Football must fight back

Thursday, 26/01/2012

People constantly talk about the need for professional footballers to be good role models for youngsters.

Highly-paid Premier League players are expected to not only inspire supporters by what they achieve on the pitch but also by the lifestyle that they lead.

What makes young footballers capable of setting an example to society as a whole just because they have outstanding sporting ability is anybody’s guess, but however unrealistic the expectations placed on players’ shoulders are, they simply have to accept that they do have a responsibility to consider their behaviour both on and off the pitch.

In recent months the on-field actions of some of the Premier League’s highest profile players has been called into question, with racism once again rearing its ugly head in the English game.

Firstly, Luis Suarez was accused of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and subsequently found guilty by the FA and handed a hefty ban.

Then England captain John Terry was alleged to have committed the same offence during an altercation with QPR defender, Anton Ferdinand. Terry will deny the allegations when the case is heard in court next week.

Following both incidents, the last thing that the Football Association would’ve wanted for the fourth round draw of the FA Cup to throw up was two potentially explosive encounters, one between Manchester United and Liverpool and another involving QPR and Chelsea.

Liverpool fans and players will be motivated by their perceived sense of injustice regarding Suarez's punishment, a notion that the club has sadly failed to quell.

If fit and selected, United captain Partice Evra is likely to be the target of their vitriol, but the France international has already shown that he has the strength of character to deal with such pressure.

Hopefully scenes at Anfield won’t boil over like they did during the Reds' third round tie against Oldham Athletic, when young Latics defender Tom Adeyemi was visibly upset by the abuse he received from an individual in the home end.

A similar atmosphere to what is expected at Anfield on Saturday is likely to also apply at QPR, when Ferdinand and Terry face each other. Both clubs have warned fans about their conduct at the game, insisting that any unacceptable chanting will not be tolerated.

The atmosphere at both games has the potential to set the scene for two fiery encounters, and with an increased allocation of away supporters at both games, the concern will be that any confrontation on the pitch will have the potential to spill over into the terraces.

Again the responsibility will lie with the players to keep as calm as possible on the pitch and not ignite the hostility already existing in the stadium.

But this weekend, the fans can set the tone for the players. QPR and Chelsea is a local rivalry and the game promises to be captivating for many reasons, but the standout fixture, both on and off the field, is the Manchester United v Liverpool tie.

Sure, there is tribal rivalry between United and Liverpool, and genuine hatred in some quarters, but that can still be directed into passionate and whole-hearted support for each fan’s own team.

An appeal from Sir Alex Ferguson to the United supporters shows how seriously the Champions are taking the issue and the way that Liverpool dealt with the supporter involved in the Tom Adeyemi case shows that they, like most associated with English football, are genuinely determined to show racism the red card.

This weekend the responsibility lies as much with the fans as it does with the players to ensure that message is heard and provides at least one united voice between all supporters.

All four sets of rival fans have an opportunity on Saturday to show that they can maintain a fierce and dedicated support for their teams without over stepping the mark, something that a few players should take note of. 

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