JOHN TERRY has been banned for four matches and fined £220,000 for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.
By IAN WRIGHT
Yet the FA punishment is incredibly confusing.
This entire episode, going back to what happened on the pitch at Loftus Road between Terry and Ferdinand, has been embarrassing for English football.
Eventually, we will be able to read the FA’s written reasons and find out why Terry has been found guilty despite being cleared in a court of law.
I accept there were differences between the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra case and this one — even though they both involved racist comments.
At no stage did I expect to see exactly the same punishmen.
Suarez received an eight-game ban plus a £40,000 fine. I expected Terry to get something like a six-match suspension.
But what appears crazy is that Terry has received HALF the ban but nearly SIX TIMES the fine.
It doesn’t make sense.
It is obviously a lot of money to most people, yet for Terry it is little more than a week’s wages.
Terry will be disappointed to miss four games but it could have been worse.
This season, I’m once again coaching with Karl Robinson at MK Dons and I’m loving it.
On Tuesday evening, we played Sunderland in the Capital One Cup and our player, Adam Chicksen, was the victim of a nasty tackle by Lee Cattermole.
The Sunderland captain was given his fifth sending off in three years and will serve an automatic three-match ban. So in the eyes of the FA, Terry’s ban is worth just one more game than a nasty tackle.
It seems like the whole thing has been a waste of time. The entire system is all over the place.
Whatever the context of what was said during the QPR-Chelsea match, Terry admitted using certain words which are not acceptable.
Unlike the Suarez case, we could actually see the words mouthed by Terry at Ferdinand so there was no hiding place.
Equally, while accepting the cases were different, the guidelines are still so blurred.
I would like to think it will be a very long time before we have another unsavoury clash during a match.
Yet if another player is found guilty of racist abuse, we will have absolutely no idea of a sliding scale for punishments.
A player could get a four-game ban or eight-match suspension. He could get a 12-game ban but fined just £20,000. Or he may be fined £500,000 and only miss one match.
month saga which featured bad language and insults.
It made everyone feel extremely uncomfortable.
Ultimately, the biggest loser was Terry. This stain on his character will remain forever.
Unless he appeals and then wins, he will always be remembered — like Suarez — as a player who racially abused an opponent.
People still come up to me and say: ‘How is your mate Peter Schmeichel?’
They are referring to our altercation in 1997 and my tackle on the Manchester United keeper.
People remember the negative things. And people will always remember what John Terry said to Anton Ferdinand.
What they said
ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS
Chelsea boss at time
“I backed the player 100 per cent. It’s a difficult situation because I understand Anton Ferdinand’s position as well.
“Our job as managers is to condemn any discrepancy or racist behaviour.
“We all have a task to do — to protect the game in a situation like this.
“This has been so strange and through various legal situations — and it’s taken a long time.
“I don’t understand that. It’s frustrating.”
JOEY BARTON
12 games for violent conduct
“Four games? A year probe, a four-day FA hearing and four-match ban? Suarez got eight.
“What a farce. I got 12 games for violent conduct and he gets only four.
“At least it’s over and the people involved can move on. I was expecting a public execution after a whole year. Had a dream involving Terry, a roaring crowd and a firing squad. Not the turnout I expected.”
STAN COLLYMORE
Pundit and ex-footballer
“It’s inept by the FA. Racism and racist language is corrosive whether to a black person, Asian, Jew or anyone.
“Is the punishment adequate for what was alleged? Four games is a little break for a senior pro. And the fine in the context of what he earns? No.
“And will they serve as a deterrent to other players and those on the parks and so on? I suggest not.”
JOSE MOURINHO
Chelsea boss 2004-07
“He’s not a racist – that’s 100 per cent. We had 12 African players in the squad and he had a great relationship with each one.
“Probably he had a racist comment or attitude. Sometimes in football we do things the wrong way. By please don’t say he’s a racist. Drogba, Makelele… all of them will say he’s not.”
