Thursday, August 08, 2013

Luis Suarez, the rebel without a clause

Luis Suarez's interview with the UK Telegraph was brutal, revealing and emphatic. He went in hard. He showed that he can bark and bite. Compared to the early noises he made this summer, this was thunder. The former Ajax man accused Liverpool of broken promises and demanded loyalty. Arsenal fans were sent into delirium, while the Kop faithfuls hurled causes at their star player.

But then, we were not completely shocked. The Uruguay international has a knack for being a nuisance - whether it's with fellow players on the pitch or some of the interviews he has granted. The 26-year-old also confirmed that he had sought the help of the Professional Footballers' Association, to help him resolve his contract dispute with Liverpool.

As it now seems, his way out is not exactly smooth and straight. Suarez, his agent Pere Guardiola and his lawyer are of the opinion that they have a legally binding clause, which allows the striker to leave, if an offer over £40m is received. Liverpool do not and nor do the PFA or the Premier League.

PFA chief Peter Gordon said: "If you are going to have a supposed buy-out clause it should be that, but it is different as it says if there is no qualification for the Champions League [by Liverpool] and if there is a minimum offer of £40million then the parties will get around the table to discuss things but it does not say the club has to sell. It quite clearly states £40million is a minimum offer for discussions, but it becomes really difficult with such clauses."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, clearly disappointed at Suarez's tirade, denied ever making promises to the player. "There were no promises made, categorically none and no promises broken," he told reporters in Norway, after Liverpool's friendly game on Wednesday night. "Obviously, the remarks I've read, it is bitterly disappointing, but my job is bigger than that. My job is to fight and protect the club."

His job might be to find a replacement for Suarez sooner than later. When the Uruguay international starts trouble, he doesn't end it swiftly. If he fails with the legal aspect, the next step will be to submit a transfer request. Alternatively, both clubs can settle this matter amicably (a word both Wenger and Suarez have used in recent interviews) and meet at a fee between £43m and £50m. Suarez is pissed, Liverpool feel disrespected and Wenger is on standby. Whatever the conclusion, this marriage must be broken.

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

London is calling! Let Rooney and Suarez go

As an Arsenal fan, one of the most bizarre departures, was Robin van Persie to Manchester United. I remember seeing a couple of tweets about a contentious statement the Dutchman had released - which of course made his position untenable. Now, as much as I would have loved RVP to stay at the Emirates, he clearly had other plans. At 29, his age clock winding down, he knew it was the point he had to make a career-changing decision. Manchester United missed out on the League on goals difference the season before, Van Persie finished the season as highest goalscorer. The marriage was perhaps inevitable.

Every summer comes with its circus. This year, the hottest properties in football have been Edinson Cavani, Radamel Falcao, Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney. Cavani and Falcao's transfers were conducted rather swiftly. Few teams in the world can stand up to the financial might of Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco these days.

For Bale, Rooney and Suarez, the drama is twisted and about to get ugly - especially with the latter two. Both have expressed their desire to an extent publicly to leave their respective clubs. Their managers response has been similar and firm: They are not for sale. How many times have we heard that and few weeks later, the player had moved on?

It's becoming a worrying trend in football. Players are mercernaries. There is nothing like loyalty. Only few players see out their careers with one club in modern football. The lure of money, fame, environment and bigger platform, is always a bait too tempting to turn down. Bale wants the glamour of Madrid, Suarez wants Champions League football, Rooney wants new surroundings away from Old Trafford. Of the trio, only Bale is close to achieving his ambitions, while Manchester United and Liverpool hold on unnecessarily to their strikers.

I said unnecessarily, because no manager should keep a player who wants to leave. David Moyes has not said a lot recently about Rooney, but Brendan Rodgers has almost become a clown talking about Suarez staying. The Uruguayan's body language has been terrible ever since he returned for pre-season training and he ignored the Anfield crowd, even though they cheered him. Both managers have big seasons ahead of them. Moyes is clearly coming to terms, with what it means to succeed Ferguson, while Rodgers must ensure Liverpool return to the upper echelon of football in England. It will be better if they got rid of their unsettled men early and brought in replacements. We are getting irritated with sermons of loyalty. These days, only one thing matters: desire.