This is where there is confusion. Biting is vile and enough countries think it is vile for FIFA to act. But most countries don't have standards when it comes to other forms of cheating. Brazil won their first game through cheating and that was all well and good.
Having played with and against Central and South American players, my understanding is that the only thing dishonorable to them is losing.
I don't know if the relatively small number of players that I have interacted with can speak for an entire continent, but my experience is that losing for them is more shameful than acts of cheating or flagrant fouling.
Uruguay were 10 minutes away from being knocked out of the WC. Suarez saw an opportunity to gain a penalty by baiting Chellieni into elbowing him. In his own words... "These things happen in football"
Anyone hear Gordon Strachan on ITV last night? He nailed it when he said "there is no morality in football" (and he was very much including British football in that).
This is where there is confusion. Biting is vile and enough countries think it is vile for FIFA to act. But most countries don't have standards when it comes to other forms of cheating. Brazil won their first game through cheating and that was all well and good.
Having played with and against Central and South American players, my understanding is that the only thing dishonorable to them is losing.
I don't know if the relatively small number of players that I have interacted with can speak for an entire continent, but my experience is that losing for them is more shameful than acts of cheating or flagrant fouling.
Uruguay were 10 minutes away from being knocked out of the WC. Suarez saw an opportunity to gain a penalty by baiting Chellieni into elbowing him. In his own words... "These things happen in football"
So yes... A major culture difference.
This insight fits very well with those of the Uruguayan journalist whose article I linked to a few posts further up.
Mind you in our Sunday League team back in the day, a couple of my mates had that attitude. They are from Glasgow.
The difference between England and Uruguay is that when our star striker and captain Alan Shearer kicked another professional in the head he was banned straight away even though it hurt England's World Cup chances in the 1998 world cup.
And despite his reputation when he elbowed Jon Fortune his plea for the red card to be rescinded before he'd got on the team bus was ignored.
Anyone hear Gordon Strachan on ITV last night? He nailed it when he said "there is no morality in football" (and he was very much including British football in that).
Yes I did and was about to post exactly the same comment (good job I read the thread first!).
Any country's 'professional' footballers (particularly the elite) are the worst possible indication of the country as a whole or example of its citizens. If it were then the whole world would be the same shitty mess.
A bizarre thought but 40 odd years ago an aeroplane crashed in the Andes carrying a Uruguayan rugby team amongst others and was lost for months before two of the survivors reached civilisation.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
A bizarre thought but 40 odd years ago an aeroplane crashed in the Andes carrying a Uruguayan rugby team amongst others and was lost for months before two of the survivors reached civilisation.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
A bizarre thought but 40 odd years ago an aeroplane crashed in the Andes carrying a Uruguayan rugby team amongst others and was lost for months before two of the survivors reached civilisation.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
Just saying.
I thought they were Argentinian...having watched the film 'Alive'
A bizarre thought but 40 odd years ago an aeroplane crashed in the Andes carrying a Uruguayan rugby team amongst others and was lost for months before two of the survivors reached civilisation.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
Just saying.
I thought they were Argentinian...having watched the film 'Alive'
Uruguayan definitely. A rugby playing friend of mine was in Uruguay at the time and was set to go on the tour (to Chile) but couldn't get the time off work!
A bizarre thought but 40 odd years ago an aeroplane crashed in the Andes carrying a Uruguayan rugby team amongst others and was lost for months before two of the survivors reached civilisation.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
Just saying.
I thought they were Argentinian...having watched the film 'Alive'
Uruguayan definitely. A rugby playing friend of mine was in Uruguay at the time and was set to go on the tour (to Chile) but couldn't get the time off work!
A bizarre thought but 40 odd years ago an aeroplane crashed in the Andes carrying a Uruguayan rugby team amongst others and was lost for months before two of the survivors reached civilisation.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
Just saying.
I don't get your point.
Eating someone to stay alive is not really the same as biting someone on a football pitch.
A bizarre thought but 40 odd years ago an aeroplane crashed in the Andes carrying a Uruguayan rugby team amongst others and was lost for months before two of the survivors reached civilisation.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
Just saying.
I don't get your point.
Eating someone to stay alive is not really the same as biting someone on a football pitch.
When a child is a biter, it is a problem for the parents to sort out. If the parents see nothing wrong with it, he isn't likely to stop doing it. The reaction from the Uruguay camp suggests a similar scenario. They are bringing a great deal of shame on themselves. What has to be remembered is that this is the third time this has happened! Suarez definitely needs help - this wasn't cheating in the sense that he was trying to win a penalty - I imagine the same sort of red mist came over him as would a child when he is about to bite and this was borne out of frustration. So he clearly needs help from his parents here - they are his club and his country! The problem is he is the star player for both and they would probably rather not upset him than deal decisively with solving it.
FIFA clearly got the punishment about right. It has to be a deterrent - but it is a bit strange as it isn't something people do very much! I think what they should have done was also spell out that the punishment for a 4th offence would be very high. I would like to see the appeal Uruguay make receive some sort of sanction for being frivolous. I would also like to see Lugano handed a one game ban for his comments.
I haven't read all the above posts and perhaps this has been mentioned but what if Suarez does have some kind of mental illness? My colleagues and I were talking about it today and one said if he's mentally ill then maybe the biting incident(s) should be reviewed in a different way. It actually got me thinking. Not that I'm defending him though. What he did is unacceptable and he'll always be a disgusting player in my eyes.
It must be a mental issue - the problem is, if it is seen in that way, the FIFA ruling would surely be that he shouldn't play until he is cured which could be a longer ban!
It must be a mental issue - the problem is, if it is seen in that way, the FIFA ruling would surely be that he shouldn't play until he is cured which could be a longer ban!
Lol obviously much longer cos most mental illnesses are hard to be fully cured aren't they.
Anyone hear Gordon Strachan on ITV last night? He nailed it when he said "there is no morality in football" (and he was very much including British football in that).
More telling was the obvious nervousness of the other three sitting around the table as he actually said the unreconstructed truth. Well said Gordon Strachan.
Comments
I don't know if the relatively small number of players that I have interacted with can speak for an entire continent, but my experience is that losing for them is more shameful than acts of cheating or flagrant fouling.
Uruguay were 10 minutes away from being knocked out of the WC. Suarez saw an opportunity to gain a penalty by baiting Chellieni into elbowing him. In his own words... "These things happen in football"
So yes... A major culture difference.
Mind you in our Sunday League team back in the day, a couple of my mates had that attitude. They are from Glasgow.
Brilliant...
And despite his reputation when he elbowed Jon Fortune his plea for the red card to be rescinded before he'd got on the team bus was ignored.
Any country's 'professional' footballers (particularly the elite) are the worst possible indication of the country as a whole or example of its citizens. If it were then the whole world would be the same shitty mess.
He has a family...what a joke.
The survivors ate the flesh of the dead to survive.
Just saying.
Eating someone to stay alive is not really the same as biting someone on a football pitch.
FIFA clearly got the punishment about right. It has to be a deterrent - but it is a bit strange as it isn't something people do very much! I think what they should have done was also spell out that the punishment for a 4th offence would be very high. I would like to see the appeal Uruguay make receive some sort of sanction for being frivolous. I would also like to see Lugano handed a one game ban for his comments.