Mark Hughes: It is time to ditch the flawed pre-match handshake

QPR manager says FA's Respect campaign is undermined by this pointless ritual

Mark Hughes, the manager of Queen's Park Rangers, called yesterday for the Premier League to reconsider the ritual pre-match handshake, and questioned the continuing usefulness to the Football Association's Respect campaign of a procedure he called "fundamentally flawed".

The League has insisted that QPR and Chelsea must shake hands before this afternoon's match at Loftus Road, despite ill-feeling that persists among Rangers players towards John Terry, the Chelsea captain. Terry was cleared in July of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, the QPR defender, in the corresponding fixture last autumn.

No handshakes took place before the teams met in an FA Cup tie in January and a League game at Stamford Bridge in April, but yesterday the Premier League said: "There has been dialogue between the Premier League, Queen's Park Rangers and Chelsea in relation to tomorrow's match between the two clubs. All parties understand and acknowledge that the pre-match handshake will go ahead as part of the normal pre-match activity."

Hughes said that QPR will abide by the ruling, but, as he pointed out, his players are only human. Cameras will inevitably focus on any pre-match contact – or lack of it – between Ferdinand, other QPR players and both Terry and Ashley Cole, the Chelsea and England defender who testified in support of Terry during the summer's court proceedings.

Hughes believes that such incidents have the potential to undermine the basis of the Respect campaign. "Surely that can't be right because it brings in the question of disrespect," he said. "So we've got to be careful and that is obviously not what the Respect campaign is there to highlight. I am sure everyone has a mind of their own and will make a personal decision – each and every one of the players. It is unfortunate that they are put in a situation where it is put in the public domain.

"It's about the Respect campaign and we all fully support the Respect campaign. I think it's done fantastic work and it's to be commended – but maybe this part of showing respect is, at times, fundamentally flawed. Should there be discussions in terms of how we show respect? Is this the best way to do it? I think it's open to debate and it's probably worth asking the Premier League."

He hinted strongly that his had been one of the voices questioning the continuing relevance of the handshake in pre-season discussions. "There is a lot of debate every time we have a game against Chelsea," he said. "I have my own views on the handshake and I raised them at Premier League level even before the season started."

Terry, of course, has had a proffered handshake refused before. Wayne Bridge, his former team-mate for both Chelsea and England, pointedly ignored the Chelsea captain before a match between Chelsea and his then club Manchester City in 2010, following allegations that Terry had had an affair with Bridge's former partner. The likelihood of such an incident was then the main talking point in the build-up to an important game, as it is today.

Moving the formalities to a time when they attract less attention might be one answer, Hughes suggested. "After the match, maybe," he said. "Who knows? It just seems to be that every time there's this issue. We have got a really important game and I am conscious that every time we go up against Chelsea, the issue of the handshake seems to cloud everybody's mind. This is taking away from a game which on paper is a great Premier League game and I think the focus should be put back on that rather than the handshake before the game. The lead-up to the game has been ridiculous and everyone has been focusing on this one moment just prior to the game. If it was taken away people say: 'What do we do now?' But on the occasion when it was scrapped I thought it helped the situation. Everyone shook hands at the end and it wasn't a problem."

Removing the pressure by taking Ferdinand out of the reckoning for selection had never been in his thinking, Hughes said, and Ferdinand had not given him any reason to do so. "I'm picking people based on their ability and what they can give the team," Hughes said. "If I thought it would affect his performance detrimentally then we would have to make a decision. But I don't sense that."

Nor was he concerned that Ferdinand's team-mates would overreact to the situation. "You've got to get the job done and be professional," Hughes added. "At times in sport, you can get into situations where you make wrong decisions and that can be affected by the events of the day and the events of the moment. But that's where you've got to take a step back and be careful and I'm sure my players will be."

Shake, battle and roll: Those pre-game bust-ups

John Terry v Wayne Bridge & Craig Bellamy

Chelsea v Manchester City 27 February 2010

John Terry was snubbed by his former Chelsea team-mate (and good friend) Wayne Bridge at Stamford Bridge after reports emerged the previous month that the England captain had alledgedly been having an affair with Bridge's former partner, Vanessa Perroncel.

Bridge's City team-mate, Craig Bellamy, then screwed his face in disgust and looked away as the pair shook hands, later unleashing a scathing verbal attack on the defender. City went on to win the match 4-2, although Chelsea lifted the Premier League title at the end of the season.

Patrice Evra v Luis Suarez

Manchester United v Liverpool 11 February 2012

After being suspended for eight games for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in the reverse league match earlier in the season, Liverpool forward Luis Suarez returned for the Old Trafford re-match.

Amid much scrutiny, Suarez failed to shake hands, leading to Evra holding up Suarez's arm as he went past. United colleague Rio Ferdinand then opted to ignore Suarez's hand. The Uruguayan scored Liverpool's consolation in the 2-1 defeat, before Evra celebrated wildly in front of fans at the final whistle.

Patrick Vieira v Gary Neville

Arsenal v Manchester United 1 February 2005

Patrick Vieira's infamous if hilarious pre-match tunnel bust-up with Roy Keane preceded Roy Carroll, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes all ignoring Vieira's hand. While Gary Neville did opt to shake hands, he greeted his opponent with a maniacal glare and squeeze. United went on to win the Highbury meeting 4-2.

Samir Nasri v William Gallas

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur 20 November 2010

Ahead of a tempestuous North London derby at the Emirates Stadium, the Tottenham Hotspur captain, William Gallas, was snubbed by his former Arsenal team-mate Samir Nasri. Gallas had previously blamed Nasri for France's woeful Euro 2008 campaign. Nasri would score in the match, which Tottenham won 3-2.