Luis Suárez

[Neil Young]

I think there's a good chance he's telling the truth too (although he has a habit of lying it seems). The thing is even though he may have a valid point, the way he is currently behaving negates all that. Potentially faking/exaggerating an injury, waiting for the squad/coach/owners to clear off to Norway before sneaking off to brief the press (who he has blamed for wanting to leave in the first place!) is just downright underhand behaviour.

As others have mentioned it sounds at the very most to be a verbal agreement between Rodgers and himself, nothing contractual. Had we turned down a bid which met our valuation (£50m+) I could understand him feeling slightly aggrieved, but things stand we haven't.

A verbal agreement is itself a legally enforceable contract but I know what you're saying.

Also it's very possible that what Rodgers said isn't quite the same as what Suárez heard. That happens all the time in conversations and it might underpin the roots of the current dispute and explain the differences in the expressed positions of the player and the club.

It also makes sense of why he stayed last year and I think it's reasonable for him to think he can't give another season at 26 years old.

So I think it's very plausible.

As for the injury faking thing and all the other stuff, I don't take any notice. The club are playing a game too so it's possible - I'd say very likely - they're not being totally straight with us in their public statements either. Maybe they're complicit in the decision for him not to travel. At the very least both sides are briefing the media, I don't think one is any worse than the other.

I agree with Shaggy's point from the other day that it would be better if clubs were honest with supporters but none of them are so f*ck it, just ignore all the blather.

[PTP]

I'd ****ing love it of Arsenal turned round now and said

"Do you know what, sorry Luis, we recognise that you are a good player and we want a quality signing, but having reviewed you actions at Groningen, then Ajax and then your time at Liverpool, including this latest outburst, we feel that you don't have the right attitude and for that reason we are pulling out,"

Hahaha be ****ing hilarious

[Sarb]

And if there is something there at the very least I would have expected a transfer request to be required.

August "If we don't make the CL can I leave next summer gaffa" "Sure"
Jan "I'm staying even if we don't make the CL"
April "I'll be here next season no matter what"
August "They won't honour their agreement. Transfer request? No not yet I want my money!"

So even if there was an agreement (and I don't believe a word he says) he still as no case.

If he had a case, he wouldn't be mouthing off in the press. His clause doesn't stand up either. That's pretty obvious

He's trying to depress his value. Found it funny that he said he'd hand in a transfer request by the end of the week. I think he probably should have done that before going off on one in the papers and practically going on strike saying he won't play a friendly until his future is sorted

[dww]

I agree with all that and he's managed to manipulate the situation to make his position at the club untenable. The fact that he still hasn't put in a transfer request despite his public declarations is staggering though.

But just once I'd like to see us control the situation throughout. As a selling manager Wenger has historically drawn a hard line on transfers and we should reciprocate. It's 55 mil (or whatever value Rodgers and Ayre have in their heads) or no dice. Never happening though. I reckon we'll fold at 45 mil

My feeling is that ~£45m is probably what we would have expected to get if we ended up selling him this summer all things considered. I'd like us to play hardball to get more like his footballing value relative to other transfers but not at the expense of getting the best deals for players coming in. Ultimately we want the best squad not the best bank balance going into the new season.

[Sarb]

I'd ****ing love it of Arsenal turned round now and said

"Do you know what, sorry Luis, we recognise that you are a good player and we want a quality signing, but having reviewed you actions at Groningen, then Ajax and then your time at Liverpool, including this latest outburst, we feel that you don't have the right attitude and for that reason we are pulling out,"

Hahaha be ****ing hilarious

Not as funny as if he goes there and they get knocked out in the CL qualifiers. That would be utterly hilarious

[Vermilion]

I'd ****ing love it of Arsenal turned round now and said

"Do you know what, sorry Luis, we recognise that you are a good player and we want a quality signing, but having reviewed you actions at Groningen, then Ajax and then your time at Liverpool, including this latest outburst, we feel that you don't have the right attitude and for that reason we are pulling out,"

Hahaha be ****ing hilarious

And then they failed to qualify for the Champs league proper. Just for fun.

Imagine the uproar at the emirates. would serve them right too.

[dww]

A verbal agreement is itself a legally enforceable contract but I know what you're saying.

