Phillip Buckley
Luis Suarez was always going to be hot property this summer. 31 goals in 33 Premier League games, dragging Liverpool to a Premier League title challenge in a way reminiscent of how Steven Gerrard drove the club to the Champions League in 2005, was confirmation of a player at the very peak of his powers. And as Gerrard was a wanted man after the bleary-eyed celebrations in Istanbul, so Liverpool were destined to field interest for their Uruguayan talisman. But while Liverpool kept Gerrard and started the summer confident of doing likewise with Suarez, the tide has now turned and a toxic mix of a player feeling persecuted, with his homeland pointing the finger of blame at England, and Barcelona set on his arrival, means the Reds may lose the most exciting attacking talent in the Premier League.
The World Cup for Suarez started with uncertainty, a knee injury and speedy surgery putting his very participation in doubt. And even if he did return, it was unlikely he would be anywhere close to match fitness: A win for England and a win for Liverpool. Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions feared Suarez damaging their chances of qualifying from a group which also contained Italy and Costa Rica, while Liverpool could have been forgiven for not wanting Suarez showcasing his talents on the biggest stage of all and pushing La Liga’s two heavyweights closer to the bid trigger. But Suarez, who boasts the hunger and desire to play – and win – which has been all too easily dimmed for some by the luxurious trappings enjoyed by the celebrity footballer, had other ideas. Suarez might have been forced to watch on from the sidelines as Costa Rica stunned Uruguay, but he was ready to push himself to face England, stirred on by Hodgson, a man Liverpool discovered first hand has a poor touch for public relations and an excellent habit of motivating opponents.
Inexplicably, given England had just lost their group opener against Italy and needed defeat to Uruguay like a hole in the head, Hodgson, in a matter of fact manner, told Suarez: “You can be a great player in your league but to be recognised as one of the all-time greats you have got to do it at the World Cup.” Suarez listened and, barely 50 per cent fit, took two chances with aplomb to shoot down the English. But in comments after the game, Suarez betrayed more than just a desire to shove Hodgson’s words back down his throat, bringing the English media into the equation, not forgetting how he felt hung out to dry in England after being judged to have racially abused Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in 2011, while a bite on Branislav Ivanovic last year earned a ten-match ban and cemented a feeling of persecution. “Before the game, too many people laughed about my attitude in England over the years”, said Suarez, after slicing the Three Lions to pieces. “What happened before the match, I did not want to attack anybody, only some of the media started making fun of me and you [an English journalist] are in the media. You should know what happened and why they did that to me.”
For the English media though, Suarez is the gift that keeps on giving and, fresh off teaching England a lesson, he inexplicably bit an opponent for the third time in his career, sinking his teeth into Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. FIFA’s response was swift – a four-month ban from all footballing activities. Suarez’s World Cup wasn’t just over, but the start of his 2014/15 season too. FIFA has argued that, as the third such incident and occurring on the biggest stage of all, Suarez had to be hit hard. And if the Uruguayan had directed his ire solely at FIFA, Liverpool’s chances of keeping hold of Suarez would have not been harmed. But in a twist, the Uruguay squad and manager have laid into the English media, claiming they pushed FIFA into slamming their talisman; conveniently overlooking the fact that England’s 2018 World Cup bid was a public humiliation and their continued investigations into world football’s governing body, with corruption allegations thrown around, have made them personae non gratae in Zurich. Nevertheless, it further reinforced Suarez’s view that he is a marked man, being hunted by a group of dictaphone wielding English journalists, who are actively harming his career.
“It is a decision which, obviously, is much more focused on the opinions of the media, who immediately drew their conclusions at the game, the journalists who concentrated solely on that topic at the post-match press conference”, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said, in response to Suarez’s four-month ban. “I don’t know what their nationality was, but they all spoke English. They concentrated on Luis’ history because of things that happened in the past.”
And Tabarez was backed up by captain Diego Lugano, as Uruguay sung from the same anti-English hymn sheet. “Everybody knows the British media have an issue with Suarez”, the defender, who struggled in the Premier League with West Brom last season, explained. “It must sell newspapers in England.” Uruguay have circled the wagons around Suarez, but in pinning the blame on the English media for the striker’s ban, they have reduced Liverpool’s chances of keeping their talisman and fed the player’s already deep seated unease with the press in the country in which he plies his trade.
Suarez’s bubbling resentment at the English media made itself felt last year, when he made a concerted effort to leave Liverpool, a case which was ultimately undermined by his desire to sign for another English club in the shape of Arsenal. Back in the comfort of Uruguay, he revealed at the time: “I’ve worked so hard since I was a kid to reach where I am, to keep putting up with a few reporters like those of England, who are trashing me unfairly, because they haven’t valued what I do in the stadium as a player, instead they’ve judged me for my attitudes and you reach a moment where you get tired.”
The former Ajax man should in truth have learned over the last year that if he generates only positive stories on the pitch, the feedback and coverage he receives in England will be positive. The Premier League loved Suarez last season, lapping up his audacious skill, as neutrals rooted for Liverpool to win the title. Suarez did not win the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award last season because he is hated by the English media. The Liverpool man is simply one of the game’s stars and, with newspapers to sell and website traffic to generate, Suarez is a journalist’s dream. Incidents with Evra, Ivanovic and Chiellini were all avoidable, but blaming the punishment handed out as a result on the reaction of the English media is all too easy, removing the responsibility from Suarez himself. What is troubling though is that the player appears to firmly believe he is the target of a witch hunt – and for Liverpool that spells trouble.
Barcelona appear not to have been put off by Suarez’s ban and are now set on taking him to the Camp Nou. With conspiracy theories about the English press reinforced by Uruguay team-mates and colleagues on an almost daily basis, it is hard not to believe Suarez will now view his future as best served away from Anfield. And it is a train Liverpool may not be able to stop, if they are confronted by a player who believes an entire country is against him. Last summer Suarez had no option on the table to leave England, and as a result agreed to fight on for Liverpool, despite accusing his manager of breaking a promise to sell him and blasting the club publicly to force a move. This summer things seem different, with Liverpool appearing unwilling to die in the ditches to keep him at Anfield, despite club legend Kenny Dalglish, the man who signed Suarez, urging his stay.
“It is my belief that when you bring a player to a football club, he becomes your responsibility. You don’t just turn your back on a player because he has done something wrong”, Dalglish said.
However, the tide looks to have turned. Suarez, believing he is being persecuted by the English media, increasingly views Spain as his salvation and issued an apology to Chiellini, combined with a promise never to bite an opponent again – a precondition laid down by Barcelona before any move can be realised. Liverpool meanwhile, wondering whether Suarez will bite a player again and, if he does, what ban that might bring, are seriously considering granting their talisman’s wish. Where that will leave Liverpool and their search for a first league title since 1990, remains to be seen. But it will mean the departure of one of the best players in the world from the Premier League, leaving English domestic football all the poorer and tuning into La Liga broadcasts to enjoy his talents.
