Just as nobody expected
Liverpool to be quite so good this campaign, few predicted that Suarez would
enjoy such a stunningly successful season.
The Uruguayan ended the 2012/2013 season having hit rock
bottom. Following the notorious ‘bite-gate’ scandal, Suarez sat out the final
four fixtures of the campaign as he completed just under half of his ten-match
ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in a bizarre off-ball
incident which revealed the darker side that seemingly haunted the talented but
troubled number seven.
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| One of all too many moments of madness |
That iniquitous act, adding to his long list of previous
offences, including allegations of racism, goal-line handballs and even another biting incident, left him
public enemy number one. Suarez’s only support in the footballing world came
from inside Liverpool. That was until the summer, when he damaged his
reputation among Kopites by desperately trying to manoeuvre a move away from
Anfield to Premier League rivals Arsenal, even threatening to get the PFA
involved in order to force the club to sell him.
As a result, many Liverpool supporters, understandably aggrieved
by the betrayal of yet another star striker, called for the club to cash in and
sell Suarez. He was deemed a liability due to his volatile character and it was
maintained that the club was bigger than any one player and would cope in his
absence. Doubts were also raised as to whether denying him the move he so evidently
wanted would reduce his commitment to the Reds’ cause, negatively affecting
both his attitude and performance levels.
Those worries proved unfounded, however, as Suarez has produced
world class performances week in, week out during what has been the best season
of the 27-year old’s career. The 30 goals he has scored in the same number of
games and his dynamic partnership with fellow frontman Daniel Sturridge has not
only propelled the Reds towards the upper echelons of the Premier League table,
but also earned Suarez personal glory.
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| Luis Suarez- PFA Player of the Year |
On Sunday evening, following Liverpool’s disappointing
two-goal defeat at home to Chelsea, Suarez was crowned PFA Player of the Year
in a ceremony in London. It showed not only his stunning form, but also his welcoming
back into the footballing community.
Having been despised by everyone but his own supporters for
so long, it was momentous that Suarez received such an important award as the
result of the votes of fellow professional footballers. Many of them may
dislike him for his supposed diving and, perhaps more pertinently, the fact
that he almost always scores goals against them, but none of them could deny
his unmistakable world class talent.
As important as Suarez’s goals have been to Liverpool this
season, the transformation in his attitude has arguably been more significant
and will reap considerable long term benefits for the club. The Uruguayan’s
ability has been well-known for a long time, but only this season has he
finally matured and come of age as a player.
The passion and will to win rightly remains there, but it is
tempered by rationality previously conspicuous by its absence. He will still
appeal for every decision and fight until the end for all three points, but the
nagging worries that he might lose it and kick out at an opponent or sink his
teeth into their skin have subsided. Rodgers and club psychologist Dr Steve
Peters seem to have worked their magic on Suarez and helped him see sense. He
finally recognises that a touch of madness isn’t necessary to be a footballing
genius.
His maturation has perhaps predictably coincided with
greater responsibility. In the absence of Steven Gerrard and vice-captain
Daniel Agger, Rodgers has often handed Suarez the captain’s armband. In addition, Suarez seems to be revelling in his role as
mentor to young Raheem Sterling.
The benefits for Sterling from that
relationship have been obvious- the 19-year old has managed his highest goal
tally this season and his performances will almost certainly seal him a place
on the plane to Brazil this summer- but Suarez has substantially benefitted
from it as well, albeit in an intangible manner.
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| Suarez and Sterling have been on top form this season |
The responsibility it has given him in the development of a
young player has arguably helped instil in him a far more healthy and constructive
mentality and I, for one, cannot wait to see the pair combine with Daniel
Sturridge in the Champions League next season. If this season is anything to go
by, Europe’s top defences better be worried.
Just as Liverpool appear to have turned a corner this season
and seem to be on their way to competing at the top of the table on a routine
basis once again, Suarez seems to have gone through a crucial stage of
development this season.
He’s a better person and a better player and, should his
career continue on its current trajectory, it won’t be long before he becomes a
Liverpool legend as well.
YNWA
He deserved it
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