Earlier today, I posted an exclusive highlighting potential Man United bias on the FA's Suarez-Evra disciplinary panel. In my view, the possibility of bias raises serious questions about whether the panel can fairly fulfill its duty. As such, what should the FA do in this situation, and if Suarez is found guilty, should the decision stand?
Since I posted the article this morning, the FA has refused to comment on three separate occasions. A quick recap:
Suarez-Evra Disciplinary Panel
Paul Goulding QC - Specialist member of the FA's judicial panel since 2008.
Brian Jones - Chairman of the Sheffield and Hallamshire FA
Denis Smith - The former Sunderland manager.
Facts about Denis Smith
- He managed Wrexham for six years between 2001 and 2007, during which time a key member of his squad was a certain Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
- Smith held Ferguson in such high regard that he made him club captain, and regularly heaped glowing praise on the player. For example:
"Darren was always chatting before games, telling the players what to do, he took on responsibility and was good at relaying my orders onto the pitch.
"Darren always wanted to know why and there is nothing wrong with that. I wanted my players to question my decisions, as managers are not always right and that's what he did.
"There are people who you know have a chance to become a good manager and he was one of them. He is a leader and a strong character."
"They are getting someone who is organised, hard-working, dedicated and who can spot a good player"
- Smith was fired from the Wrexham job in 2007, and Ferguson Jr. left the club soon after, something that upset Smith:
"Okay, they got rid of me, but...to lose Ferguson as a player was a major blow – but people make decisions which they think are right at the time"
- In 2009, Smith published his autobiography: 'Just One of Seven'. The back cover states:
"Tough-talking, candid and in places brutally honest, Smith's autobiography reveals his tough upbringing amidst the gangs of Stoke-on-Trent, and...how he helped save Sir Alex Ferguson's job.
Clearly, the fact that Smith 'helped save Sir Alex Ferguson's job' is something of which he is immensely proud. Indeed, the promotional campaign for the book was based around that particular quote.
Questions
* Is it really possible for someone with such close ties and (obvious) affection for the Ferguson family to remain truly impartial in a highly sensitive case involving Liverpool and...Manchester United?
* Is there a conflict of interest here?
* Can it credibly be argued that the panel is completely free from any possibility of bias, subconscious, latent or otherwise?
This is not about Suarez's guilt, or innocence - it's about the FA's utter negligence in choosing someone for the panel who has a history of close ties to Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Man United.
There are thousands of former players/managers/coaches in the UK - the FA could easily have chosen someone without any link to Ferguson. The composition of the panel would've been deliberated on by committee, which begs the question why was someone with close ties to Sir Alex Ferguson chosen? It's either extreme negligence, incompetence, or indeed both.
In my view, the current panel should be disbanded, and a new unimpeachably impartial panel should be chosen.
Just to be clear: I have no doubt that Denis Smith is an honourable man who is absolutely capable of being impartial. Smith is not the problem; the FA's incompetence is the issue here.
You can read the original article here: Suarez-Evra: Potential bias and the Man United connection...
Jaimie Kanwar
Since I posted the article this morning, the FA has refused to comment on three separate occasions. A quick recap:
Suarez-Evra Disciplinary Panel
Paul Goulding QC - Specialist member of the FA's judicial panel since 2008.
Brian Jones - Chairman of the Sheffield and Hallamshire FA
Denis Smith - The former Sunderland manager.
Facts about Denis Smith
- He managed Wrexham for six years between 2001 and 2007, during which time a key member of his squad was a certain Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
- Smith held Ferguson in such high regard that he made him club captain, and regularly heaped glowing praise on the player. For example:
"Darren was always chatting before games, telling the players what to do, he took on responsibility and was good at relaying my orders onto the pitch.
"Darren always wanted to know why and there is nothing wrong with that. I wanted my players to question my decisions, as managers are not always right and that's what he did.
"There are people who you know have a chance to become a good manager and he was one of them. He is a leader and a strong character."
