Why Liverpool have missed an opportunity on Suarez, Graham Poll is beyond a joke and Ancelotti is already top of the table

By Oliver Holt

Published 22:29 03/01/12

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Liverpool deserve some credit for deciding not to appeal against Luis Suarez’s eight-match ban.

But what a shame they chose to couch their decision in ­inflammatory language that continued to insist Suarez had done nothing wrong.

Suarez has admitted calling Patrice Evra “negro”.

To persist with the argument, as he and the club are doing, that this was a term of endearment is not just “incredible”, as the tribunal found; it is also laughable.

The fight against racism, or racist language, in sport is bound to be uncomfortable when it affects a club someone supports or ­represents.

I have a lot of affection for Liverpool and in many ways wish this was not happening to them, but there is a bigger issue here than club loyalty.

Liverpool and Suarez had the ­opportunity to apologise on Tuesday, move towards restoring a damaged reputation and emerge with some dignity from this horrible affair.

They chose not to take it.

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It was interesting to see ex-referee Graham Poll ridiculing­ Neil Warnock for claiming that match officials missed fouls by Robin van Persie during QPR’s 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Poll ridiculing anyone brings another match to mind.

It involves a referee and three yellow cards.

***

I spent the New Year in Italy, occasionally watching a few Serie A highlights of 2011.

Apart from seeing some fine goals, I got one ­fascinating insight from the august line-up of pundits who were asked to indulge in a few gimmicks during their chat.

As well as being a fine eyebrow-archer, Carlo Ancelotti is a dab hand at table football.

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