Player Watch: Hugo Lloris

[Streetspur77]

Fair point. There have also been incidents here in Australia of people being over the limit after eating a particular chocolate bar that's over here (not sure if anywhere else has Cherry Ripes?). It's a complicated issue.

I think this is all we’re saying though. It’s a complicated issue with loads of different scenarios and so everyone saying “there’s no grey area” is wrong.

 

[CowInAComa]

Pretty sure Poch, the club and the fans will stand behind Hugo if as you would imagine, he is genuinely remorseful.

His exemplary behaviour up until this occurred, as our captain suggests this is a stupid mistake and he deserves the second chance.

I see Kane taking the armband though. And think that would be right.

 

[Hazelton]

Thank god for that, I was beginning to think that there wasn't going to be another negative headline about us this week.

 

[Saoirse]

Fair enough. Good points well made. I do think though this one/two units or 1 pint/one glass of wine limit is not a good thing ( I’m not even sure if it’s one large glass or one pint or two bottles of one and a half pints etc). It’s all too ambiguous.

If you want to drive, you shouldn’t be able to drink any alcohol at all.

Agreed, I just think the best way to do that is a much lower limit (that would mean you couldn't driving having had any alcohol that day, simple) rather than absolute zero.

 

[Donki]

If it's "that effing simple" then why does the law actually allow you to drive with alcohol in your system?

Yeah, perhaps it is best not to drive, but that's not reflected in the law.

Again, if anyone has the right to be holier than thou about this issue, I do given my personal family experiences with drink driving, but I'm not because I actually realise that when there is an imposed limit that still allows alcohol to be in your system when driving it's far from simple considering the way that the same amount of alcohol can affect different people in different ways, and that's why we need more details of the gravity of the offence before blanket condemning the guy.

Pretty much this, need to know what his alcohol levels were and how/when exactly he was caught.

 

[SpursDave88]

The fact that it was at 2:30 suggests he wasn't having some wine with dinner.

 

[Saoirse]

I think this is all we’re saying though. It’s a complicated issue with loads of different scenarios and so everyone saying “there’s no grey area” is wrong.

That simply doesn't happen in the UK though. You cannot get to a 80mg reading by eating a chocolate bar or some over-ripe fruit. We already have the highest limit in Europe and one of the highest in the world. If you're above it, it's because you've gone out, drunk a substantial amount of alcohol, and got in a car.

 

[aussie spur]

Amy subjective difference is irrelevant to whether it's a crime. The circumstances dictate the level of punishment (in the courts).

I agreed with you that the crime is the same, but as you also agree the seriousness of the crime depends the circumstances. So the "same crime" is not necessarily the same in the eyes of the law. I don't think one can separate the two when discussing the moral significance of committing the crime which is what we are doing here?

That said, If he has been in the cells for seven hours , then that is concerning. In Australia, once you are back at the station for the confirmation test, you will usually be free to go (not driving obv) and charged by summons (written up and given to you at the time) . Only the serious ones would see you going before a magistrate before being released on bail. Some of the early reports are suggesting that he had to wait to face a court in the morning. What's the go in the UK on this? And I can't believe that you still have 0.08! That's an invitation to have a few and risk it!

 

[DFF]

I suspect there isn’t training today, if he was out that late?

 

[Johnny J]

I agreed with you that the crime is the same, but as you also agree the seriousness of the crime depends the circumstances. So the "same crime" is not necessarily the same in the eyes of the law. I don't think one can separate the two when discussing the moral significance of committing the crime which is what we are doing here?

That said, If he has been in the cells for seven hours , then that is concerning. In Australia, once you are back at the station for the confirmation test, you will usually be free to go (not driving obv) and charged by summons (written up and given to you at the time) . Only the serious ones would see you going before a magistrate before being released on bail. Some of the early reports are suggesting that he had to wait to face a court in the morning. What's the go in the UK on this? And I can't believe that you still have 0.08! That's an invitation to have a few and risk it!

Yeah our limit encourages people to take risks. It should be anything over a marginal amount.

 

[glospur]

I agreed with you that the crime is the same, but as you also agree the seriousness of the crime depends the circumstances. So the "same crime" is not necessarily the same in the eyes of the law. I don't think one can separate the two when discussing the moral significance of committing the crime which is what we are doing here?

That said, If he has been in the cells for seven hours , then that is concerning. In Australia, once you are back at the station for the confirmation test, you will usually be free to go (not driving obv) and charged by summons (written up and given to you at the time) . Only the serious ones would see you going before a magistrate before being released on bail. Some of the early reports are suggesting that he had to wait to face a court in the morning. What's the go in the UK on this? And I can't believe that you still have 0.08! That's an invitation to have a few and risk it!

Yeah, this would be interesting to know because it might give an indication of the severity of the offence.

Someone please correct me if wrong, but I think in the US, even if you're arrested for something minor you still have to get mugshots and spend some time in holding etc. Not sure of the exact protocol in the UK though. It might be a policy that they hold all drink drivers? It might also be the case that he went back to the station to request a blood test to judge the severity. There are so many variables and unknowns to establish before saying he should be dropped or stripped of the captaincy.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

The fact that it was at 2:30 suggests he wasn't having some wine with dinner.

UK limit is 0.08.

But this is all a grey area and we don't know "the facts".....

