Liverpool, Suarez and Dalglish sorry for handshake snub
LIVERPOOL chiefs have attempted to repair the damage caused by the Luis Suarez saga by issuing a series of apologies for his and manager Kenny Dalglish’s conduct before and after Saturday’s defeat to Manchester United.
Suarez admitted he had been wrong to refuse a pre-match handshake with United defender Patrice Evra, the player he was found guilty of speaking to in racially derogatory terms by the Football Association last year.
Dalglish apologised for his handling of a heated post-match interview, in which he denied seeing Suarez’s snub and insisted it was “bang out of order” to blame the Uruguayan for a subsequent half-time tunnel row.
Managing director Ian Ayre also spoke out, condemning Suarez for not shaking Evra’s hand and misleading Dalglish about his intention to do so in a third strongly worded statement.
The apologies were not addressed to Manchester United explicitly, but the Premier League champions responded with their own statement accepting Liverpool’s contrition and expressing a desire to “move on”.
Liverpool’s actions came after stinging criticism of the club, Suarez and Dalglish reached media in the United States, where their owners, the John Henry-led Fenway Sports Group, are based.
Suarez (right) said: “I’ve not only let [Dalglish] down, but also the club and what it stands for and I’m sorry. I should have shaken Patrice Evra’s hand before the game and I want to apologise for my actions.” Dalglish maintained he had not seen Suarez’s handshake snub before his interview, but added: “I did not conduct myself in a way befitting of a Liverpool manager during that interview and I’d like to apologise for that.”
Ayre said he was “extremely disappointed” at Suarez for not following through with his pledge to shake Evra’s hand. He added: “It has been made absolutely clear to Luis Suarez that his behaviour was not acceptable.”
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had called Suarez “a disgrace” following United’s 2-1 win, adding that he should not represent the club again.