Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers Criticises FA Over Suarez Ban

[Folami David]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes the FA has "punished the man" rather than the actual offence by giving striker Luis Suarez a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.
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Uruguay's Suarez, 26, admitted a charge of violent conduct after the 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.
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Rodgers told LFC TV: "The punishment is against the man, rather than the incident.
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"We have a punishment with no intention of helping [his] rehabilitation."
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Liverpool have until 12:00 BST on Friday to appeal, but will be without Suarez until late September if the FA upholds its verdict.
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The Reds have yet to receive the written reasons for the ban from the FA's independent regulatory commission, but expect it before 18:00 BST on Thursday.
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Rodgers, whose side travel to Newcastle United on Saturday, also said:
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Liverpool were "shocked" and "bitterly disappointed" by the severity of the ban. Suarez was very visibly disappointed.
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The Uruguayan remains very much part of the Liverpool "family" and the club's "future".
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No-one could have complained if the punishment had been a six-game ban with a further six suspended.
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Suarez has apologised to 29-year-old Serbia defender Ivanovic and was fined by Liverpool on Monday.
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"We are shocked and bitterly disappointed," said Rodgers. "It is the severity of the ban which has hurt most. That is something we are bitterly disappointed with.
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"I can only compare [it] with similar incidents we have had. We have had two incidents of this type of scenario, both in 2006."
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Appearing to refer to the FA's decision not to charge Tottenham's Jermain Defoe for allegedly biting Javier Mascherano, then of West Ham, Rodgers said:
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"One player received no ban and continued to be chosen by the FA as part of the England squad.
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"The second player [Chester defender Sean Hessey] received a five-game ban. As you can imagine whenever Luis Suarez receives a 10-match ban it is very difficult for us to understand and even more so for him.
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"If I had more players of a similar mentality we would be in a different position. He has not let me down one bit.

[Shola Sholaz]

Luis Suarez deserves what he got. He asked for it in my opinion. What he did was very drastic