I'm not sure I feel very different, to be honest. Post Carra, football heroes are a thing of the past for me anyway and besides, the Torres debacle coming after the Gerrard dalliances (yes I know that's old news, but it's still relevant to my opinion in this context) had already taught me that these fellas are simply employees who will behave however they think is best for their own careers. So, I was under no illusions about the loyalty or otherwise of Luis Suarez.
Don't get me wrong - I think he behaved despicably showing a callous disregard for the support of both club and fans that went far above and beyond the norm over the course of his two major and numerous minor indiscretions as a Liverpool player. The fact is though that I wasn't surprised in the slightest. Anyone who can pull the stunts he's pulled on the pitch is more than capable of turning on his own (as we - but crucially not he - see ourselves).
That all said, I'm equally still a little bit amused by him too. That Uruguayan bank advert that he's currently starring in definitely had me guiltily catching myself thinking, "What a little scamp". And I know I'll go nuts when I next see him score at Anfield, not to mention eulogise his talent to the heavens when he does something ridiculously good (as opposed to bad) on the pitch. I mean let's be honest, there won't be many Reds who'll resist the urge to go wild if he scores the winner at Old Trafford tomorrow night will there?
No, my view remains largely the same: he's a tit but he's (just about, still) our tit and I intend to enjoy the highs and shrug off the lows as best as I can while he still remains.
Paul Natton
The ridiculous plotlines that the Luis Suarez show has thrown at us since April have probably led to the positive feelings many fans had towards him taking a serious denting but, given that warming to him was something I’ve always struggled with, it has had very little effect on the way in which I view him.
The fact that he’s a outrageously talented footballer hasn’t changed at all and nor has the nagging feeling I’ve held that you cannot construct a team around a player whose play regularly follows so little structure and who will most likely be a temporary resident in the squad. It’s almost certain that when he once again slips on a red shirt after his ten game ban I’ll still spend an equal amount of time shaking my head at the brilliance of his nutmegs and jack-knife turns as I will his infuriating and embarrassing feigning of injury and incessant whining to referees. He’ll still be an exciting genius. He’ll still be a terrible snide.
If I do think a little less of him it probably isn’t for the reasons many will. That a man seemingly so driven by winning would push so hard for a move to Arsenal has made me question his desire to reach the top of his game, as opposed to just earning more money. That move would have pushed back any possible glances towards Barca or Real Madrid by at least two seasons, at which point has the moment passed for him? Possibly? Probably? In sinking his teeth into Ivanovic he’s also gone down in my estimations with regards to his mental strengths as a player; in that he’s clearly more stupid and reckless than I thought possible. Less the sort of functioning crazy that sees Howlin’ Mad Murdoch turning up to rescue you in a chopper when you need it, more just unhinged and invariably unavailable.
In March watching Liverpool games would intermittently feature fluctuating emotions that left me torn. The most creative and effective Liverpool player, that was coasting past three men and drilling efforts into the bottom corner, was one that typifies a lot of what I hate in the game. Other than the fact there is now no remaining slither of the illusion that he might have formed a bond with the club or the city, and so would hang around, almost nothing has happened to stop those conflicting thoughts being the main things that pass through my mind when I think of Suarez. I’ll cheer the goals, I’ll sigh at the theatrics and at some point before the start of next season it’ll be the fans of another club’s conundrum to struggle with.
Stu Montagu
The last player that I had a real affinity with at Liverpool was Xabi Alonso. I was left disgusted with the way that Torres left but Xabi’s departure left me disillusioned with the team and manager as a whole. After those two I’ve never felt that attached to any Liverpool player (Stevie and Carragher aside obviously) because I’m an adult, and players don’t give a second thought to the fans despite the lip service they often pay.
Our number seven knows all about lip service, he spoke often about how happy he was at Liverpool, then he decided to dump all over that with his open courtship of anyone who would have him with a transfer strategy that had ‘any port in a storm’ written all over it.
He comes with so much baggage on the field that it would be difficult to forgive if he wasn’t so good at football. Unfortunately this summer he ignited the bridges he had with the club off the field and they burnt right through with me. I no longer care if he plays for us or not. He dragged the club’s name through the mud during his ‘moments’ and play acting and the club’s support counted for nothing as he tried to bin us off. I’m done with him, I won’t chant his name anymore and nothing he does will convince me otherwise short of him pitching up at my front door with a bag full of money and a mug full of that weird drink he’s always got in his hand (my loyalty, like his, can be bought).
He’s a Liverpool player and whilst he grafts in the shirt he’ll get my backing but as a person I think he’s a sly toad. Fabulous player, flawed person with questionable values.
I never fully embraced him because the last player I truly admired was sold and the last player who I thought loved the club turned on it as soon as a better offer came along. I always held number seven at arms length as a result and wasn’t let down this summer. I was angry; furious that he would sell us up the river for Arsenal but not let down. It’s a marriage of convenience now and he’ll only stay if we qualify for the Champions League. We know it, he knows it and at least we all know where we stand now.
If I was sceptical about him before this summer I was sad to see him prove me right. On top of the Evra thing, the diving, the finger to Fulham fans and the biting, it turns out a public show of disloyalty was the thing I couldn’t stomach after all.
Julian Richards
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