Luis Suarez – Written in anticipation of the imminent announcement of Luis Suarez’s departure to join Barcelona.
I was at Anfield for his début v Stoke on a cold, dark winters night- sat in the corner of the Kop as he warmed up. I remember saying to my mate that he looked like a little boy lost. He tentatively acknowledged the applause as he loosened up- eagerly anticipating getting on the pitch. He looked like the new kid in the class. That lost look didn’t last long however…..
Albeit a slightly bumbled goal- he scored on his début, and as he jumped into the arms of Dirk Kuyt a few rows in front of me I also remember saying to my mate that “it’s going to happen for Suarez here”. You could hear it in the way that the crowd cheered that first goal. You could just feel it. Sometimes inside Anfield you get feelings that are different and almost in-explainable – almost spiritual. That’s what I felt the minute Luis Suarez took to the field. I just knew.
Since that début he has simply been a revelation. Yes there’s been controversy – but that’s not for now. Now is about (for me) celebrating what Luis Suarez has brought to the club that I love – passion, a burning desire to succeed, commitment on the pitch, and skill and technique befitting of Diego Maradona in his prime. I genuinely feel that Luis Suarez really is that good.
He has given me some amazing memories (both home and away) over the past 3 years. I have stood on the Kop with my son celebrating some of the best goals that I have ever seen – and that’s some claim since I first entered the cauldron of Anfield back in 1985 for a European cup semi final match. The guy as a player is an absolute phenomenon. Luis Suarez on his game is quite literally ‘poetry in motion’ – and I’m going to miss him. The club is going to miss him, and the Premier League is without a doubt going to miss him. As a team we’ve become weakened, but I firmly believe that in moments of weakness, strength is sought.
Let’s not forget just how good we were during Luis’ ban at the start of last season. Players stepped up, others who maybe simply passed to Suarez previously, developed their own game – there were moments that I actually thought (to myself) that we actually looked more like a team. The club will go on. It always does. I remember feeling like the world had ended when we sold Ian Rush to Juventus, but it didn’t. Liverpool football club was here a long time before Luis Suarez, and will be around for a long time after him – it’s just a little sad that the legendary status that Luis could have achieved at Anfield (and deservingly too) won’t happen.
Who knows what the future holds for both parties. I’m not overly convinced that Mr Suarez will ever feel the love and support that he’s felt at L4 – but once the sale is announced, that’s not going to be our issue. As fans we can only care about the players that we have at our club. I trust Brendan Rodgers and FSG to get it right. I believe that they will and that we will continue to progress. Anfield was awoken last season. It shook again. The energy is back – and I don’t believe that it will be lost because of the sale of a player.
So amongst the emotion of Luis Suarez leaving, lets not forget the previous season of football that we could only have ever dreamed of- Spurs away, Everton at home, Arsenal at home, Spurs at home, Man Utd away, Man City at home. We got back into the Champions League playing absolutely breathtaking football and that was with without any shadow of doubt with the help, the desire, and the commitment on the pitch of a certain Luis Suarez. So for that I’d like to sign off by saying Muchos Gracias Luisito- and I really really hope that we draw Barcelona in the Champions League- 2nd leg at Anfield…….
–Mark
