The Kick It Out campaign, which is partly funded by the FA, Premier League and the PFA, had wanted a show of strength but there is a feeling among players — articulated by Reading striker Jason Roberts who also took part in the boycott - that it is failing.
Saturday's protest showed again that a line is yet to be drawn under the Terry saga. Chelsea claimed that the defender would receive a record fine for his behaviour — although he will not receive a ban beyond the four matches meted out by the FA's panel.
Despite the undoubted contrition shown by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, he also went on the offensive, questioning the lack of experience of one of the members of the panel, the former-footballer-turned-solicitor Stuart Ripley, and demanding an apology for the criticism of club secretary David Barnard. There is bemusement at the FA at Chelsea's claims given that they had a month before the panel convened to query its make-up — and that no appeal was then launched.
Buck also questioned the £90,000 fine handed out to Ashley Cole for the intemperate message he posted on a social media site directed at the FA implying it was too high in comparison to the £45,000 punishment Rio Ferdinand received for a message about the Chelsea defender. FA sources said that the fines were "index-linked".
Buck and Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay appeared on the radio station Talksport yesterday. Gourlay admitted that Terry's behaviour had "clouded" the "best-ever" season in which they finally won the Champions League.
"John has let himself down, let the club down," Gourlay said. "It was a lapse of judgement and out of character for John." Terry issued his own statement of apology last week — when he decided against appealing the ban and a £220,000 fine - although he failed to mention Ferdinand. Buck said: "John Terry apologised to everybody and in my mind that means an apology to Anton Ferdinand.
"Chelsea Football Club would like to apologise to them because it has been a very difficult time for them."
No comments:
Post a Comment