Saiz should be sold now if he's guilty of spitting. Discuss.

[Deleted User 728]

That was a great tweet from Willmott.
He's obviously a class act !

[Mr Russell]

Cheating and spitting is something that needs to be punished and changed in the game. Waiving those imaginary cards really grates me something rotten as does spitting at a fellow professional.

Anyone remember Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Voeller in the 1990 world cup when Rijkaard spat at Voeller? It was disgusting back then as it is now, both were sent off in a spiteful game. In a game in this season’s A league it happened again as Avram Papadopoulos (Brisbane Roar) spat at Matt Simon (Sydney FC) and again both were sent off, Avram would receive a 6 game ban and get a fine from his club and should be back playing this weekend but his name is tarnished as will be Saiz’s. Simon would get a one match ban.

I don’t condone what he’s done and he should be punished and to be honest I don’t think 6 games is long enough, it should be 10+ and do an education course about what he has done wrong etc

Sell him, no! Simple as that he is on probation and another like act then I have no problem with him getting the boot and if that gets us to mid-table abyss or even worse relegation then so be it. He now learns and hopefully when he comes back he will concentrate on his football and help Leeds get to the play offs.

I understand players spit on the floor, hell even I did it as a player but aiming at another is just plain wrong.

Good that the club has given a statement and there has been a Saiz apology but that should have been in front of the cameras, make him mean his apology and be seen to do it BUT the club won’t sell him or get rid of him and no matter what we say will change that fact.

Big raps to Willmott the Newport player who accepted his apology, he is the only one to come out of this incident with 100% credit.

[dlw10]

Spitting is abhorrent although in other countries clearly not seen as bad. Saiz did spit - loads of fans near me saw it (although I missed it) it was some special spit too over several feet!
He's being punished and he says he'll learn a lesson and never do it again. So, everyone should get the one chance and I'll welcome him back in six games time. We'll miss him, he's a great footballer but if he ever does it with us again I'd expect the club to get rid regardless.

[Deleted User 1022]

What Saiz did you can't defend and as Rigger said its a conscious decision to first wallow up a spit in the mouth and then direct it at someone, so in effect its two decisions not one. Its downright disgusting. If someone did that to me there would be no player or ref would stop me from what I would do to the player. I see it a lot with kids nowadays spitting wherever they want on the streets and it is dirty, spit carries a lot of unhealthy stuff bacteria's and virus's.

After all is said and done would I sell the player? No, I am a person who likes to see people get the chance to change. I believe a person should be held accountable for the wrong doings they do in life Saiz is no different just because he gets paid a lot of money each week or that he is seen as the best player in the team. His Ego needs some stuffing knocked out of it because many players these days are super egocentrics. They get so carried away with the adoration fans give them and think they can do whatever they want and nothing much will happen to them. Six week ban for spitting is extremely lenient. Six months banning order and no wages at all. would be extreme to a deterrent none the less. after that a Leeds United community service, without the glitz of press around to make it look easy and entertaining.

I am not even angry with Saiz to be honest. I just feel we should keep him and give him a chance to shine for us again when he comes back. This could wreck our season without him but I hope that he realizes he is an idiot for spitting.

[jordiboy7]

I appreciate the honesty but I can't agree.


I know I sound like I'm going off on one but there's a principle at stake here.
In the interests of board harmony though, I think I'll wind my neck in as I seem to be in a distinct minority ..

I think we both agree that it is truly a disgusting thing to do, maybe we just disagree with the severity of the punishment. I personally think selling him is a step too far, but I have absolutely no problem with his 6 match ban. As pivotal as he is to our team, it was a conscious decision to spit at him, as you said. Whether he's seen red mist or not, it is a decision of his to make, and he should do the time for it. The fans love him, and I think he loves the club, he's just let himself down more than anything. A repeat offence would tarnish the player's reputation heavily, and I think I would then be swaying towards the thought of getting him out of the club. Hopefully it won't come to that.

PS, this is why I like this forum, as people have a different opinion on things and it is all discussed with a level of respect. This forum would be very boring if everyone agreed with everyone on every subject regarding the club. Class act by Willmott regarding the apology too.

[Gilford_NI_Whites]

I don't agree with the 'sell him' theory. I think it's an overreaction. For clarity, what Siaz done was wrong and disgusting. It amounts to an assault. He has stepped outside the agreed terms of a physical contact sport, and decided to spit at someone. If he did it to a police officer on the street he would be arrested.

But I still wouldn't want him sold, unless he was continuing in this and other bad behaviour.

If we take the moral high ground then where does it end? Every single game I watch,players abuse the referee. My lip reading skills are limited but I can still make out the odd swear word. Not only are they sometimes swearing, but they are shouting in the refs face and aggressive in their demeanour. Go back to the police officer scenario. If joe public went up to an officer and was directing this very same level of abuse to an officer, then he would also be liable to arrest for disorderly behaviour. Yet, we seem to accept this abuse to the ref, because, well, he's good for it as he may have gave a dodgy decision against our team.

What about players drink driving. Surely then it's also a 'sell them' approach as it's worse than spitting. What if they drink drive but don't get caught?

My point is that it's hard to sell him for doing something that's wrong. It leaves us open to having to sell lots of players, as they are no angels. I think the fact that the establishment has a set punishment for this offence, then the punishment should be served and the case ended.

I could suggest that the punishment includes a loss of wages for the banned period!

[wellsy]

sell him for spitting?????? hmmm yep league 1 football is good. lets get rid of our best players

[Tourist]

What about players drink driving. Surely then it's also a 'sell them' approach as it's worse than spitting. What if they drink drive but don't get caught?

I logged myself in only to say how spot on this post is - well said sir!

[Deleted User 728]

What about players drink driving. Surely then it's also a 'sell them' approach as it's worse than spitting. What if they drink drive but don't get caught?

I logged myself in only to say how spot on this post is - well said sir!

Take each case on its merit.
Have any players done that in the past while playing for us ?
I can't recall, but I could be wrong ..

As for the not getting caught thing .. there's people I picture myself strangling on a regular basis but unless I actually do it I can't be punished for thinking about it, can I ??
We all break the law at times.
I bet everyone here who drives goes over the speed limit from time to time.

As for the comment above about League 1 football : that's precisely my point. We shouldn't let him off because he's one of our biggest talents.


Anyway .. I think this thread has almost run its course now - we seem to be going in circles.

[SG90]

What about players drink driving. Surely then it's also a 'sell them' approach as it's worse than spitting. What if they drink drive but don't get caught?

I logged myself in only to say how spot on this post is - well said sir!

Take each case on its merit.
Have any players done that in the past while playing for us ?
I can't recall, but I could be wrong ..

As for the not getting caught thing .. there's people I picture myself strangling on a regular basis but unless I actually do it I can't be punished for thinking about it, can I ??
We all break the law at times.
I bet everyone here who drives goes over the speed limit from time to time.

As for the comment above about League 1 football : that's precisely my point. We shouldn't let him off because he's one of our biggest talents.


Anyway .. I think this thread has almost run its course now - we seem to be going in circles.

Both Delph and Bakke have been done for drink driving while at Leeds. There might have been more, but those two for definite.