Almost a year ago, I wrote a piece which was possibly the most “controversial” of all the posts I’ve ever published on this blog. I said I didn’t want Luis Suarez at Arsenal as he was vastly overrated. Cue a lot of angry Liverpool fans telling me I don’t know what I’m talking about (which is half true I suppose) and a lot of abuse on Twitter. Now though, I’ve gone full circle and would like him at Arsenal.
And here’s why. Since I wrote that he had a phenomenal season, and was deservedly player of the season. He scored goals from every possible angle, and single-handedly propelled Liverpool to where they ended up – almost winning the Premier League.
In the article I wrote last year the main reason I didn’t want him was because he was a complete disgrace. He had been banned twice for biting opponents, been banned for being racist and dives around like er… Tom Daly (apologies, my diving knowledge is limited, but you get my point).
And now he’s done it again. He’s been widely condemned for his actions but I for one don’t care. So what? It’s all becoming a joke now. Some Liverpool fans are defending him, while others are saying he should be booted out of the club. Funnily enough, the same Liverpool fans who are now condemning Suarez are those who were defending him last season – how fickle football fans are hey? If he did it in a Liverpool shirt it would all be so different.
While his actions are stupid, ridiculous and have no place in the game, the most sensible viewpoint is the one Liverpool took last summer. If Liverpool obeyed his contract, he’d be an Arsenal player – but they stood strong and denied his move away from the club, despite the fact Suarez did all he could to engineer a move.
He stayed at Liverpool, scored goals for fun and almost fired them to the Premier League title. Let’s be honest here, most football fans think of their hearts and not their heads.
His footballing talent outweighs any stupidity he might do on the pitch. Liverpool’s hierarchy realised that and reaped the benefits last season and it almost rewarded them with the ultimate prize.
Look, it’s not as if I have no morals. I know what Suarez did was stupid and unforgivable, but football these days is a very superficial and shallow sport. Joey Barton can still have a career after pretty much assaulting people when in real life he’d be in prison, footballers can perform Nazi salutes and get off with a slap on the wrist – it’s all a ridiculous environment. Players can shag other players wives, shag their own brothers wives – morals in football died a hell of a long time ago.
Football has turned into a world where players can hold football clubs to random (look at Wayne Rooney and his regular pay rises), moan about a football club that pays them stupid wages because they didn’t get a handshake on their birthday – football does not play by normal rules.
The bottom line is Luis Suarez, for all his failings, is one of the best players in the world.
And if Liverpool are looking to sell him, then he is someone that should be on our radar.