‘I’d give my soul every game,’ said Luis Suarez recently when asked what it would mean for him to play for Real Madrid. Cue mass hysteria about how Liverpool’s number 7 was once again flapping him gums about a potential move to the Spanish capital.
Many fans are angry and disappointed that Suarez seemingly wants out of Anfield but personally I can’t see why.
In an ideal world, Suarez would give Liverpool one more season and help them in the quest to achieve a Champions League place before moving on for pastures new. Unfortunately, the world of football is far from ideal.
Loyalty is thin on the ground and should be cherished when players show it. It should not be expected. Not anymore.
For all his talk of Madrid (and there has been a lot of it) Suarez hasn’t criticised Liverpool. He’s been effusive about the support he’s had on Merseyside, he has spoken about how much it means for him to play at Anfield, even how amazing it is to see his daughter sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. It doesn’t seem so much like Luis Suarez is desperate to leave Liverpool, it’s just that he badly wants to play for Real Madrid.
Sorry, but where is the shock in that? For most players, especially those from South American countries, Spain’s best two teams, Real Madrid and Barcelona, are seen as the pinnacle of European club football. The Premier League may be extremely popular but the stature of Spain’s big two holds more allure.
Liverpool fans should be as aware of this as anyone. Xabi Alonso loved Liverpool. He immersed himself in the city, its culture and its history. He formed an emotional bond that still exists to this day. When Real Madrid came calling though, he left. Ditto Javier Mascherano. No player has ever given more to the Liverpool cause in terms of sheer graft than the Argentine. Even in his final appearance for the Reds against Arsenal, he ran himself into the ground and put in a masterful performance.
His apparent reluctance to play a few days later ahead of his long protracted move to Barcelona cast a shadow over his Anfield career but his affection for the club is still there. He dedicated his Champions League final win with Barcelona over Manchester United to Liverpool’s supporters. Ultimately though, for all his connection to Liverpool, he badly wanted and eventually got his move to Catalonia.
Cristiano Ronaldo was and is, obviously in love with Manchester United and was excelling there in his final two seasons but he couldn’t resist the lure of Madrid either. It’s just the way it is.
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
Some of indignation around Suarez’s potential move is a result of the way he is trying to engineer it. Suarez claims that he is considering leaving England because of the media pressure he is under and to some extent he has a point. When he is booed at the PFA awards by his fellow professionals it’s got to hurt a little.
When Gordon Taylor says he needs to be more of a role model like Robin van Persie (not quite the committed family man that Suarez appears to be if stories are to be believed) and Gareth Bale (how many yellow cards did he pick up for simulation last season?) Suarez must be left shaking his head. The furore around a seemingly accidental handball in an FA Cup tie against Mansfield was ridiculous to the extreme and yet it was spectacularly topped by having the Prime Minister of the country commenting on his nibble of Branislav Ivanovic’s arm. Is that’s what you were elected for, Dave? Could you blame Suarez for being fed up with all of that?
Having said that, it’s likely that Suarez could cope with his perceived persecution. He has obviously felt this way for a long time in England and has still managed to excel in this country. Whatever your take on the media stick he receives and how much it actually affects him and his family, there is no doubt that it gives him an excuse to leave Liverpool.
The problem is, most people see through it and many want him to be more ‘honest’ about his motives. I can’t fathom why. Would Liverpool fans be happier if their best player came out and said ‘I’m one of the top 5 players in the world and deserve to be playing at a higher level than Liverpool Football Club can offer’? I doubt it. If anything, he is saving some face for his club by using the media as his motive for leaving rather than the continued underachievement on the pitch at Anfield.
Some supporters believe that he owes Liverpool a debt for sticking by him after his transgressions but that line of thinking is extremely optimistic. If Suarez had scored 3 goals instead of 30 last season, Liverpool would be hawking him around Europe right now, desperate to rid themselves of the player and all his baggage. The reason that they stuck by him was because he is their best player. The fact of the matter is that Suarez should be playing for a top team and life in Spain, where he and his family would surely be more settled, is too attractive for him to turn down.
If Real Madrid submit a sufficient bid this summer then Suarez will be gone. However, if Los Blancos (or indeed the likes of Barcelona) decide to pursue other marquee strikers or baulk at Liverpool’s asking price (which should be no less than £50m given the price received for an inferior Fernando Torres), then Suarez will be likely to stay at Anfield and continue to do what he always has done.
‘I will give my soul every game……. I did every time on the pitch for Uruguay, Ajax and Liverpool’.
[ad_pod id=’pubsquared’ align=’right’]
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
Happy to let him go but need to get more than we got for Torres. Torres was rubbish in his last season
His fellow professionals booing him is reason enough to get out of England.
Just because there is a lack of loyalty in modern football does not mean that the Liverpool FC family should not expect it. In fact, I would argue that loyalty is one of the core values of LFC and, whichever way you cut it, by publicising his transfer wishes, Luis Suarez is going against the club’s values – which are more important than any individual. Not only is he compromising our bargaining position (i.e potentially lowering his price and inflating future transfers in), but he is disrespecting a family that supported him, even when they shouldn’t have. True loyalty.
