Suarez says good-bye to Ajax. http://www.eredivisie.nl/video/autoplay/34077/het_afscheid_van_luis_suarez_-_volledige_versie.html
As much as I've given him a hard time for his hand ball and all his diving I have to give him credit where it is due. The lad acted with class. I can't get over how well he has behaved in the transfer with both sets of supporters.
He's definitely the kind of guy you hate unless he plays for your club. Even then you'll find yourself questioning how much you really like him. Bottom line is that I can guarantee you that he's going to do everything he can to help your club win and you'll miss him when he's gone.
Suarez has the best football personality I've ever seen in a player (bar Messi). That handball was the ultimate sacrifice. I got a mancrush on him. Kuijt and Gerrard have been very positive about Suarez in Dutch media.
Let's not get carried away. The ultimate sacrifice would have been letting the ball go in, so Ghana could move on. Thus, sacrificing his team's place in the next round. What he did was desperate and selfish.
Why would you sacrifice your own teams and countries chances so the opponent can move on? He sacrificed his own chances of playing the semi-final so his team could go on to the next round. That's hero-stuff right there.
Revealing comment there JC. I 'm guessing that 14 is your age. One day when you mature you'll understand what 26 was saying.
Jeez, you guys make it sound like he had time to deliberate whether he was going to handle it or not. It all happened so fast that I'm not going to chalk up the decision to anything but a purely instinctual reaction. The way that he handled himself after the fact, and the comments that he made, are more revealing, in my opinion. In any case, he's a very passionate player and hasn't done anything negative in our red shirt to this point, so I'm willing to leave the other issues in the past and let him try to prove himself in the present.
Whatever you want to call it, I guarantee you that he'll do the same for Liverpool if he has the chance. He's ruthlessly competitive.
This takes the cake. You actually believe that? The human body does not have a reflex mechanism to send the arm up and protect things that are "behind you". He didn't cover his face or balls. He covered the goal behind him. And, considering everyone knows that you don't use your hands as a field player in soccer, he would not have had any involuntary instinct to throw his hand in front of the ball.
He clearly knew what he was doing and did the only thing that gave his nation a slight chance to stay alive in the Cup. That it worked is what is shocking. He is hyper-competitive and I suspect that growing up in South America and in relatively dire circumstances he doesn't have the same sense of "fair play" as the British upper class. He just wants desperately to win -- and I for one won't fault him for that. I hope that they convince him not to dive too much
And that! wasn't my point nor was it 26's either. You should perhaps read before you get indignant. You should perhaps read before you get indignant. I'd have to have a long chat with any 14 year old grandson of mine who has a crush on a guy (shudder) because he cheated, intentionally (or not :rolleyes)
The constant diving in the box is always worse to me in terms of "cheating" than playing keeper as a forward in the biggest game of your life with your team about to go out! Sorry, I get it and have no problem with it. Again, he got caught, was sent off for breaking the rules and Ghana should have won the match anyway, but they choked. How is this any different than a from behind American Football-style tackle on a clear 1v1? You get sent off for that and it is considered a "professional" foul....
It's not any different, it's still cheating and that's why they're both red card offenses. Whatever you want to call it. The fact that you and others like you "Have no problem with it." Makes it a problem.
They have no more problem with it than if Carra would receive a straight red "taking one for the team" its not the identical scenario but its the same morally. He took one for his team, he took the red willingly and knowingly to give his team a chance, just like a "last man back" tackle does. Both are "professional fouls"
the handball thing I'm not going to get into - but I understand what he did. the diving complaints? please. We should look to Gerrard and our former hero Torres before complaining about a guy that has played 1.2 games for us so far.
It's not the same. There is a goalkeeper behind a "last man" professional foul that results in a red card. The player who gets fouled still has to beat the keeper. There were ZERO players behind Suarez's hand. It was a dead-cert goal.
It's not a selfless sacrifice. You'd be the first person to cry like a punk if it happened to your team. What's next? A player on the sidelines warming up trips a guy dribbling down the wing? Or, maybe he could just run out there and tackle the guy with the ball if he gets behind the last defender.
All it was was a choice. He's already dealt with its consequences and benefits so its hardly a debatable matter anymore. For his country and his own self it was the best course of action, he knew what he was doing but also recognized its dubious but conceivable manner. I know the admittance might not be the most admirable one but in that context I would have made the same choice a thousand times out of a thousand. There's no free lunch in football. edit: Well this already happened this year (in the other football) and the consequences were handled as they best possibly could through the statutes and limitations existent in game law. The law of the game should be predictive and well conceived enough to handle any situation. The idea of someone handling on the line to save their team is not impossibly inconceivable. I mean, "Be the Ref" is incredibly interesting and exists pretty much because the challenges in unifying game law, theory, and practice exist and need to be addressed.
... which he was supposed to just watch sail past him and crush his entire countries hopes and dreams?? I don't think so. It was an offense and he received a red for it. He was punished and served a suspension. What more do you want? Honestly, if Ghana converts, nobody is talking about this. It would have been just desserts. Sure you feel for Ghana and all of Africa, but the guy should have buried the PK. I still believe that it was a split second reactionary offense. The gravity of the moment. Still a red card offense. Maybe the rules should be changed and it should have stood as an automatic goal? That will likely be the only time in his career that he'll do that. Diving is an epidemic in the game (I'm not talking about him) and way more calculated. It's a pollutant that needs to be dealt with. That being said, I would love to see him get a brace tomorrow.
Let me say I want players who want to win desperately. I want them to play within the laws of the game by if making the most of a foul or fouling with your hand can keep your team in with a shout then I want players willing to do that. Plus I like this kid -- great desire and great skill. Its about time we start reacting only to what he does now that he's wearing a Liverpool shirt because now he's ours and deserves our support unless he dishonors that shirt.