McGrath: Liverpool’s show of solidarity for Suarez ‘shameful’

IRELAND legend Paul McGrath has described Liverpool’s decision to wear t-shirts in support of Luis Suarez, who was banned for eight games for making racist comments towards Patrice Evra, as “shameful”.

The entire Liverpool squad and manager Kenny Daglish wore white shirts which featured a picture of the Uruguayan on the front and his number seven on the back while they warmed up for Wednesday night’s 0-0 draw with Wigan at the DW Stadium.

Suarez had been handed the playing ban and a £40,000 (€48,000) by the Football Association.

“It puts the anti-racism campaign back to the beginning as far as I’m concerned,” McGrath said on TalkSport’s Drive Time.

McGrath slammed Liverpool’s stance on the issue, and said he would have thrown the shirt to the floor if he was Suarez’s team-mate Glen Johnson.

“If I was in Glen’s situation, I’d have thrown the shirt to the floor,” he said. “If that had been someone in my time and I’d heard the comments or I’d even suspected he was guilty, and obviously there has been a tribunal, then I would not wear a t-shirt with his name on it, saying all is well and good here.”

The former Manchester United and Aston Villa centre-half, also claimed Liverpool should have worn anti-racism shirts. He blamed the money culture in football for taking over the game.

“Maybe Kenny [Dalglish] is trying to make a statement to the FA but I just think it is in bad taste that he sent them out in those T-shirts. It would have been much better for Liverpool Football Club if they had have worn anti-racism shirts.

“It’s about respect. There’s this issue going on about respecting your opponents. It is actually a game. The game itself has gone too big, it’s about winning and the money.

“The actual element of football being a game has long since gone, it is all about protecting your interest, protecting your best players.

“There are a lot of children that watch these games and to have done what they did last night, doing their warm-up in t-shirts with his smiling face on it, having just been done for a supposedly racist comment to one of his opponents, is shameful for football. It puts the anti-racism campaign back to the beginning as far as I’m concerned.”

Liverpool are likely to appeal the Suarez ban while the Uruguayan FA has also offered the player and his club whatever backing they need for an appeal. Suarez has also received support from Uruguay captain Diego Lugano.