Also it's very possible that what Rodgers said isn't quite the same as what Suárez heard. That happens all the time in conversations and it might underpin the roots of the current dispute and explain the differences in the expressed positions of the player and the club.

It also makes sense of why he stayed last year and I think it's reasonable for him to think he can't give another season at 26 years old.

So I think it's very plausible.

As for the injury faking thing and all the other stuff, I don't take any notice. The club are playing a game too so it's possible - I'd say very likely - they're not being totally straight with us in their public statements either. Maybe they're complicit in the decision for him not to travel. At the very least both sides are briefing the media, I don't think one is any worse than the other.

I agree with Shaggy's point from the other day that it would be better if clubs were honest with supporters but none of them are so f*ck it, just ignore all the blather.

I do wonder what advantage clubs think they are gaining by their dishonestly.

[MrMichael]

I think there's a good chance he's telling the truth too (although he has a habit of lying it seems). The thing is even though he may have a valid point, the way he is currently behaving negates all that. Potentially faking/exaggerating an injury, waiting for the squad/coach/owners to clear off to Norway before sneaking off to brief the press (who he has blamed for wanting to leave in the first place!) is just downright underhand behaviour.

As others have mentioned it sounds at the very most to be a verbal agreement between Rodgers and himself, nothing contractual. Had we turned down a bid which met our valuation (£50m+) I could understand him feeling slightly aggrieved, but things stand we haven't.

I think Suarez and his agents have found out that legally, the clause they signed up to in his contract isn't worth the paper it is written on, therefore they've turned to this "gentleman's agreement" stuff to invoke what they believe was the spirit of what they signed up to. I find it very unlikely that the club agreed privately to sell him for a specified fee which nobody on his side made sure was spelt out exactly in that contract, but his team have put 2+2 together with the clause, and that now our position remains as it always has been that we will not sell for way below his market value. Agreeing to sell him under certain circumstances if our valuation is met is not the same as selling him to the first rival club that offers anything.

I also find it pretty hard to reconcile his stated position now with that in June (I want to leave to get away from the nasty press) and that in Feb (I won't leave just because we don't qualify for the CL), and also with his argument that he was somehow demonstrating great loyalty signing a new contract, with a huge pay rise, last summer after everything that happened and him having been at the club hardly 18 months. Put all that together and it seems like we have very little reason to trust the specifics of what he is saying and great reason to suspect he's trying to worm his way out in any way he can, just as he has at his 2 previous European clubs.

[meffin]

@ShanksGrandson: The players comments in the national press today r the straw that broke the camels back. Frankly he doesnt deserve to play for this club....
@ShanksGrandson: Comments to the same national press he lied were the reasons he wanted out of Liverpool remember. The man has no ethics and is a disgrace. .
@ShanksGrandson: After he bit Ivanovic, I stood with 3000 lfc fans singing his nane at Newcastle with Uruguay flags when he was nowhere near the pitch.....
@ShanksGrandson: He has had nothing but love and support from one of the greatest institutions in football history and he has spat in our face by lying.....
@ShanksGrandson: He is nothing short of a liar, a cheat and a disgrace and frankly he deserves Arsenal.....
@ShanksGrandson: Enjoy playing in front of no atmosphere, winning nothing and looking at dubiously made expensive designer banners.....
@ShanksGrandson: Good luck with the nations capital press and next time you misbehave, good luck when their fans and club turn their back on you......
@ShanksGrandson: I spoke to my mum yestersay who obvs is Bill Shankly s daughter. .....she hit the nail on the head for me.....
@ShanksGrandson: "If your grandy had still been there Chris, he'd have been marched out the club weeks ago." How true....
@ShanksGrandson: You see Luis its a privilege to play for LFC and our fans and we deserve better than a liar. You will realise it in time. Just ask Mr Torres

[Exiled_red]

If this is the route he is going down, I think we should take action against Arsenal for an illegal approach, and action against his agent who has presumably revealed details of his contract to Arsenal which have reduced his value.

It also pisses me off that modern footballers do all this **** in the press but don't hand in transfer requests, if you want to go you hand in a transfer request, that is the formal process. If you are really that bothered about your 'loyalty' payments you can't be that desperate for a move away.

