Ferdinand fiasco

[FLiX]

Are any football fans feeling a little ashamed to be football fans at the moment, waht with all the allegations flying around and now the ferdinand fiasco, just wanted to see what the feeling was on England walking out on the turkey game.

I'm totally against it, its an honour to play for your country and you shouldn't pass it up whatever the circumstances.

Anyway, over to you...

[The Jez Man]

England players shouldnt walk out. Rio was an idiot to forget something that important, admittedly he did hand in a sample a few days later, it was accepted, tested and he passed with flying colours. The FA have a point to excluding him from the match but Rio has a right to be annoyed by it. But at the end of the day England need to play and do well in this match else we'll end up in a tricky position.

Man Utd are a bunch of idiots with their legal action threats, they really ought to know better. Rio will be able to play in the next International and hasnt been banned [which many other sports would have done at the drop of a hat for missing a drug test session]. So to end my rant ;) England players should play and the FA are right to try to keep the game clean by sticking to their rules and making an example of Rio [although it is an INCREDIBLY pathetic way of dealing with the issue].

- Jez

[Cable Monkey]

How do you think they should deal with this? If Rio plays and is subsequently found guilty, the game could be null and void because he played while under suspicion. Excluding him from selection keeps the FA (and by proxy, English football) clean and beyond reproach. I wish we could say the same about some of the fans...
They have made the right decision. Deep down the players will know this too, though I don't blame them for siding with their team mate. It shows good team spirit if nothing else.

[The Jez Man]

One thing tho Cable monkey, the test has already been verified and he is clean. The reason the FA have excluded him is because he did not turn up for the test when he was supposed to he turned up like 5 days later, saying he "forgot" because he was moving house that day!

[Poogash]

I think the FA have seriously over-reacted to this situation. A match ban or worse should ensue if the player has been found guilty but if the player was a bit late for the test I'm sure there are less severe ways of dealing with it. A fine might have done the trick, ok a fine wouldn't mean anything to him but it would be symbolic more than anything to show that he didn't follow procedure, he's been punished.

To answer the original question no the players shouldn't strike cos at the end of the day what is that going to achieve? It'll just be a default victory to the Turks and Ferdinand will be back in the next game anyway! They should get on with getting ready for the game at hand and afterwards try to negotiate with the FA to see if the rules for situations like this cos it is a bit heavy handed.

[Sharky]

Originally posted by Cable Monkey
How do you think they should deal with this? If Rio plays and is subsequently found guilty, the game could be null and void because he played while under suspicion. Excluding him from selection keeps the FA (and by proxy, English football) clean and beyond reproach.

But he shouldn't have been named. He's not been charged, face trial etc etc. It should be a private matter until the 13th.

Jez, Man Utd are just looking out for Ferdinand's rights as a player to confidentiality, which have been broken by the FA.

I would laugh if the England players did strike, Not because I hate England (I'm welsh :rolleyes: ) I don't. I'll probably watch the match on the weekend and support England if I do. I would laugh at how quickly the FA would change their decision if the team did strike.


And, no match bans for Cambell annouced today aswell. Are the FA trying to butter up Arsenal after all their winge ing.....

[The Jez Man]

Ez on now Sharky, Arsenal do get victimised by the FA just the way its always been. Sol understands that as does Vieira!!

I suppose it was supposed to be a private matter but as the FA decided to take preemptive action to reaffirm their 'hardline stance on drugs' its blatently obvious that one way or another he would've been named.

On a similar note did anyone hear about the Rushden & Diamonds keeper, Billy Turley, he was tested positive for a banned substance [nanodriline steroids or something] but the FA turned a blind eye, yet they pursue Rio like rabid hounds. That just aint right!

- Jez

[FLiX]

Arsenal don't get victimised - they deserve all the punishment they get from the FA

[jon bda]

Originally posted by The Jez Man
Arsenal do get victimised by the FA

And so would any other team with a bunch of ****heads like that playing for them. The way they behaved after the United match was bleedin' disgraceful...

[Poogash]

Arsenal deserve everything they get for that! They should have points docked if you ask me. They are role models to thousands of kids out there and it doesn't send a good message when kids watch their idols taunting and physically abusing other players!

[Cable Monkey]

One thing tho Cable monkey, the test has already been verified and he is clean. The reason the FA have excluded him is because he did not turn up for the test when he was supposed to he turned up like 5 days later, saying he "forgot" because he was moving house that day!

I know of plenty of banned substances I could take to enhance atheletic performance or aid recovery from illness or injury that would not test positive after a couple of days. There are also things you can take to mask banned substances. That is why the testers just turn up with no notice and say who they wish to see. Urine is given with someone watching. Women do it with the cubicle door open! 'Forgetting' to give a sample offers the athelete the oppotunity to cover up cheating, and this is why what Ferdinand did was irresponsible. With this question mark over him, he won't have enough p!ss come the next major competition. His cards are marked...

[Alan]

How could they keep Ferdinand's name secret? When the English squad was announced for the game there would have been no Ferdinand. Questions would have been asked.

It was impossible to keep it quiet with a crucial qualifying match coming up. All that beefing that another player's anonymity was kept several months ago - he wasn't a crucial player in a game for the European Championship.