Ouch. Henry Winter not pulling any punches in this one; not sure I agree with some of it but regardless it really doesn't seem like the London media are planning on easing up on him whether he signs for Arsenal or not....
Buyer beware: whoever signs Liverpool want-away striker Luis Suárez is getting a toxic cheat
Even by footballers’ cynical standards, Luis Suárez’s current contempt for his Liverpool team-mates, employers, supporters and profession is breath-taking if not entirely unexpected. A propensity for deceit seems ingrained in Suárez’s DNA. He’s toxic.
A wonderful attacking talent, Suárez sadly embodies many of the game’s darker traits, the verbal and physical assaults on opponents, the cheating, the lack of respect for contracts, the greed and belief that the game revolves solely around them. Suárez is the very model of the modern major mercenary taken to a particularly ugly extreme.
He is precisely the type of selfish footballer whom Gordon Taylor was talking about when warning of football being in danger “of losing its soul”, an unprofessional professional who further taints the game’s already stained reputation. Now, Suárez has had the gall to turn to Taylor’s players’ union to help extricate him from Anfield so he can move to Arsenal.
The emotions evoked by this unseemly saga range from the anger felt within Liverpool at Suárez’s desire to leave, the glee of many newly-pragmatic Arsenal fans and the huge frustration in most quarters that Suárez is not leaving English football altogether, taking his corrosive smoke cloud with him. He will eventually.
It will be a small leaving-do, probably at Heathrow, probably before he boards a plane to Madrid after two prolific, spiky years in north London.
Prompted by their appalled American owners, Liverpool are taking a stand, refusing to grant his desire to play for Arsenal. You’ll never train alone?
You will now. Those who know Suárez well, like Steven Gerrard, talk of a good character, devoted to his family. But Suárez is not competing for husband of the year awards or best dad. He may improve his behaviour, ending a charge-sheet that contains racist abuse, two biting incidents, a few dives and engineering exits from clubs, but few would bet on it. He wants to win at all costs.
So, seemingly, do Arsenal now. They will be buying goals and trouble.
Little criticism can be directly laid at their door. They are merely exploiting a situation just as they have themselves been in recent summers.
But buyer beware. Arsène Wenger has always prided himself on his principles so chasing such a notorious character is a distinct change of tack. Wenger needs a trophy, desperately, so his focus has switched to an instant impact, a guarantor of goals and Suárez is certainly that. This is a signing to prevent this season being Wenger’s last. No more a soft touch.
No more easy games for opposing centre-halves. Suárez will give Arsenal the sort of devilish qualities their front-line needs. No more Mr Nice Guys.
There is a price to pay for making such a pact. In a smart reception at the Emirates in 2011, Arsenal became the first club to receive the Advanced Level of Kick It Out’s Equality Standard, celebrating their “first rate” equality practices and policies.
“This is a great achievement for Arsenal and is something of which the supporters and staff can all be very proud,’’ said the club’s chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, in receiving the award from Lord Ouseley.
“However, we fully recognise there is a lot to be done to eradicate all forms of discrimination in football and beyond.’’ Indeed. Gazidis is about to sign somebody found guilty of calling a black player “negro” seven times.
Clubs are understandably obsessed with the bottom line and the finishing line, but they must also appreciate the potential damage to their image.
Arsenal have a distinguished, highly successful community department who have long campaigned against racism, not least in their admirable Arsenal for Everyone initiative that promoted diversity. Past players like Paul Davis, Ian Wright and the late David Rocastle endured racist abuse on the pitch. It will be interesting to hear of Thierry Henry’s reaction to Suárez next time the revered Frenchman visits London Colney.
As for Liverpool, there is inevitably some sympathy. They stayed loyal to Suárez in the past but in truth they should have offloaded him before — or certainly called him to account for shaming the club – after he was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and after he bit Branislav Ivanovic.
Liverpool have not handled a serial offender well. Now they are standing up to him. Too late. They’ll have to sell him at some point.
Liverpool will survive; they’ve been through worse. Brendan Rodgers and Gerrard will rally the players. So will the Kop. Daniel Sturridge may rise to the challenge. The team will be poorer but the club better.
Life goes on. Suárez will go on, playing against Evra, Ivanovic and on Nov 2 against Liverpool. His name will be taken in profane vain around the country. He’s loathed in English football.
