There are some distasteful elements to his game absolutely no doubt (all of which have been magnified by the whole Evra spat) but here's a video i just randomly stumbled across whilst Youtube-hopping. Obviously some of you may have seen it. [video=youtube;R7E2t8oJG0I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7E2t8oJG0I&feature=related[/video] The presenter may be an annoying tit, but i think this could soften many of our own who have started to get pulled in by the media over Suarez (it's a tiring battle). Believe me, they have started to wear us down. I think this video shows that whilst he's a somewhat unique style of footballer within the England, he's also a regular, decent bloke. More than anything this perhaps demonstrates just how much his will to win takes over on the field. This is also why i think those on the inside at Liverpool are probably less worried than many fans about his attitude, as they probably consider him a live-wire that will do anything to win on the pitch, but find him a genuinely sound guy off the pitch. It's a bit like being friends with the Klitschko's- they would take you apart in the ring like you were a carcass in Rocky's industrial freezer, but out of it you'd probably still love to be having a few beers with them. From a player's perspective then let's be honest, if you know he has that mentality (on the pitch) then you want him in your team. As well as that we all have a mate who is as sweet as pie but after a drink could fight an army, does that stop him being a decent guy and your mate? Usually not. I'm not interested in the 'no player is bigger than the club' rhetoric or those who try and pretend they don't care when a star player leaves by preempting what they think would be a good price for him. Maybe if we were performing better as a whole he wouldn't feel he had to do as many things the general MOTD viewer finds distasteful in order to win. Maybe we don't actually need to make excuses. This guy is popular with every team he's played in and is clearly a family man (see the 'she is spoiled' part of the video), but it is clearly a will to win that drives him on the field. Given how many of us demand a desire to practically die for the red shirt, perhaps we forget just how Suarez may interpret this in his own way. I don't like putting rules on threads as this is a forum and i think it can be a petty power trip to some, so i shall merely say that if this is just old opinions being rehashed then i won't bother checking this thread's development myself, however if we can maybe try and look at some issues in a more objective way and throw out some new ideas (try playing devil's advocate) then i'll acknowledge everyone i have the time to. Also please note i am not making retrospective excuses for the Evra issue I am talking about conduct relating to gaining an advantage on the field and whether that should actually be looked down upon in quite the way it is. Any guests from other boards, maybe there's a player that you despise for certain things on the pitch, but if you knew them off it do you think you could perhaps accept a view that they are simply doing every thing in their power to win on the pitch? Isn't that what we demand as fans? Specifically as an English audience is a dive any different than say Lee Cattermole trying to gain an advantage with a late tackle or John Terry abusing the ref? Just because it seems more 'clever' does that make it worse? Second note, this is not just come about us having Suarez, I think it's an interesting counterpoint to the days when plenty of us slated Ronaldo at Utd or Drogba at Chelsea as well. Finally, even if it's agreed that this sort of thing is wrong (ban it all rather than accept it as part of the game) then is there still an understanding that it can come from something positive i.e. a desire to do anything for your team to win?
Good article and I completely agree. I know Suarez can come across as an annoying little brat on the pitch but that's what I love about him. As you say, he's a born winner and has the passion and desire to do anything to win. I don't condone his handball at the WC or going down to easily and waving at the referee, but it shows how much he wants to win. I believe he does this because players from his continent generally grew up in poverty and will do anything to escape it so they will do anything to make sure they win. It's probably why English players probably don't have the same level of passion because if they don't succeed, they have education to fall back on, jobs available and a welfare system to abuse. All in all, give me a player with Suarez's attitude over a player with the 'relaxed' mindset of Charlie Adam and we'll probably see more success and a ruthless edge to our game. We have to remember that we brought in Downing, Henderson, Carroll, Enrique, Adam - players who don't know what success is or have won anything. We need to instill the winning mentality into them. And I also agree with your point on the 'no man in bigger than the club' mentality. Although it is nice in theory, we are letting go of world class staff to satisfy the old school generation and their principles. People often refer to teams like Man Utd as being ruthless with their players but hold on - they kept Ronaldo on for one more season despite the interest from Real, they kept Rooney despite his direspectful comments. Arsenal kept Fabregas for a few seasons despite heavy interest from Barca etc (I'm sure there are more examples).
Good grief, this has to be the biggest load of drivel I've ever read. I've been fortunate to play football with people on different continents and just because certain people come from impoverished backgrounds, it shouldn't justify them having to cheat or act like an animal on the pitch. Suarez has been a well paid player for years now.... I think that 'if I fail it's back to the ghetto' mentality has been eradicated. But to even suggest players from poorer backgrounds would cheat to succeed is an insult to them. If anything, in my experience, those who are poorer tend to act like gentleman on and off the pitch while those spoilt brats tend to be the cheaters. You can show passion for wanting to win without sacrificing your integrity, to suggest otherwise is nonsense. I don't know Suarez personally, he could be a great guy off the pitch but at the end of the day, the media hasn't made Suarez look like a villan, Suarez has made Suarez look like a villan. And I'm not singling him out, all clubs have players who don't conduct themselves well on the pitch but at least most of us accept that they should be held accountable... most Liverpool fans still seem to have this victim mentallity which is just pitiful.
