Monday, June 24, 2013

SHOULD LUIS SUAREZ STAY OR GO?


Ill treatment of Suarez and his family

I recall watching a press conference on Fox Sports Asia where Luis Suarez spoke candidly about how he and his family have been treated by the media and the public. He recalled this one time when he and his family were in Manchester "....... I was walking in a shopping Centre near Manchester and three or four guys asked me for a photo. While we were posing for it my wife said to me: 'Luis, get out of the photo.' She noticed they were making biting gestures. I was with my wife and my daughter. Things like that get on your nerves. My wife was on the brink of tears and the blokes ran off laughing. You get tired of stuff like that." He has also said that he is followed everywhere by media, in Shopping Centre’s and even his back garden.

 


Unfair treatment by FA

I was actually surprised when John Terry received what I thought was less severe punishment than Suarez for racially abusing another player. There was solid evidence of Terry’s wrongdoing but he only got banned for 4 games while Suarez got banned for 8 games even though the evidence against him was sketchy (Patrice Evra’s word against his). In Terry’s case they had lip readers confirming what Terry had said to Anton Ferdinand  but Terry still only ‘escaped’ with a 4 match ban. I think because Suarez feels the FA was too harsh on him and the club did not support him fully during this ordeal and during the Ivanovic ordeal, he may not give 100% on the pitch and at a time when the club’s closest rivals are strengthening and there’s a lot at stake in the game now, Liverpool cannot afford this.  

Exceptional talent

Racism and biting aside, Suarez is an exceptional talent. Kenny Dalglish had good reasons to sign him and make him wear the famous number 7 shirt. For some, if not for the racism and biting controversy, Suarez would have beaten Bale to the PFA Player of the Year award. Suarez gives Liverpool something different, which, should he stay, may enable them to seriously challenge for a top 4 finish. With Suarez upfront, the Liverpool midfielders always know they have options as he is a game changer while opposing defenders always have to be on their guard with Suarez on the pitch.

Verdict

He should leave but only for a good price and for a genuine top club. Liverpool can use proceeds from the sale of Suarez (if he leaves) to buy 3-4 reasonably good players. His reputation in England is already ruined, not just as a footballer but as a person so remaining at Anfield in the longer term is unwise. If you look at players who stayed at the club for a long time like Hypia, Dudek and even Hamann, none of them got into trouble as much as Suarez has in such a short period. We can only hope that wherever he goes, he stays out of trouble and just allow his football to do the talking.

 

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