Luis Suárez

[Mike]

Just won the Football Supporters Federation award for Player of the Year. Well done Luis!

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IhGiDjZRbG8#t=180"]FSF Awards 2013 - Player of the Year - YouTube[/ame]

[Shaggy]

What a guy

Decent English. He seems a nice bloke.

[Shaggy]

The tide is really turning

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/players/luis-suarez/10521865/Liverpools-Luis-Suarez-a-humble-winner-of-FSF-Player-of-the-Year-award.html?fb

Liverpool's Luis Suarez a humble winner of FSF Player of the Year award

Liverpool's controversial No7 Luis Suarez is a picture of humility as he wins the Football Supporters’ Federation Player of the Year award at the Emirates


Liverpool's Luis Suarez a humble winner of FSF Player of the Year award
Prize guy: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is the William Hill Football Supporters’ Federation Player of the Year Photo: PA

By Henry Winter11:00PM GMT 16 Dec 2013 Comments27 Comments

Fair play to Luis Suárez. Liverpool’s controversial centre-forward turned up at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night, a No 7 dressed to the nines, arriving early and staying late because he wanted to talk to fans from a variety of clubs who had just voted him the William Hill Football Supporters’ Federation Player of the Year.

Suárez must have felt after all the criticism he has received that this was a night of acceptance, of redemption.

Maybe the English are not so bad after all. Maybe they can be magnanimous. Maybe they can call players to deserved account when they transgress, as Suárez did against Patrice Evra and Branislav Ivanovic, but the English can also praise, salute and bestow awards because they love special talent.

More than 500,000 fans voted in the competition, naming Suárez best player ahead of Robin van Persie, Leighton Baines, Christian Benteke, Juan Mata and Pablo Zabaleta.

Even if some allowance is made for Liverpool fans’ noted assiduousness in campaigning, Suárez’s success also highlights further the forgiveness of the football fan. He caused brief outrage when attempting to leave Anfield in the summer.

Arsenal offered £40,000,001 yet he turned up on Monday night for nothing, for the sheer delight that his abilities were being celebrated by fans. He arrived with his wife Sofia, clearly a huge guiding force in his life, and spoke passionately about what this honour meant.

“It’s very special for me because my hard work on the pitch is recognised,’’ Suárez said. “Everybody knows about my problems and my difficult year.’’

For all his well-known transgressions, fans also know about Suárez’s prodigious gifts, his ability to steer a ball past panicking defenders. His touch, balance and finishing skills one-on-one with a keeper were all paraded during the 5-0 defeat of Spurs on Sunday.

He sensed why fans voted for him. The 26-year-old gives his all, and that is what supporters want from their players. He made fleeting references to issues growing up in Uruguay, the hard times, making football such a vital release. “When I was a child I had too many problems, but I could try my best on the pitch. I just love playing football. I play with my heart.’’

Heart and clever feet. It is why he is being spoken of as a £70 million player, why Real Madrid will again be linked with his phenomenal services if Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League. Yet with the likes of Suárez, Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho in this formidable form, and Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge to return, Liverpool can continue to maintain their high position in the table under the adventurous, popular Brendan Rodgers. Suárez could stay. He has certainly been moved by the response of the club he tried to escape from. Liverpool fans know class, particularly when wrapped in a red No 7 shirt, and they welcomed him back warmly.

Pragmatism? Generosity of spirit? Whatever misgivings they had were forgotten the moment Suárez stepped back on the field, giving everything for the team. On an evening of celebrating supporters’ influence, Suárez particularly acknowledged the support of the Kop.

“Coming back to play at Anfield was unbelievable because after so many difficult moments for me I was able to win the supporters back. They helped me, and that was important for me, for my confidence, and for my family, because they are together with me in this. I have to thank my team-mates for this award because if Liverpool don’t have these players I cannot continue my level, because it’s too much. If we continue at this level over the next two or three weeks we can win the league or we can definitely finish in the top four.’’

