Luis Suárez

[RichC]

Sorry Arn who do you think was the best option again?

[Alex]

I have not read the context, but I am guessing it has nothing to do with Luis Suarez. Please keep it to the Rafa thread.

[Arn]

Capello is a dinosaur.

And Rafa certainly should have been an option, that's up there with the most ridiculous decisions I've ever came across. Not to appoint him, but to speak with him. They didn't consider him good enough? Then they are either badly advised or clueless which is worrying. Either way I'm quite happy with Rodgers but agree learning on the job isn't ideal.

I only answered this post whitout quoting it.

I don't want to talk about Rafa but sometimes I must do it because of posts like the above one.

[kev776]

Alex, get a grip of yourself - all threads lead to Rafa

[dww]

Sometimes you wonder what Suarez has to do to get this thread to stay on topic. Currently I get the impression that if he cured cancer whilst simultaneously solving the Israel-Palestine conflict he might edge up to featuring in 50% of the posts here.

[Arn]

Sometimes you wonder what Suarez has to do to get this thread to stay on topic. Currently I get the impression that if he cured cancer whilst simultaneously solving the Israel-Palestine conflict he might edge up to featuring in 50% of the posts here.

So what is on topic?

Long term or short term thinking could be a reason to why he will probably leave.

If we would have qualified for the CL then I doubt that he would even consider to leave.

So discussing if FSG did the right thing when they almost only looked long term is a part of the Suarez discussion.

[Neil Young]

Oh FFS maybe they considered the downsides of bringing Benitez back and decided it wasn't worth it.

[Alex]

Discussing Rafa is not on Topic. Just take that as a rule of thumb for life in general.

[McDermotX]

Discussing Rafa is not on Topic. Just take that as a rule of thumb for life in general.

Arn in the back there, centre of picture. (Probably not)

[dww]

Liverpool must pull out all the stops to retain striker Luis Suarez, according to Anfield icon Robbie Fowler
Luis Suarez’s behaviour deserves to be condemned but Liverpool should still do everything in their power to convince him to stay, according to Anfield icon Robbie Fowler.
By Ben Rumsby, in Bridgetown [Telegraph]
5:03PM BST 09 Jun 2013

Suarez last month revealed he wanted to quit England, claiming he had been “persecuted” by the British media following his lengthy racism and biting bans.
Fowler insisted the 26-year-old had been rightly castigated but told Liverpool to focus more on his outstanding footballing ability when judging whether or not to accept a bid for their prize asset.
“He’s been on the record numerous times saying he doesn’t help himself,” Fowler said during the British Airways Football Legends Invitational tournament in Barbados.
“Rightly, we should be critical of some of the stuff he does, but let’s look at the footballing side of him.
“I’m not being biased when I say that, for me, he was the Premier League player of last year.”

He added: “Any side in the world with Luis Suarez is a better team, so I hope he stays at Liverpool a long time.
“You can understand why he’s linked with many sides over the world, because he is a world-class player.
“If he does go, it’s important that the money is spent wisely and you bring in a good amount of players.”
Indeed, Fowler claimed Liverpool were seriously short of numbers, insisting they should even keep hold of £35 million misfit Andy Carroll.
He said: “Look, I think Liverpool need as many numbers in the squad as they can.
“The squad would probably be better with Andy Carroll in it but I wouldn’t say that he would play many games.
“I think when he first came, he tried to play to the price tag. That sounds a little bit silly but he was trying to drop off, beat men, and do everything that you’d expect of a £35 million player.
“He looked a much player when he got to the nitty gritty, when he used his body and he was a handful and – no disrespect but – when he was a big lump.”
Carroll’s miserable start to life at Anfield is in stark contrast to that of Daniel Sturridge, who beat Fowler’s record for the most goals in his first 13 Liverpool appearances after netting 10 times over that period.
Fowler said of the former Manchester City and Chelsea striker: “With Daniel, I think there’s always a question mark over his attitude.
“He’s a young guy, he’s had X amount of clubs and that always worries you a little bit.
“But he’s come into Liverpool and, fair play to him, he had been brilliant.”
The performances of Suarez and Sturridge were not enough to see Liverpool challenging for honours last season and Fowler warned they could face a similar campaign unless Brendan Rodgers is able to unearth more gems in the transfer market.
“There’s not really a magic wand that’s going to make it happen overnight. I think it’s going to take a little bit of time.
“It depends, really, how much the owners are going to give Brendan. You look at the signings he made towards the end of January, they were excellent, Coutinho and Sturridge.
“Hopefully, he can get a few more buys like that.
“They could also do with a Gary McAllister-type player, someone with a little bit of experience who’s been around the game and seen everything.”
Fowler was speaking at the third annual British Airways Football Legends Invitational tournament held at the Kensington Oval and in association with the Barbados Tourism Authority, the Professional Footballers’ Association and the Casuarina Beach Resort.
For further information, see www.barbadosfootball-legends.com and follow @BarbadosLegends

