Suarez Bites Ivanovic
Luis Suarez ‘Bite’ Branislav Ivanovic Footage (21/04/2013) [HD]
At first it was funny but when you learn that Luis Suárez has done this before, then you have to think that there is something not quite right with the footballer. Football is all about passion, commitment and all the other platitudes that make the game the most popular and richest sport in the world. However, every now and then an incident happens and you think, wow what is the point of this game?
A famous Liverpool manager once said that football was more important than life and death! Bill Shankley may have been joking, but, you can see where he was coming from. Football is 11 men against 11 men and has very simple rules so when politicians, oligarchs and other nefarious forces try to use the game to boost their egos, agendas and other ulterior motives football has a way of coming and biting you on your bottom – to coin a phrase.
Many a time football have made mugs out of pundits and things that have nothing to do with the game. The players have turned a game into a art form and when Pele said it was the ‘beautiful game’ you kind of got what he was thinking. But, every now and then football players will do things which are inexplicable.
Eric Cantona Kung Fu Kick
One of the biggest controversy ever was Eric Cantona doing a kung fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan who thought it was clever to call Eric Cantona racist epithets. Matthew Simmons could never have thought that his boorish behaviour would elicit a swift retribution and neither did the world. At first everyone thought that the incident was the end of Cantonas’ career. It wasn’t, because evidence came out about the racist provocation allied to the fact that Matthew Simmons had form for outrageously horrible behaviour. In fact from being vilified Cantona became a legend especially when he gave a weird speech about seagulls, trawlers and journalism during a press conference about his behaviour and punishment.
OK, the whole Cantona episode happened when football was morphing from a predominantly working class activity to becoming an activity in which the middle classes and above, were aspiring too. So having a eloquent, noble savage in the form of Eric Cantona press all the right buttons for posh kids to behave rough and tough and be associated with huge amounts of money.
The problem with Luis Suarez is that he does not have any redeeming factors other being a great footballer. He cheats, is nasty and has form for biting people. Being a great footballer in a club such as Liverpool is not enough.
Remember the Liverpool fans took on the whole might of the establishment when the would not accept that the Hillsborough Disaster was unavoidable due to the fans behaviour. When you take on the government, the police and News International you have to have some balls and unity, because the power and resources they have against you is overwhelming.
How can Liverpool supporters defend Suarez? Yes he is a great footballer but he is a really terrible human being. The only way I can see him getting out of this is by doing some sort of atonement and seeking therapy. Somehow I cannot see him doing this as there are loads of other clubs willing to have him in their side. He is a great footballer who will single handedly win you matches.