I also wonder what he has been hoping to achieve by holding off in doing this, our stance has been clear for a couple of weeks now (since Arsenal's bid). Is he not that committed to a deal with Arsenal (they aren't actually in the CL yet), is he either hoping another club come in for him or to wait until after their qualifier?

[Arn]

I wasn’t gonna bite, but seeing as there is so much gloating, I’ll make a simple point and get quotes at a later date if required.

My posts were less in defence of Suarez (I was happy to give him the benifit of the doubt) but more aimed at highlighting the hypocrisy of some supporters that defended or excused everything he did on the pitch, but now because he is trying to engineer a move away, they are denying that that’s what’s bothering them, instead going back and contradicting what they previously argued at the time of the incidents.

I took a quick look at your posts in the racism thread and every one defended Suarez at the time and you even specifically said he doesn’t dive and isn’t a cheat. Obviously people are allowed to change their opionion as more evidence comes to light, but I’m pretty sure if I checked more posts it would be a similar theme, all excusable until he made it clear he wants to leave. (And you’re far from the only one)

You can still deny that if you want, pretend you were always condemning and righteous throughout, but we can easily find out once all this dies down.

I wonder why he isn't answering this one.

I was defending him, and I still think it was right to do so. I just think it was wrong to call him names before there was evidence, even if they did turn out to be right in the end.

The next time rumours fly around about one of our players I'll defend them again until I'm sure. Loyalty is something I value.

The ultimate irony was people calling him a disloyal prick before it was based on fact.

[Alex]

A verbal agreement is itself a legally enforceable contract but I know what you're saying.

Also it's very possible that what Rodgers said isn't quite the same as what Suárez heard. That happens all the time in conversations and it might underpin the roots of the current dispute and explain the differences in the expressed positions of the player and the club.

It also makes sense of why he stayed last year and I think it's reasonable for him to think he can't give another season at 26 years old.

So I think it's very plausible.

As for the injury faking thing and all the other stuff, I don't take any notice. The club are playing a game too so it's possible - I'd say very likely - they're not being totally straight with us in their public statements either. Maybe they're complicit in the decision for him not to travel. At the very least both sides are briefing the media, I don't think one is any worse than the other.

I agree with Shaggy's point from the other day that it would be better if clubs were honest with supporters but none of them are so f*ck it, just ignore all the blather.

Does it really matter what the club is doing in all of this though? They are doing whats right for Liverpool. Which ultimately is all most of us care about.

[Sarb]

I think Suarez and his agents have found out that legally, the clause they signed up to in his contract isn't worth the paper it is written on, therefore they've turned to this "gentleman's agreement" stuff to invoke what they believe was the spirit of what they signed up to. I find it very unlikely that the club agreed privately to sell him for a specified fee which nobody on his side made sure was spelt out exactly in that contract, but his team have put 2+2 together with the clause, and that now our position remains as it always has been that we will not sell for way below his market value. Agreeing to sell him under certain circumstances if our valuation is met is not the same as selling him to the first rival club that offers anything.

I also find it pretty hard to reconcile his stated position now with that in June (I want to leave to get away from the nasty press) and that in Feb (I won't leave just because we don't qualify for the CL), and also with his argument that he was somehow demonstrating great loyalty signing a new contract, with a huge pay rise, last summer after everything that happened and him having been at the club hardly 18 months. Put all that together and it seems like we have very little reason to trust the specifics of what he is saying and great reason to suspect he's trying to worm his way out in any way he can, just as he has at his 2 previous European clubs.

Bang on

[TheElephantMan]

If he did have a verbal agreement with the club then he should have acknowledged it in writing.

I don't blame Suarez for looking after his own interests, it's the way he's going about it. He should be making an effort to move under mutually agreeable terms. He's lost his opportunity to retain some rapport with the supporters, football is nothing without the supporters. I just hope his move makes him even more miserable than he clearly is now.

[Camble]

It also pisses me off that modern footballers do all this **** in the press but don't hand in transfer requests, if you want to go you hand in a transfer request, that is the formal process. If you are really that bothered about your 'loyalty' payments you can't be that desperate for a move away.

How ironic? Surely we should be given loyalty payments by him.