He does not seem to care.
The fumigators must stay on standby until Suárez finally departs these shores.
Buyer beware: whoever signs Liverpool want-away striker Luis Suárez is getting a toxic cheat
Even by footballers’ cynical standards, Luis Suárez’s current contempt for his Liverpool team-mates, employers, supporters and profession is breath-taking if not entirely unexpected. A propensity for deceit seems ingrained in Suárez’s DNA. He’s toxic.
A wonderful attacking talent, Suárez sadly embodies many of the game’s darker traits, the verbal and physical assaults on opponents, the cheating, the lack of respect for contracts, the greed and belief that the game revolves solely around them. Suárez is the very model of the modern major mercenary taken to a particularly ugly extreme.
He is precisely the type of selfish footballer whom Gordon Taylor was talking about when warning of football being in danger “of losing its soul”, an unprofessional professional who further taints the game’s already stained reputation. Now, Suárez has had the gall to turn to Taylor’s players’ union to help extricate him from Anfield so he can move to Arsenal.
The emotions evoked by this unseemly saga range from the anger felt within Liverpool at Suárez’s desire to leave, the glee of many newly-pragmatic Arsenal fans and the huge frustration in most quarters that Suárez is not leaving English football altogether, taking his corrosive smoke cloud with him. He will eventually.
It will be a small leaving-do, probably at Heathrow, probably before he boards a plane to Madrid after two prolific, spiky years in north London.
Prompted by their appalled American owners, Liverpool are taking a stand, refusing to grant his desire to play for Arsenal. You’ll never train alone?
You will now. Those who know Suárez well, like Steven Gerrard, talk of a good character, devoted to his family. But Suárez is not competing for husband of the year awards or best dad. He may improve his behaviour, ending a charge-sheet that contains racist abuse, two biting incidents, a few dives and engineering exits from clubs, but few would bet on it. He wants to win at all costs.
So, seemingly, do Arsenal now. They will be buying goals and trouble.
Little criticism can be directly laid at their door. They are merely exploiting a situation just as they have themselves been in recent summers.
But buyer beware. Arsène Wenger has always prided himself on his principles so chasing such a notorious character is a distinct change of tack. Wenger needs a trophy, desperately, so his focus has switched to an instant impact, a guarantor of goals and Suárez is certainly that. This is a signing to prevent this season being Wenger’s last. No more a soft touch.
No more easy games for opposing centre-halves. Suárez will give Arsenal the sort of devilish qualities their front-line needs. No more Mr Nice Guys.
There is a price to pay for making such a pact. In a smart reception at the Emirates in 2011, Arsenal became the first club to receive the Advanced Level of Kick It Out’s Equality Standard, celebrating their “first rate” equality practices and policies.
“This is a great achievement for Arsenal and is something of which the supporters and staff can all be very proud,’’ said the club’s chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, in receiving the award from Lord Ouseley.
“However, we fully recognise there is a lot to be done to eradicate all forms of discrimination in football and beyond.’’ Indeed. Gazidis is about to sign somebody found guilty of calling a black player “negro” seven times.
Clubs are understandably obsessed with the bottom line and the finishing line, but they must also appreciate the potential damage to their image.
Arsenal have a distinguished, highly successful community department who have long campaigned against racism, not least in their admirable Arsenal for Everyone initiative that promoted diversity. Past players like Paul Davis, Ian Wright and the late David Rocastle endured racist abuse on the pitch. It will be interesting to hear of Thierry Henry’s reaction to Suárez next time the revered Frenchman visits London Colney.
As for Liverpool, there is inevitably some sympathy. They stayed loyal to Suárez in the past but in truth they should have offloaded him before — or certainly called him to account for shaming the club – after he was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and after he bit Branislav Ivanovic.
Liverpool have not handled a serial offender well. Now they are standing up to him. Too late. They’ll have to sell him at some point.
Liverpool will survive; they’ve been through worse. Brendan Rodgers and Gerrard will rally the players. So will the Kop. Daniel Sturridge may rise to the challenge. The team will be poorer but the club better.
Life goes on. Suárez will go on, playing against Evra, Ivanovic and on Nov 2 against Liverpool. His name will be taken in profane vain around the country. He’s loathed in English football.
He does not seem to care.
The fumigators must stay on standby until Suárez finally departs these shores.
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