"They are getting someone who is organised, hard-working, dedicated and who can spot a good player"
- Smith was fired from the Wrexham job in 2007, and Ferguson Jr. left the club soon after, something that upset Smith:
"Okay, they got rid of me, but...to lose Ferguson as a player was a major blow – but people make decisions which they think are right at the time"
- In 2009, Smith published his autobiography: 'Just One of Seven'. The back cover states:
"Tough-talking, candid and in places brutally honest, Smith's autobiography reveals his tough upbringing amidst the gangs of Stoke-on-Trent, and...how he helped save Sir Alex Ferguson's job.
Clearly, the fact that Smith 'helped save Sir Alex Ferguson's job' is something of which he is immensely proud. Indeed, the promotional campaign for the book was based around that particular quote.
Questions
* Is it really possible for someone with such close ties and (obvious) affection for the Ferguson family to remain truly impartial in a highly sensitive case involving Liverpool and...Manchester United?
* Is there a conflict of interest here?
* Can it credibly be argued that the panel is completely free from any possibility of bias, subconscious, latent or otherwise?
This is not about Suarez's guilt, or innocence - it's about the FA's utter negligence in choosing someone for the panel who has a history of close ties to Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Man United.
There are thousands of former players/managers/coaches in the UK - the FA could easily have chosen someone without any link to Ferguson. The composition of the panel would've been deliberated on by committee, which begs the question why was someone with close ties to Sir Alex Ferguson chosen? It's either extreme negligence, incompetence, or indeed both.
In my view, the current panel should be disbanded, and a new unimpeachably impartial panel should be chosen.
Just to be clear: I have no doubt that Denis Smith is an honourable man who is absolutely capable of being impartial. Smith is not the problem; the FA's incompetence is the issue here.
You can read the original article here: Suarez-Evra: Potential bias and the Man United connection...
Jaimie Kanwar
Had to post this priceless comment from Kenny:
ReplyDelete"There will always be speculation but it's not a Panini sticker book"
Perfectly sums up nonsense transfer specualtion
Dont expect a fair hearing from this panel, more of a kangaroo cpurt.
ReplyDeleteIs there anyone who even doubts that it will go Man Utd's way?
ReplyDeleteThe FA say that nothing will be sorted out until Tuesday, jst as the FA go on their Christmas holiday and hope everything is forgotten in January
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know old chap that both clubs have the power to have a person removed from the panel, during the build up. So if it is really a genuine concern, Liverpool could have objected to Smith's place on the panel.
ReplyDeleteHow lucky is that eh, being able to remove someone from the panel
But they haven't, which I assume illustrates Liverpool don't have a issue with Denis Smith being on the panel. I guess there are people out there that believe that people are capable of thoughts that aren't based on petty football tribalism. How refreshing.
This article is proof of how stupid some LFC fans are. If Smith is so suspect why did YOUR club and YOUR manager allow him to be on the panel? Did you actually do any research or just start flapping your gums here after your SAF obsession beacon was sounded? If you did, you'd know for a Rafa Benitez FACT that LFC could of had him removed from the panel if they felt he was biased. They didn`t, so maybe Kenny is just smart enough to know that if you`ve talked to Sir Alex before, or aren`t retarded and acknowledge he is the greatest (like Kenny himself has done), than you probably can make a decision on your own. Pathetic article by a fan who knows he has nothing better to do or look forward to as a fan of an inferior club. PS I`ll love to see this support for your diving yellow buck toothed biting cheater after he puts in his upcoming transfer request and follows the long list of LFC strikers who leave to better teams
ReplyDeleteSeems to me the FA could have got this over with much sooner. My concern is why they have taken so long? It's not like a complicated fraud trial, nor can their be thousands of volumes of evidence (just cameras and witness statements.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this is more about Suarez completely outplaying Evra than about racial abuse.
ah conspiracy....... ever thought that bernstein has taken your best player out of the city games .
ReplyDeletegood footballer horrible little man bit like rooney
Damage Light, you seem to be right. Good footballer horrible man but like rooney.....
ReplyDeleteAnd try this ringtone maker