Is football's pre-match handshake of any use?

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Anton Ferdinand of Queens Park Rangers refuses to shake hands with John Terry of Chelsea

Anton Ferdinand’s refusal to shake John Terry‘s and Ashley Cole’s hand in QPR vs Chelsea was expected. The hype before the match was about this expected handshake snub. No one really cared much about the match which was about to follow. Many might have just switched off their TV sets after the incident. In the end, attention was diverted away from the game.

Sadly, the pre-match handshake practice, which was adopted in 2004 to promote respect in football is now being used to make personal statements. It is not about blaming Anton or Terry. They both are right in what they did. Anton has had a tough life after the alleged racist incident. Even Terry has had to face hostile fans wherever he went. All charges of racism by Terry have been dropped by the court, but his name is tainted forever. If Terry had done a Suarez by refusing to shake Anton’s hand, it would still be right.

In Terry’s and Suarez’s world they are victims of false charges. In Patrice Evra’s and Anton’s world, they are victims of racism. Due to the personal problems of these high profile players, football is losing. Suarez and Anton thought that refusal to shake hands is the right thing to do. Instead their actions have done nothing but aggravated the issue. The pre-match ritual of promoting respect is now turning the rival fans against each other. The fact that QPR fans were cheering Terry’s injury in the game shows how the handshake snub influenced the fans to behave in such a bad manner.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 11: Luis Suarez of Liverpool looks at Patrice Evra of Manchester United during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on February 11, 2012 in Manchester, England.

However, one cannot expect these players to shake hands when there is no respect among them. The whole exercise of promoting respect becomes pointless once these pre-match handshakes are used to make a statement against a player you hate and turn your fans against him.

Handshakes are generally done in appreciation, agreement and forgiveness. It is a meaningless routine when the players are looking to kick each other out of the game. Shake a hand and then break a leg. To see players wish other good luck before the match just because they have to, is hilarious. When in the game, the same players dive, shout at the referee and fire expletives at their opponents. Where is the respect when needed? Few fans even watch the pre-match handshake. It has become an annoying routine and you always want the players to skip this whole drama and start the match starts quickly. Only controversy makes this boring ritual interesting. This is certainly not what FIFA wants.

I remember having some serious wars out on the pitch with Arsenal legend Tony Adams that would leave us both battered, bruised and requiring numerous stitches. But, yes, afterwards we would shake hands. I also recall Manchester United hero Roy Keane wanting to shake my neck but it didn’t lessen my admiration for him as a player. And, yes, I would shake his hand afterwards, no problem. The whole pre-match handshake ceremony all looks so daft as well — like a morris dance. One side goes along the line then the other goes back the other way to shake hands with the referee and his assistant. If it’s the Champions League you then have to remember to loop back and group together for a photograph as well.

- Alan Shearer

Iniesta managed to ask Scholes for a jersey swap before anyone else

The actual respect in the game is genuinely seen after the match. Respect is when the Barcelona players like Xavi and Iniesta race against each other to get Paul Scholes jersey. We can see the real respect when Didier Drogba consoles his former teammate Robben after the Champions League Final, or when Djbril Cisse celebrates with Nasri after the title winning final game of the season. It is the respect for what your opponent has done and what he has achieved. This respect is impossible to replicate by making the players bump each others wrists before the game.

Many fans are eagerly waiting to see whether Suarez will shake Evra’s hand this weekend. Any snub by either of the players will do nothing but justify removing of the pre-match handshake ritual.We don’t want a small routine to become a mode of rasising social and personal issues. It is more important that the players respect the rivals, opponents and referees during and after the game rather than before the game. So let us stop this pretentious exercise and ask these footballers to show respect where it is needed.