Notwithstanding the above, I believe selling Suarez is a good idea – it just has to be done quietly, quickly and at the right price.
what a load of * anyone who says he supports liverpool and in the next breath says suarez would be better going hasnt got a clue they need to support everton.
I agree, I don’t understand how any Liverpool fc fan would think this, never mind say it. Suarez was one of our very few positives last season, now because the media decides to push it again, our own gullible fans fall for it.
If I was Suarez I’d have pissed off out of this crap country as soon as Fergie engineered the serial racist Evras stunt. the media has been on his back since the World Cup, but how many so called fellow professionals or amatures owned up that the have or would have done the same? 1or 2 but the rest are just F****** hypocrites. I personally don’t want to see him leave but if he does I wont blame him as long as we get at least £65M. I wish him luck.
When Gordon Taylor finally emerges from Ferguson’s back pocket, let me know. Until then his opinion means nothing
Has Suarez handed in a transfer notice?
NO.
Then shut up and wait till he does.
Aaaah an article with a some truth and none of that media hype bollocks!!! Couldn’t agree more. The man deserves to leave with his head held high. He came in worked his socks off from day 1 even when his goal scoring form was down he put in a hard days graft! Will be sad to see him go but he definitely deserves to move on if that’s what he want’s.
Suarez,suarez,suarez, dats all evry1 is saying nd I say keep him @ anfield 4 1 more season
Remember Alonso was forced out because of rafa and the little Argentina was like this suarez
A great player. It will be a shame to see him go but such is life. We are a top 8 side at the moment and he can get in any side in the world as he is THAT good. Shame if he goes, delighted if he stays.
Being booed by fellow professionals at the PFA awards is just disrespectful but Saurez only has himself to blame for all what’s happened, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if he hadn’t bit or been (supposedly) racist. I do believe FA seem to pick on foreign players just look at Terry and Defoe incidents can’t believe not more was handed to them, but like I said we wouldn’t be talking about this if he hadnt done any of it.
I truly believe Liverpool want rid of saurez just like torres because he’s detrimental to the club. He’s not been here 3yrs yet but has already received bans for 18 games, unfair lengths maybe but he should never of put himself in those situations in the first place. Liverpool were ready to sell Torres because of loss of form yet always maintained they wanted to keep him and were able to get £50m for him. Now we’ll do the same with saurez hold out for the best fee my maintaining he’s not for sale. Let’s just hope luis’ constant comment don’t work against us in negotiations. YNWA
Dope . 30 goals and nearly every game man of match , is detrimental to our club ?
he has been a spoiled brat since he was a lad. if things do not go his way all acceptable standards of behaviour go out of the window. we do not want him at liverpool.
“Spoilt brat since he was a lad”, what?, growing up in Uruguay, spoilt?, you need to get some education, you sound like a typical spoilt hypocrite westerner.We want Suarez at Liverpool but could do without gullible folk, like yourself.
You knew Suarez as a kid did you? So you lived in poverty and grew up beside him? you don’t speak for all, so please don’t say we, I would have Suarez with all his drama he is world class.
All this suarez is the victim crap should stop,he caused his own problems anytime things get too much for him to handle he bolts,same with ajax and most likely same with liverpool.all the work liverpool put into improving his character,all the lies brendan had to tell on his behalf just in his first year just when things began to look better he threw all that away by biting ivanovic. but still its the media and the fa who pick on suarez while he is the victim..some lfc fans are so naive,he is the only problem always has always will be i say sell him for 50m and move on.he wont be the first or the last world class player to leave our club
Well said mate.let them sale and bring a world class striker…
Cantona(kunfu on a fan), Defoe(bite on Mascherano), Giggs(insest/cheatin), Rooney(patronizing prostitutes), A. Cole(adultery) John Terry(racial abuse, adultery), which is a role model to David Cameron’s kids? Which of these got media attention as much as our Suarez?
Our own fans do the media’s work for them, very gullible these days are “Some” LFC fans. The media has been after Suarez since he arrived.
I love this write up man I have said this before forget the loyalty stuff that’s meant for men like gerrard carragher gigs scholes and many more who have that quality everyone looks for trophies and when it’s not there what do u expect a normal human being who according to economics wants his “wants” satisfied I will forever LOVE SUAREZ. Each time I see d way he plays on that red shirt with PASSION, shouting moaning giving those kops on the stands something to remember I begin to ask myself what has liverpool done to compensate this sort of dedication,(ooooh yes you will say what about the support we gave him during the evra row, well the writer answered yoy question didn’t he?) Suarez never insulted or said bad comments about liverpool he just wants greener pastures and a place where every show of his inner dedication on the pitch isn’t questioned by a bias media. Let him go and HE WILL NEVER WALK ALONE. Always love him he saved us most-times remember his goals, his amzing goals please guys still love him
sell him and make Di maria as part of package.
Sell Suarez and buy new striker no player is bigger than the club.YNWA