[dww]

Torres understands Suarez desire to quit Liverpool over criticism from English media

Luis Suarez's desire to leave Liverpool is understandable, says Torres

By Avi Creditor [goal.com]

8 Jun 2013 09:15:00
The Reds star has explained his unhappiness at being the subject of excessive attention from reporters and the often-criticised Chelsea striker offers his sympathy

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres says that he understands Luis Suarez's desire to leave Liverpool rather than continue to deal with the English media.

The Reds talisman outlined in May his preference to seek an exit rather than be the focus of reporters after a controversy-stained period in the Premier League, while team-mate Pepe Reina also admits that he sees why the forward might want to leave.

The Spaniard, who has had to deal with frequent criticism during his poor spells of form at Stamford Bridge, believes that the Uruguayan is able to cope with the attention should he choose to do so but would not begrudge him a departure in order to avoid it.

"I never had a problem with the media, the media had a problem with me," Torres told reporters.

"That affects your family, your friends, it's not easy.

"I know Luis, he is strong enough to play football despite all the rumours and all the talk but it's not easy. Sometimes he might think it's just better to forget about that and move away but it's his decision."

Suarez has often been in the headlines for the wrong reasons over his time in the Premier League and is currently serving a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a game.

[kingfunk]

**** off fernando.

[dww]

Luis Suarez and Liverpool FC: the greater the love, the greater the betrayal
David Prentice [Echo]
7 Jun 2013 14:58

After his recent comments, Reds fans want some honesty from the Uruguayan

WHILE Pepe Reina fluttered his eyelashes at Barcelona last week, team-mate Luis Suarez went one step further and pretty much raised his skirt to Real Madrid, pleading ‘take me, take me!’

His brazen behaviour elicited an understandably outraged reaction amongst the Reds fan base, with the majority asking for Suarez to simply be open and honest about his future ambitions.

Except honesty isn’t always the best policy.

Thirty-six years ago a truly magnificent Liverpool number seven was commendably candid about wanting to leave Liverpool, offered 12 months notice of his intention to quit – and even signed off with a European Cup winning performance.

But it wasn’t an amicable parting.

Ivan Ponting’s wonderful Player by Player volume recalled: “Sadly, but perhaps inevitably, there was bitterness on Merseyside when Kevin announced his decision to take his talents to Europe.

“Having been honest enough to give a full season’s notice of his intention, he endured, with commendable dignity, the cooling of the Kop’s ardour and perfidious jibes about his so-called greed.

“How short were the memories of such mealy mouthed critics, and how blindly they lashed out at a man who had given no more than half a dozen below-par performances in as many years at Anfield.”

Kevin Keegan had been adored by the Kop – but the greater the love, the greater the sense of betrayal.

The banner which greeted Luis Figo when he returned to the Nou Camp in Real Madrid white on November 24, 2002 said it all: “We hate you so much, because we loved you so much.”

Luis Suarez has been loved so much by the Reds.

And there will be no easy exit for him whenever he chooses to end his Anfield reign.

Seventh heaven to seven deadly sins

Dean Saunders rues a horror miss at Luton

FROM seventh heaven, to seven deadly sins.

Liverpool’s revered number seven shirt has suffered a dramatic slide over the past 20 years.

Heaven? The vibrant explosiveness of Keegan, the mercurial majesty of Dalglish, the occasionally unappreciated genius of Beardsley.

Hell? How about Speedie, Saunders, Clough, Smicer, Kewell and Keane, the men who followed.

So in which category does the current incumbent reside?

In terms of talent, Luis Suarez is right up there with the very greatest number sevens in the club’s history. In terms of legacy . . . he’s currently heading for Fernando Torres territory.

[McDermotX]

**** off fernando.

Last thing this needs.......some clown weighing in with an opinion (not you Kingfunk).
Having said that, he knows a thing or two about not honouring contracts.

[fah-q]

Unless of course the club have told him to get stuffed (as per our "not for sale" quote) and Suarez is only going to get a move if he hands in a formal request.

Agreed, which is part of getting maximum return for him i.e. no loyalty payments.