Is the grass always greener?

DESPITE my best intentions it seems completely impossible to escape the Suarez saga which continues to roll on and on and on.

The world and his wife now seem to know intimate details of issues that should have remained in house with Suarez claiming an agreement with the board was made regarding Champions League qualification. The Uruguayan is supposedly disappointed alleged assurances he could leave if said qualification wasn’t achieved are now not being upheld by LFC management.

Can the player justifiably feel aggrieved at what he perceives to be a club not allowing him to leave and fulfil his full potential at the highest level possible?

Many players over the years have placed prestige and silverware as the most important driving forces in their career. In seeking success they have rightfully sought to play for the best clubs that could provide the greatest chance to achieve this. Some have unarguably made the right choices professionally and personally and have reaped the rewards for that success.

For others though all the silverware in the world will fail to rebuild the reputation tarnished by the way the medals were won. The question each player has to as himself is whether the pursuit of honours is more important than the way the player is remembered within the beautiful game.

It may come as much of a surprise to you as it did me when I found out recently the great Gabriel Batistuta, who was definitely one of the greatest strikers in football history, wasn’t as prolific when it came to amassing trophies. In an illustrious career predominantly played in Serie A, Batistuta won a solitary title with Roma, one Coppa Italia with Fiorentina and the Supercoppa Italiana (their equivalent of the Charity Shield) a couple of times.

Not a great return by any means for a player described by Maradona as the ‘greatest striker I’ve seen in my lifetime’ and the ‘best goal-scorer the Argentine national team will ever see’. So why may you ask is Batistuta held is such esteem by those who know a thing or two about the game.
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The reason is that combined with his undisputed footballing ability the player displayed levels of loyalty and integrity which counts a great deal in a sport seemingly devoid of such sentiments. At the peak of his powers Batistuta received persistent overtures from the powerhouses of European football including both Real Madrid and Man United.

His persistent refusal to jump ship [Editor: Particularly when choosing to stay with il Viola when relegated to Serie B] and join a team guaranteed to bring success and silverware enhanced his reputation within the game. Preferring to use his blood, sweat and tears for a team that meant so much to him endeared him to not only the football romantics out there but also those who measure success in more than the mere number of medals secured.

Cast your mind back to 2006 when Ashley Cole unceremoniously manufactured his move from the Emirates to Stamford Bridge. Citing purely ‘football reasons’ as his motivations for leaving ‘Cashley’ Cole still receives levels of resentment from Gunners usually reserved for Spurs fans or those who claim Arsenal play pretty unproductive football.

For fans further afield it appeared money was his main motivating factor which has undeniably damaged his standing in the game. Irrespective of the league titles and European success achieved you’ll not find many who’ll name him the greatest left-back in the Premiership let alone the world.

The truly tragic part of this whole Suarez transfer situation is that he has already proven himself to be one of the greatest strikers in the country and given time could equally dominate the world stage. His ability is without question and if performances produced in the last two seasons were maintained or even bettered for a few more years Suarez could be considered a Premiership great alongside the likes of Robbie Fowler, Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer.

The legend that was Alan Shearer is still highly revered for his exploits in his prime despite not collecting the personal honours his talents clearly deserved. For all his amazing goals and performances Fernando Torres in contrast will never be remembered as an Anfield icon due to the circumstances around his departure.

The question Suarez needs to answer is what is the most important legacy or the potential for individual honours?

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