PM clarifies Suarez comments

Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted the 10-match suspension given to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez for biting is an FA matter in the wake of his observations on the subject.



Reds manager Brendan Rodgers felt comments made by the FA and Cameron had affected the impartiality of the independent panel hearing the case against the Uruguayan.



But the Prime Minister has moved to clarify his observation that "I think it would be very understandable if (the panel) took into account the fact that high-profile players are often role models" by claiming he was only speaking as a concerned father.

"I made my own views clear just as a dad watching the game," he said.



"I've got a seven-year-old son who just loves watching football and when players behave like this it just sets the most appalling example to young people in our country."



Pressed on whether a 10-match ban was appropriate on this occasion, he added: "That's up to the FA, it's not my decision.

"The FA make the decision, they're entirely independent and that is the way it should work.



"I'm going to leave it entirely to the FA. But if you're asking me as a dad and as a human being, do I think we should have tough penalties when players behave like this, yes I think we should.



"There are people, I've read in some newspapers, who think somehow this isn't serious. I think it is serious, when we're trying to bring up our children properly, they do see football players as role models.



"Bringing up children is one of the toughest things we do but you can't wrap them in cotton wool and hide them away from the world, they do see these real-life examples and they repeat them back to you."

Suarez appeal decision due

Liverpool will decide on Friday morning whether or not to appeal against Luis Suarez's 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.



The club received the written reasons for the length of the suspension around 6pm on Thursday - and now have until noon to contest the punishment.

Speaking before Anfield chiefs received the independent regulatory commission's judgement, manager Brendan Rodgers spoke emotively in defence of his striker at a press conference.

Rodgers accused the FA's panel of being biased against the Uruguay international and "throwing him to the garbage".

He also admitted he would understand if his top scorer decided to quit English football.

"This is a guy who I see on a daily basis trying very hard," Rodgers, who is unlikely to face FA action over his comments, said.

"(His volatility) is part of his make-up but I genuinely think he is trying to adapt those traits.



"Each time he makes a step forward we find ways to beat him with a stick and beat him down. I can understand if he felt like that in a moment of reflection."


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Rabbatts expects female boss

FA director Heather Rabbatts believes there could be a female manager at a professional football club within a decade.



Former Millwall chief executive Rabbatts thinks there is a need for more women at all levels of the game and attitudes are changing.



Speaking to Sky Sports on International Women's Day, she said: "I think within a decade we will start to see some women appearing on the touchlines.



"I would like to see more chief executives as women and more of the team doctors as women. We live in an age when over 50 per cent of medical students are women so I think it is about a commitment to the whole game in terms of representation. Whether that's from the coaching and the development side to the running of organisations."



Cherie Lunghi played Britain's first female professional manager in the TV drama The Manageress but more than 20 years on, no-one has made the role a reality.



However coach and former England international Marieanne Spacey says attitudes have changed.



She said: "When it came out, there was a real chauvinistic view of women's football and the perception then was that it would never happen.



"Have we moved forward from then? Certainly. And is there an opportunity that it might happen further down the line? Possibly if that is what women want to do in terms of coaching."



Just three women coaches currently hold a UEFA pro licence compared to 200 men, while 17 women possess an A licence compared to 1,084 men. There are 25,275 women with the lower level 1 licence but 230,074 men have this qualification.



West Ham have a female chief executive in Karren Brady but Hammers joint-chairman David Gold believes there will never be a female manager.



Gold told Sky Sports: "How is she going to deliver that motivation before kick off? How is she going to deliver? How is she going to raise the testosterone levels in the players? I just find it very, very difficult that she is going to be swearing because it is part of the culture."



Premier League players have told Sky Sports News that they support the idea of a female manager but a number of current bosses have expressed their doubts.



When quizzed by a 35-year-old whether or not it would happen in his lifetime, Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway said: "Probably not."



Wigan manager Roberto Martinez said: "I don't think it is a case of gender. I think it is more a case of knowledge and experience."

English FA clears Clattenburg, charges Mikel

Referee Mark Clattenburg has been cleared by the English FA of any racist abuse towards Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, who has been charged with misconduct, following the Blues’ defeat to Manchester United last month.



Mikel, 25, has been charged for the alleged use of abusive and threatening words and/or behaviour in close proximity with the officials changing room.



The Nigeria international reportedly ambushed the referees’ room after Chelsea team-mate Ramires told him that Clattenburg called him a ‘monkey.’



According to reports, Mikel did not hear what was said, or not said, by Clattenburg at the time.



Ramires’ allegations were proved false by unbroadcasted video footage of the match from motionless cameras as well as witnesses who contradicted the Brazilian’s claim.



Clattenburg has been sidelined from English Premier League action for the last four weeks, but he’s looking forward to returning to the pitch.



“I am looking forward to putting this behind me and concentrating on refereeing in the Premier League and other competitions.



“I am extremely grateful for the invaluable support of my family, my Select Group colleagues, the management of Professional Game Match Officials Limited and our union Prospect. The messages of encouragement from those inside and outside of the game have helped me through the most stressful time of my professional life.



“To know you were innocent of something but that there was the opportunity for it to wreck your career was truly frightening.



“Racism has no place in football and this experience should not discourage those to speak out if they genuinely believe they are a victim of abuse. However, there are processes that should be adhered in order that any investigation can be carried out in a manner that is fair for all parties involved.



“I know first-hand the ramifications of allegations of this nature being placed into the public domain ahead of a formal process and investigation. I hope no referee has to go through this in the future.”



The 37-year-old Englishman will be named for one of the fixtures next midweek on Friday, but do not expect him to be in charge of Chelsea v Fulham at Stamford Bridge.



Despite back the horrendous blunder that almost cost Mark Clattenburg his job and reputation, Chelsea Football Club have yet to issue an official apology.



Alan Leighton, national secretary of Prospect, believes that Chelsea should apologise and compensate Clattenburg for what he’s been through the past few weeks.



I’d have to agree, and I would think that most uninvolved parties would too. Nothing can erase the negative publicity he has received over the last four weeks, but four-times his salary for the four matches he missed seems about fair.



Furthermore, Ramires, who made the initial allegations, should definitely be punished for instigating a false investigation into Clattenburg, an innocent man.