that the victim of proven racism was­ somehow to blame, speaks volumes in my honest &­ humble opinion.
    Can anyone now seriously believe that­ these apologies by them are anything more than tokenism­ - in the face of an absolute avalanche of critical­ public opinion?
    Though we will move on for the time­ being: I think that Suarez is effectively finished as a­ player here in the UK, and will be sold to a foreign­ club at the end of the season.
    As for Dalglish? Well:­ he may still be regarded as "The King" of­ Klanfield; sorry Anfield, to the Liverpool faithful,­ but to most of everyone else he may never live down the­ stigma of being deemed a racist has-been???

    From Roger, on Tue 14 Feb 4:15

  8. 16 thumbs down for my comment yet nobody actually­ responded to it. This site reminds me of the Mike Judge­ movie, 'Idiocracy'.

    From kevin, on Tue 14 Feb 4:05

  9. answer to 1612 ferguson said on sky that he shouldnt­ have done it.daglish and suarez have had to be told to­ apologse by owners and now the sponsers this should­ have been done at the start suarez is a good footballer­ but i think he has to start concentrating on that he­ has to change for his own good his record stands for­ itself would like him to say sorry to evra then we can­ all move on no need to add anymore

    From sandman, on Tue 14 Feb 3:57

  10. we all seen evra drop his hand as suarez aproched but­ nothing gets said. its all made out to be suarez again.­ evra is just as bad fact. what about ferdinandyet again­ nothing will be said fact. who is fergie to say about­ suarez. short memory,s cantona and the­ kung foo kick. there was no lfc manager making coments.­ he gets abig fine banned for 8 games and still gets­ hastle nothing said about evra abusing suarez. its all­ one sided its all been delt with. so let suarez get on­ with the game.

    From Robert, on Tue 14 Feb 3:41

  11. ok, we've accepted your grovelling apology all you­ whinging scousers can shut up and go out robbing cars­ now.

    From Manchester born and bRED, on Tue 14 Feb 3:25
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    All the top clubs in Europe knew about the ability of­ Luis Suarez but they decided he was­ uncontrollable.Liverpool took the risk and it has­ failed.Some players unfortunately have great personal­ problems and they become self destructive.If he stays­ at Liverpool he will let them down big time.I suspect­ they will sell him off at the end of the season.The­ lesson for football fans is do not believe all you here­ from your club and your local media.Dalglish led the­ Liverpool fans to believe that Luis Suarez was­ innocent.Kenny was a great player and a loyal­ servant.However he has tarnished the image of this­ great club.I hope dalglish and Suarez will pick up the­ telephone and apologize to Evra personally.Somehow I­ dont think that will happen

    From harrysingleton22, on Tue 14 Feb 2:14

  13. BREAKING NEWS!!!
    Luis Suarez has been arrested for the­ murder of Whitney Houston in a racially motivated­ attack. Eye-witness Patrice Evra says he saw Suarez­ kill her at least half a dozen times.

    Sir Alex­ Ferguson has called for the re-introduction of the­ death penalty. Kenny Dalglish says he has never heard­ of Whitney Houston and has questioned whether she ever­ actually existed in the first place?

    Howard Webb will­ be the trial judge, with the FA demanding the strictest­ possible sentence!

    From stuart, on Tue 14 Feb 2:11
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    1614...kim...We'll bow to your greater knowledge of­ the police coming knocking on your door!!

    From Russ, on Tue 14 Feb 1:05
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    MARKHAMO @11.16am....Hahahaha...once again it's not­ Liverpool's fault!!! Unbelievable. All you scousers­ are still finger-pointing. Anyone's fault but­ Liverpool's but usually United's. Hilarious!!­ Do you spend your entire life blaming others? Don't­ answer, we already know.

    From Russ, on Tue 14 Feb 1:00
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    @ Kim, well surely by your own comments you are in fact­ confirming what Derrenhoward had said? It wasn’t­ reported therefore the police didn’t get involved. Also­ it’s worth remembering Terry hasn’t been found guilty­ of racial abuse and yet the police are involved. They­ are involved because it was reported to them, not­ because Terry has been found guilty. Looking at it­ another way if an employee was believed to have stolen­ an item from their place of work the employer could­ handle it internally through the disciplinary procedure­ or they could report it to the police, and it is likely­ that even if the police were aware of the theft, they­ would only get involved if they were instructed to. The­ matter was being handled internally.

    Back to your­ original argument, you stated that it isn’t offensive­ to use the word Negro in his culture, whether or not­ that it the truth, ignorance/stupidity is no excuse.­ Besides I fail to see why he would have used the term­ other than to abuse/offend Evra.

    Suarez was in the­ wrong fullstop, and as far as I’m aware he didn’t even­ have the decency to apologise to Evra for his comments.­ As a Liverpool fan I’m pretty disgusted by the recent­ actions of Suarez and Dalglish.

    From kevin, on Tue 14 Feb 0:27

  17. Derrenhoward,

    ""It's quite simpe­ really,­ the police didn't come knocking on his­ door because­ no one made a complaint to­ them!!""

    WRONG. The police have the power to­ be proactive if a serious offence has been commited.­ That is the law. The police obviously felt Suarez using­ the term "negro" one time was not a serious­ racially abusive offence.

    Who on earth told you that­ the police can only act if something is reported?­ You're having a laugh aren't you?

    From Kim, on Mon 13 Feb 23:50

  18. to all u saurez haters GET A LIFE .

    From Michael, on Mon 13 Feb 23:37

  19. manu should also apologise for evra's display at­ end of game

    From guaj, on Mon 13 Feb 23:18

  20. Suarez is a bad man, a very bad man, an evil man.

    From Singha, on Mon 13 Feb 22:53
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