The Uruguayan striker has had a difficult 18 months since signing for Liverpool. Will the John Terry case test his patience even more?
In his relatively short spell at Anfield, Luis Suarez has been through more than he ever would have imagined.
It came to a head midweek when his Uruguay side had their national anthem booed against Great Britain.
You wouldn’t have been surprised if his international teammates had turned around to him and said: “Luis, what are you doing here? You don’t need to play in a country where you are hated, come and play in Spain/Italy with me.”
Fortunately he had Sebastien Coates there too, who himself has a lot to prove at Anfield this coming season.
The reason for Suarez’ booing are multiple. He arrived in this country labelled a ‘cheat’ – rightly or wrongly – for his gamesmanship at World Cup 2010 which saw him handball a Ghana effort on the line.
The big issue was the racism row, and then refusing to shake the hand of Patrice Evra. Whatever you might think about the circumstances of the incident and the punishment of an eight-game band, there is no denying his image has been tainted by it.
Being forced into a public apology by his club following the handshake incident is something which must needle him and add to his frustration.
Even though he has the devoted support from many Liverpool fans, if he were to move to another country, he would have the opportunity to start again.
The good news is, from a purely footballing point of view, the arrival of Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool should set him up for success. The fluid attacking style the manager eventually aims to implement will be of benefit to a forward who likes to roam and was constrained last season being stuck as more of an orthodox striker.
Liverpool will hope he takes out his frustration on opposition defences, and starts scoring at a rate which made him so clinical in Holland.
But at what point will his frustration boil over? If he doesn’t enjoy the success on the pitch he is hoping for in the ‘new start’ under Rodgers, he may decide all the boos and hate is simply not worth it.
More poignantly, John Terry has denied an FA charge for racism for using a more explicit term than he did. Despite his court acquittal, which likely would have happened to Suarez, there is still a possibility Terry can be found guilty by a disciplinary panel and be banned for eight games.
If Terry ‘gets off’ and escapes action, Suarez will feel singled out, and even more harshly treated.
It may just be the last straw for him, and deciding not to play in a country under the governance of the FA who he does not believe to be fair or just – who also banned him for a gesture towards Fulham fans – could be a choice he finally makes.
Rodgers this weekend told his player publicly to ‘move on’ from last season’s row- Which is easier said than done with a burning sense of injustice relit, every time he is booed by opposing fans. Clearly his manager is concerned that if he does not move on, a further negative build-up of events could lead to him quitting the club.
Juventus and PSG have both been linked, nothing more, but if Suarez made public his intention to quit, there would be several takers on the continent, offering a convenient escape route from his troubles.
Are you concerned Suarez is being forced out of English football?
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