to think Suarez needs to be banned or something?

[passmethewineplease]

Apparently bit an Italian player.

First Ajax, then Ivanovic now this.

Surely he shouldn't be allowed to play for his country if he is capable of doing this again?

Could you remember that that fragile man is paid a fortune, has had psychological help over an extended period of time and CHOSE the job he does?

He chose sport, as so many others do, to escape poverty, to help support his siblings and his single mum and her multiple jobs. He is in no way unique, many sports are built around and specifically for people just like him.

The vast majority of footballers act appropriately on and off the pitch. I refuse to feel sorry for any of those who choose not to. They are adults and should be held to account as such.

There are some photos of him and (I presume) his two children in the papers. I must admit when looking at them, the thought crossed my mind that if he goes out of his way to physically assault adults on a public pitch beaming images to millions of people, how does he deal with his temper behind closed doors with toddlers.

Also, if it is not suitably punished, then I imagine it would have a damaging effect on the game. You would be very wary of him near you and indeed if it's not severely dealt with then some players may think of getting their retaliation in first, Suarez style. Mind you I don't suppose many people would stoop to biting others, even if it's only mildly dealt with by Fifa.

Fascicle - yes, it is very easy to condemn Suarez' behaviour - because it is unacceptable. I bet that, if a mentally ill tramp on the street corner bit you, you would be straight on the phone to the police, expecting him to be arrested and charged with assault - you would not give him a free pass because of his mental condition or his life history and living conditions.

This man is feted by millions, paid a huge amount to play the game he (I assume) loves, and I don't think it is unreasonable to expect him not to bite other players!

I bet that, if a mentally ill tramp on the street corner bit you, you would be straight on the phone to the police, expecting him to be arrested and charged with assault - you would not give him a free pass because of his mental condition or his life history and living conditions

SDTG
You're reading an awful lot into my response that wasn't there. Not sure how on earth you feel equipped to predict my response to your hypothetical situation above. For what it's worth, you're way off understanding my views on mental health issues. As for the 'free pass' - where have I suggested that Suarez should have a free pass?

I linked to the article because I think it offers an interesting insight into Suarez' background and behaviour. I haven't condoned his behaviour - I think that understanding why somebody behaves as they do is invariably helpful in addressing their issues.

But fascicle, that seems to assume that his childhood is responsible for how he acts. His background is not his behaviour, or everyone from a similar background would behave in the same way... it is the errant connection that is causing me a problem, and possibly the other responses you have had.

I think the article you linked to is extremely sad, in that anyone would wish to publish a piece that, yet again, adds to the belief that poor = uncontrolled, anti social.

Thanks for your link Fascicle. I think the writer should add the Moral Somersault to football and hurling in his list of sports we award a free pass for the behaviour of downtrodden lads.

Nomama
His background is not his behaviour, or everyone from a similar background would behave in the same way...

His background is likely to be relevant, as is his genetic make-up and other factors. Clearly biting other players on the football pitch is something of an entrenched habit for him, but it's not a useful strategy - it's counterproductive and harmful to him (his career) as well as to others - and clearly it's something he has difficulty shaking.

As to your point about others from a similar background not behaving the same way - his background is no doubt one of several factors shaping his behaviour. Whilst factors might contribute to particular outcomes, they can never guarantee a particular result. Siblings can grow up in the same household/environment but be very different people, with different values.

Relevant yes, but not, as it may be read in the article, the sole reason. I did go on to say that it is the errant (and persistent) connection between background and behaviour that I find insulting, to be frank.

To give out the message that a poor background causes poor behaviour is insulting and a dangerous precedent to set. No-one with the slightest knowledge of psychology would utter such tut - so I can safely assume the the writer of the piece in question a) can be utterly ignored as someone without knowledge spouting off on a subject he knows nowt about or b) does have some knowledge, but want his 5 minutes of fame.

Either way, I disagree with the tone of the piece and many of the assertions therein.

The moment he got good at football Suarez was made a glorious exception to the rules and values other people are expected to live by. It is likely to have been this that has been his undoing, as it has for many many footballers over the years (Maradonna, Ronaldo, George Best).

The ones who escape this fate are the ones with a kind of natural self-discipline. Christiano Ronaldo and Giggs are two examples of this. Neither is exactly a good man but they are phenomenally committed and hard-working.

They're appealing and I imagine he's been told that as the bite was so obvious that saying he "fell" onto him was ridiculous and his best chacne of reducing the ban is to come clean and show remorse. I think its a cynical attempt to reduce his time banned.

And will his grandma apologise to the English people who she said were so very nasty to Luisito?

I think we should be told!

Nomama
No-one with the slightest knowledge of psychology would utter such tut

So what are your views on why Suarez behaves as he does?

I don't know him, so wouldn't have the foggiest, the psychologist he has been working with will know.

But it will not be as a direct result of having grown up poor. He will have anger issues, a behavioural disinhibition, maybe more than just biting, show off behaviours, exhibitionism. There are so many reasons why a grown man acts like a small child, not all of them odd or unusual, they just interact with a behavioural trait and you get a weird outcome - like being good at football!

As an adult the football thing would only have added to his behaviour, he would rarely have come across a situational curb, a nurturing action that would have told him no. Adults around him would have concentrated on his sporting skills, he has been 'adulated' for most of his life.

Basically, he is, in some ways, a disinhibited spoiled brat. But in most ways he is probably quite normal! But not a person I would like to stand in the way of!

I would imagine the apology and admission of guilt are simply to facilitate his move to Barcelona.