Northampton Town: Carlisle ‘Row duo must meet’
COBBLERS defender and Professional Football Association chairman Clarke Carlisle believes it is vital Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez meet face to face to sort out their differences after their feud escalated at the weekend.
The pair played against each other on Saturday for the first time since Suarez served an eight-match suspension for being found guilty of racially abusing Evra during a Premier League match at Anfield in October.
The Liverpool striker refused to shake the Frenchman’s hand in the build-up to the match and although he has since apologised for that action, the Town defender believes the players’ union should get involved in the dispute.
Asked if the PFA would step in, Carlisle – who was denied his Northampton debut for the second weekend running when Saturday’s game at Dagenham was postponed - said: “Yes, without doubt.
“There have been many attempts to get these two gentlemen into the same room in an attempt at mediation.
“Moving forward, we really need to get Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez together and try and have some kind of mediation.
“It wasn’t to be and the due process was followed to get a verdict in the original incident, but now after Saturday’s incidents I’m sure that Gordon (Taylor, PFA chief executive) will be stepping up his attempts to try and get some sort of closure.”
There have been suggestions that the pre-match handshake should now be scrapped in all matches to avoid similar controversy.
However, Carlisle insists it is an important part of the game and has called on players to set an example by showing they can leave private gripes aside.
“This has shown itself as a personal grievance between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, and that is the kind of situation we don’t want transferring onto a football pitch,” Carlisle explained.
“There has been a big debate about whether we should get rid of the handshakes altogether and I am adamant that we should keep them in the game because, personal grievance aside, when you cross that white line you should have an element of professional respect from one professional to another.”
Loan man Carlisle will now be hoping he can make his Cobblers debut tomorrow night when Town are scheduled to host AFC Wimbledon at Sixfields in npower League Two.
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