Dalglish Deludes No One But Himself

Kenny Dalglish has this week refused to back down in his stance of Luis Suarez. Yet more blind faith from the Scot was spouted at his midweek press conference in support of the Uruguayan frontman charged with abusive racist language and banned by the FA for a subsequent 8 games.

Backing ‘one of your own’ is a common trait among managers, many who are not envied for their endless and sometimes thankless task in charge of football teams. Liverpool did this collectively by wearing t-shirts with Suarez’s face on, to warm up at the DW Stadium last month before a league game with Wigan.

It was crass and partially embarrassing to the outside world yet stood as a metaphor to underline their ‘innocent until proven guilty’ position over the matter.

Suarez is guilty, he was found to have used the word ‘negro’ seven separate times against Manchester United’s black left back Patrice Evra. Suarez said it was ‘only’ the once – is that not bad enough?

The tactless Dalglish gave his view, “I would have thought that if you pronounce the word properly, you would understand it better. I think it was Spanish he was speaking, ask a linguistic expert because I’m certainly not one. He will tell you that the part of the country where he [Suarez] comes from, it’s perfectly acceptable – his wife calls him that, and I don’t think he’s fallen out with her,” he said.

Sorry Mr Dalglish, how naive are you? And secondly, these are the rules which every footballer at every football club across this land has to adhere to, made of course by the national governing body. If you don’t like it, take your staunch backing of a guilty man to Montevideo where ‘it’s perfectly acceptable’.

How is it possible to condone Suarez’s actions? They should be condemned! When Eric Cantona kicked a fan in the face at Selhurst Park and was subsequently banned, Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t go to his local kung-fu club and sign up as a ringing endorsement. Nor did Jose Mourinho tap up a Colombian exporter of cocaine when Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu was banned for seven months for failing a drugs test after it was found in his system.

The clumsy Dalglish needs to realise that it’s time to put up, shut up, and get on with the game. The FA have no vendetta against Liverpool FC or time to be making hidden agendas despite Suarez’s past of deliberate cheating, biting opponents and giving opposition fans ‘the finger’.

Just like with his feet as a player, as a manager, Dalglish’s mouth has proved it is also too quick for his brain.