He enjoyed being captain in Gerrard’s absence through injury but was determined to demonstrate his team-minded nature. “I was a little surprised by getting the armband but we have only one captain here, Steven Gerrard.’’
He smiled at mention of his Uruguay facing Gerrard’s England in Sao Paulo on June 19. “Before the draw I hoped we would not face England,’’ said Suárez. “But when the ball in the draw said we would face England it was unbelievable! I sent Stevie a text. Stevie sent a [jokey] message back to me saying ‘England are so lucky!’. We were laughing because it’s so funny. But it will be very, very difficult. Italy, Uruguay, England all have good players. So do Costa Rica.’’

Just after 9pm, Suárez caught the last train back to Liverpool from Euston. He made many friends. At 8pm, Suarez had the organisers at the Emirates announce that he was staying to the last moment and anyone wanting a photograph or chat “should come to table 11”. Fair play to Suárez.

[Pablo]

Things like this will help him stay. The feeling that not everyone is against him. That he is respected. If he keeps this form up and behaves himself I think he will win player of the year. It would be impossible for him not to. The media loves a villain, but they also love a rags to riches and redemption tale. With every award like this and with every win I think he gets nearer and nearer to staying. I hope anyway

[Alex]

So are we all in agreement if we dont make Champions League this season he should be allowed to leave? Or do we fight to keep him again. Because the hard line the club took this year seems to have paid off and then some.

If thats a player that wants away, just think what we could get out of one that wants to stay.

[EwarWoo]

The tide is really turning

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-award.html?fb

And very well deserved. Turning into a top bloke as well as a top player.

[Vermilion]

That's great for him.

First of a few awards he'll hopefully win this season.

[TheElephantMan]

If we don't make the CL it certainly won't be due to a lack of effort on Suarez's part. If he decides to leave for one of the big Spanish clubs in the summer then it'll be a huge blow for us, but understandable. He's totally irreplaceable, but he should be playing in the CL.

[EwarWoo]

If we don't make the CL it certainly won't be due to a lack of effort on Suarez's part. If he decides to leave for one of the big Spanish clubs in the summer then it'll be a huge blow for us, but understandable. He's totally irreplaceable, but he should be playing in the CL.

This. We should fight to keep him, but a line in the sand wouldn't be appropriate this time, as long as he does it the right way and formally requests a transfer.

But academic, we'll make the CL

[Pablo]

If we don't make the CL it certainly won't be due to a lack of effort on Suarez's part. If he decides to leave for one of the big Spanish clubs in the summer then it'll be a huge blow for us, but understandable. He's totally irreplaceable, but he should be playing in the CL.

Yep, it was the manner in which he went about it, coupled with the fact he was trying to force a move to a club in no way superior and a direct rival to us that we all objected to.

If we don't make the Champions League and the likes of Barca or Real come in for him, I don't think we'll be able to complain much about that assuming we get a fair price.

[Rich]

The way I see it if we get top 4 and a spot in the CL then the pool of clubs he'd leave us for narrows to two, possibly three/four. (Barca, Madrid for certain and perhaps Munich or PSG).

If we fail to get CL football then the pool of clubs he'd leave us for opens to most big teams which have CL football on offer.

Obviously regardless of where we finish and whether he moves the club needs to secure a fair value for him - we're talking £70m/£80m.

[Alex]

2.5 years left on his contract now right?

So in the Summer he will have 2 years. So I guess if we are forced into selling him, he holds most of the power?

That ****er nearly derailed our Season.

Its just lucky for him he is probably the best player in the world at the moment.

[Shaggy]

Aye I think we should just enjoy him. If he stays, amazing, if he goes - to which he would be entitled - we get about £80m and we'll be ****ing loaded. £22.7m - what a bargain.

[Pablo]

Aye I think we should just enjoy him. If he stays, amazing, if he goes - to which he would be entitled - we get about £80m and we'll be ****ing loaded. £22.7m - what a bargain.

It'd still be majorly concerned we'd waste it all though

[RedReet]

Surely we have to demand that Bale's fee is at least equalled? I know that Bale is younger, but Suarez is still a level above and there isn't a single person now that would argue otherwise.