Former Uruguay international Gus Poyet has defended countryman Luis Suarez over allegations he racially abused Patrice Evra, accusing the Manchester United defender of "crying like a baby".
Liverpool's Suarez was charged by the Football Association earlier this week after Evra told French television station Canal Plus that the striker had used a racist insult toward him "at least 10 times" during last month's 1-1 draw at Anfield. The Merseyside club say their player will deny the charge at a personal hearing and they remain "fully supportive" of him. Poyet, now manager of Brighton, is also evidently in the Suarez camp.
Quoted in several newspapers, the former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder said: "I played for seven years in Spain and was called everything because I was from South America. And I never went out crying like a baby, like Patrice Evra, saying that someone said something to me.
"I believe Suarez. It's simple. I am surprised in a really sad way that he has been charged. I think it is worse to charge someone because you trust one person when you have no proof."
"I am sad because it is going to become too easy. I can make a complaint about an opposition manager and if I take it as far as I can he will be charged. Why are we going to take one person's word over another's?"
Poyet's comments come at a time when FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been widely criticised for his controversial suggestion that racism on the pitch should be settled by a handshake.
By ESPNsoccernet staff
Liverpool's Suarez was charged by the Football Association earlier this week after Evra told French television station Canal Plus that the striker had used a racist insult toward him "at least 10 times" during last month's 1-1 draw at Anfield. The Merseyside club say their player will deny the charge at a personal hearing and they remain "fully supportive" of him. Poyet, now manager of Brighton, is also evidently in the Suarez camp.
Quoted in several newspapers, the former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder said: "I played for seven years in Spain and was called everything because I was from South America. And I never went out crying like a baby, like Patrice Evra, saying that someone said something to me.
"I believe Suarez. It's simple. I am surprised in a really sad way that he has been charged. I think it is worse to charge someone because you trust one person when you have no proof."
"I am sad because it is going to become too easy. I can make a complaint about an opposition manager and if I take it as far as I can he will be charged. Why are we going to take one person's word over another's?"
Poyet's comments come at a time when FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been widely criticised for his controversial suggestion that racism on the pitch should be settled by a handshake.
By ESPNsoccernet staff
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