 

[Flashp]

You said ‘it doesn’t change his footballing qualities’. Do you think any kind of off the pitch behaviour would warrant action from the club? Where would you draw the line? Clearly drink driving isn’t really that much of a problem as far as you’re concerned. I disagree, strongly. It’s reprehensible behaviour and incredibly stupid and selfish on his part. It does not show leadership and it absolutely does affect his position in the squad.

Do you think it would ‘not affect his leadership position in the squad’ if he was behind bars on match day? That’s ridiculously short sighted.

We all love Hugo so this is particularly hard to take, but this is beyond stupid on his part and the club should take action. Kane is in line to be captain, and captains England already. Time to make the change now.

Well, I really don't think it makes him less of a footballer, and impacts his role on the field in any substantial way.

I agree that some players in the squad might lose a bit of respect for him, but I expect him to come out and explain himself, and obviously apologise thoroughly. Of course he won't be doing time in prison, so that's not even up for consideration.

He should of course be punished as per the law, just like any other person. But the club is his employer, and unless he has broken internal rules, then he shouldn't be punished by the club.

AFAIK Kane and Jan are also vice-captains, and I'd be happy with either taking over, but I really don't see why the club should publicly humiliate him.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

We have to hope it’s merely a case of him only being slightly over the limit, which is merely him risking putting the club into disrepute (and should be duly punished regardless of the measurement), rather than something worse and risking lives.

 

[coys200]

Just can’t get my head round why he was out at 2 am on a Thursday night before training. You wouldn’t reallly be in a restaurant till 2 AM. Very curious to hear the story.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

Well, I really don't think it makes him less of a footballer, and impacts his role on the field in any substantial way.

I agree that some players in the squad might lose a bit of respect for him, but I expect him to come out and explain himself, and obviously apologise thoroughly. Of course he won't be doing time in prison, so that's not even up for consideration.

He should of course be punished as per the law, just like any other person. But the club is his employer, and unless he has broken internal rules, then he shouldn't be punished by the club.

AFAIK Kane and Jan are also vice-captains, and I'd be happy with either taking over, but I really don't see why the club should publicly humiliate him.

A footballer is an idol to millions of children and young men around the world. In doing this it sends a message to those people that this sort of behaviour is alright, whether he intended to or not.

I believe that when you are a public figure you have an extra special responsibility to set an example. It's part of the price for a life of wealth and privilege.

 

[DFF]

Even if he’s not dropped, his confidence will be knocked big time. Right before a big game too. Spursy. We always find a way.

 

[Saoirse]

We have to hope it’s merely a case of him only being slightly over the limit, which is merely him risking putting the club into disrepute (and should be duly punished regardless of the measurement), rather than something worse and risking lives.

Having a blood alcohol level of between 50mg and 80mg makes you six times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision compared to those who haven't had any alcohol. Hugo was caught with a blood alcohol level of at least 80mg.

https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/road-safety/drivers/drinking-and-driving.pdf

 

[BringBack_leGin]

The only one of those who committed any sorts of offence whilst a Spurs player was King, who wasn't criminally charged but still had the captaincy taken off him for Keane anyway. And regardless, none of them committed a drink driving offence.

I'm heartbroken TBH. Hugo is literally the last player in our squad I'd have expected something like that from. Even if he hadn't been caught doing something asinexcusable, as reckless, as potentially dangerous and as unavoidable as drink driving, the fact remains - what the fuck was our captain doing out at 2.30am on a school night?

He is finished as Tottenham captain. He is likely finished as France captain and I'd be surprised if he is still here this time next year. Players like Firmino, Yaya Toure and Rio Ferdinand have shown that a drink driving offence doesn't necessarily mean the end of a footballers' career, but none of them played for Pochettino and none of them were their team's respective captains when it happened.

If Poch plays the PR smartly he'll tell him to come out and resign from the captaincy to make it look voluntary so he can keep picking him until a replacement is sourced.

A very sad day. As we are unlikely to find many better keepers than Hugo that we can afford and that want to come to Spurs.

Not a chance in hell Hugo will be sold over this.

We know what he is being charged with. Drink driving.

Of course if it is a big silly mistake and he wasn't drink driving at all any discussion is null and void.

One has to assume it is highly likely that he was indeed caught driving above the limit. And that is a criminal offence.

We all love Hugo, and we know he will ultimately get support from the fan-base but there has to be a punitive response from the club for a player commiting a criminal offence.

So disappointed.

I’m disappointed too and fully agree that a punitive response is necessary. Sacking him is overkill.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

Well, I really don't think it makes him less of a footballer, and impacts his role on the field in any substantial way.

I agree that some players in the squad might lose a bit of respect for him, but I expect him to come out and explain himself, and obviously apologise thoroughly. Of course he won't be doing time in prison, so that's not even up for consideration.

He should of course be punished as per the law, just like any other person. But the club is his employer, and unless he has broken internal rules, then he shouldn't be punished by the club.

AFAIK Kane and Jan are also vice-captains, and I'd be happy with either taking over, but I really don't see why the club should publicly humiliate him.

It doesn’t really matter whether anyone in the team loses respect for him. It’s a question of who we as a club want representing us to the world as captain.

Clearly an internal rule is not to do anything to put the club into disrepute: he has done it. The internal rule has been broken.

He’s already been humiliated by this news. We don’t need to make a song and dance of it, but the captaincy should pass on now.