Clubs to ensure Evra and Suarez shake after Anton’s Terry snub
PLAYERS’ union chief Clarke Carlisle is confident there will be no repeat of the latest handshake stand-off between Chelsea and QPR when Manchester United visit Liverpool next weekend.
QPR defender Ferdinand refused to shake hands with Chelsea’s John Terry and Ashley Cole before Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Loftus Road. In July Terry was acquitted of racially abusing Ferdinand in the corresponding fixture last season. Cole testified at the week-long trial at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Speculation as to whether Ferdinand would greet Terry in the traditional manner led to calls for the handshake to be scrapped to avoid further inflaming a sensitive issue. Terry, who was also snubbed by QPR captain Park Ji-Sung, faces an FA hearing into the same claims, which he denies, next week.
More friction looms on Sunday when Liverpool host United in the Premier League, reuniting Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra following their race row last term. Suarez received an eight-match ban from the Football Association in December and failed to shake Evra’s hand when they met in February.
“We have tried our best as a union to get all four clubs together,” said Professional Footballers’ Association chairman Carlisle.
“With QPR and Chelsea it’s very difficult because it’s all still ongoing and doing something like that could prejudice any kind of investigation. With Manchester United and Liverpool, they as clubs have decided that they want to try and put it to bed and they want everybody else to help them to do that.”