The dust has settled slightly on England’s exit from the World Cup but thankfully for the Football Association that Luis Saurez seems to have such a complex about, no one is talking about Roy Hodgson’s men managing to get one point from nine.
No, they are talking about Jaws III, the return of the cannibal, the aforementioned Luis Saurez, who has inexplicably bitten someone on a football field for a third time. Not quite the hat-trick he would have wanted everyone talking about.
The forward suffers such a sense of persecution that he, yet again, genuinely believes that he has been hard done by in the aftermath of the bite on Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini, and when his national team skipper is coming out and laying the blame squarely on the shoulders of the defender for his reaction, not his compatriot for a bite that has left deep Suarez sized teeth marks, it is little wonder.
We have had to listen to how hard done by Suarez was in terms of the English media and the FA after his comments to Patrice Evra and indeed second bite of his career on Branislav Ivanovic. The sanctions he faced were unfair in his eyes – and the media were heavily to blame.
Some – it is vital to point out not all -Liverpool fans jumped to his defence and were willing to idolise the forward they saw as their hero. That further exacerbated the delusion Suarez held in his head, with the forward at that point developing a grudge against the English media and FA that became worse over the course of last season and came to the fore after his goals against England.
To really understand the extent of his delusions, it is worth pointing out that Suarez pointed to the media and FA as the motivating factors behind his goals and once again brought up the fact he feels unfairly treated.
Quite how the country and footballing world have been unfair when sanctioning him for his previous actions – which let’s face it, were hardly misdemeanours – and then allowing him to rehabilitate himself last season, devoting column inches and front pages to his form with Liverpool and ‘reformed character’ and then giving him every award available, is something indeed.
Suarez likes to play the victim, that much is clear. He also has a screw loose. Many have pointed out the fact that he has serious issues and needs to be helped, not banned. Well maybe the first time, or even the second time. But to sink your teeth into someone for a third time on a football field? No. A ban and a fine that will make his eyes water is not enough.
The length of the ban is also something that is being debated – two years has been mooted, but that is not even two World Cups. Others think that Suarez should be banned from international football full stop.
They point to his handball against Ghana in the last World Cup – but that is not even on the same level. Yes, it was technically cheating, but it is no worse than bringing someone down on the edge of the area when they are through on goal. It is helping your team and exhibiting two things. A natural reaction and a sheer will to win.
His handball is irrelevant. What is not is the fact that he has displayed behaviour of a violent nature on several occasions now, be it domestically or in the Uruguay shirt. It cannot go on.
Joey Barton took to twitter to claim that he ‘loves Suarez’ and would ‘have him on his team any day.’ That is damning enough in itself. The fact that Barton, and others it must be said, have claimed that the bite bad, but far better than a leg breaking or career ending tackle are missing the point.
Suarez meant to do that. He deliberately bit Chiellini, just as he did Ivanovic, just as he did Otman Bakkal. That is simply what he does when things are not going well for his side.
Chiellini is ok, but that is not the point. Kids everywhere were watching Suarez. How long before they think that is acceptable to replicate on the playground or during their five aside games? It is assault.
Had Suarez done that on the street, for the third time, to a stranger, he would be in serious criminal trouble. Had he done it in any other profession, he would be sacked. Imagine ‘Bob from payroll just bit Susan. That’s the third time he has bitten someone when he’s felt upset at work. But he is really good at getting our payments processed on time.’ It would not happen.
Another comparison that has been drawn, somewhat wrongly, is placing this in the same bracket as the Zidane headbutt. That was wrong, obviously, and shameful, but the fact of the matter is that Zidane was significantly provoked by a player looking to cause trouble and reacted poorly, but was not a repeat offender – in fact it was massively out of character for him, and he was vilified for it.
He also took full responsibility for his actions, unlike Suarez, who tried to claim that ‘it happens all the time’ when a football match is going on. No, Luis, it unless said match involves you or Hannibal Lecter, it most certainly does not.
Suarez has yet again dragged Liverpool’s name through the mud – and is not sorry about it at all. The fact that he has been flirting with Barcelona pretty much sums him up as a person and as an employee of Liverpool Football Club.
Even the most hard-core of their fans were astounded at his actions. On the biggest stage at all. People may have bought the ‘rehabilitated’ act once, even twice, but now? He has no chance.
The virals are doing the rounds, everyone is talking about it, tweeting about it, texting about it – even if they are not talking about Suarez, they are talking about people talking about Suarez.
Food chains are using it as an excuse to promote their products – Dominos got there first with a ‘Luis, it is two for Tuesdays, you should have called us if you were hungry’ tweet. Bella Italia followed, as did other eateries.
People are laughing about the stupidity of the forward – but once that has died down, everyone will be left with the irrefutable fact that Suarez has once again done the unthinkable and disgraced his club, country and most of all himself.
Everyone that is bar the player himself, who will find a long list of people to blame for his actions and excuse his behaviour. This time, FIFA, the media and the fans simply cannot let him.
What do you think should happen to Suarez now? Let us know your thoughts below or tweet us @LaFootyettes.