"(all of which have been magnified by the whole Evra spat)" WHAT!? Evra spat as well?! The dirty Slightly Obscure Heritage But With French Associations tw*t !
If you actually read what I wrote, I said I didn't condone his actions. I was just merely providing a possible reason as to why he does those things. And if you think playing in Europe for the past 5 years would eradicate his impoverished upbringing of over 20 years, then perhaps you are insensitive. You can't change your personality just like that. Perhaps if Arsenal had a few 'winners' in your team, then you might actually win something other than the 'Emirates Cup', '4th Place Finish Trophy' or the 'Failed In Champions League Trophy'.
Lol, as always, deflect from the topic at hand and throw cheap insults: ad hominem. But hey, I've come to expect it from posters on these forums.
You know as soon as ****s like Kuntakinta turn up there is only one way this thread will go. Don't waste your breath.
"but at the end of the day, the media hasn't made Suarez look like a villan, Suarez has made Suarez look like a villan" Ahh but that's the point my blinkered friend, those of us who bother to try and understand the truth rather than belive the hype in the press know that Suarez and LFC have been treated unfairly by the media. Is he a saint? No. Is he racist scum? No. But the perception of your average Joe is he is a vile, racist animal of a player due to the lies (Mirror headline - RACIST) perpatrated by the press. As has been revealed to the rest of the UK recently our press are the ones who need reigning in, they are the true villians in all of this and the tide is changing. It's just a shame it takes unforgivable actions such as the hacking of a dead schoolgirls voicemail to 'wake up' the public to the current depths our media stoop to. And yes, we fight for truth and justice when it comes to the media portrail of our city because we have been wronged in the past in the most obcene way - it is about time others joined us in the fight.
I don't think he's a racist and I don't buy into the media **** about him but he really doesn't help himself the way he acts whilst on the pitch. Does he not get booed at every stadium at the moment?
This ^ I don't dislike Suarez because I think he's racist- I'm not usre if he is ? I dislike him as : 1) He plays for Liverpool. 2) He's a decent Liverpool player. 3) For the how he acts on the pitch. Pretty much the same sort of reason why rival fans disliked Ronaldo ( although obviously Ronaldo is 5 x the player Suarez is )
Your talking about Wayne Rooney,right? Or is Suarez the only 'impoverished' player to ply his trade in this country to fall foul of the FA laws? You conveniently left out the many other examples you could have used and that negates the rest of your post.
Hes a bit of a dick on the pitch to opposition players and fans but who cares what they think. Hes a great player and if he had a few decent players around him he would be a right handful and they would prob hate him even more. Im sure he does'nt mind a few panto boos or he would'nt be signing a new contract.
"Does he not get booed at every stadium at the moment? " - ahhh well in that case he MUST be racist scum playing for a racist club then huh? (yes that was sarcasm btw) Like I said, he's no saint but he's no worse than other players of his ilk and they get what they deserve. My point is he and LFC have had more than they deserve from the press looking to sensationalise - anyone with a modicum of fairness can see what happened to both LFC and Suarez was dissproportionate to the 'crimes' committed and a shamefule inditement on the so called popularist press.
The fact is he is a nuisance and I for one have been frustrated with some of his antics this year (pre Evra farce). For a player with such amazing balance he quite simply goes down too often and too easily and at times this year he has been guilty of trying to do too much on his own when sometimes the simple thing will do. What he has shown recently though is a much better use of the ball and has started to get back the sort of link up play we saw from him after he joined last year. Let's be honest, opposition fans will always get on his back and that I suspect won't bother him one bit let's hpe for a slightly more settled year for him next season and I don't doubt he will be a massive player for us.
its really simple.... the ****s that don't like suarez will be cheering if he scores i nthe fa cup the guys who hated luis garcia for his style of play loved the CL he contributed hugely to.... once he was gone they missed him. some people basically are spoiled brats who are lucky enough to have a big club in the city or are hangers on. its a privilige to support the club so whinging at every little loss or set backis not the way. I can whine at times i know that but right now i'm not... we got a cup, a great manager and a future plan of action to get even better... for some they'd be talking its a disaster... as if hodgson and G&H never happened!
excellent post. many of our rivals would want to have suarez on their side. we are fortunate to have him first. we should not bow to pressure out of jealosy. all we need are other intelligent players beside and behind him.
He's one of the those players who you would hate to play against and we don't have too many of those.
