Liverpool need to hold on to Luis Suarez

It’s officially crazy season. The rumour mill has gone into overdrive, and journalists are scampering to come up with the latest ‘done deals’ everyday. It’s pandemonium everywhere, and the example of Real Madrid is largely reflective of the time period. Allegedly, almost every one of their key starting players are being targeted by other clubs, Ronaldo to United, Higuain to Juventus, Di Maria to the latest moneybags Monaco (who have replaced PSG as this year’s ‘preferred destination’, a place where every player ‘dreams’ to play), Alonso & Modric to Chelsea, Casillas to Arsenal (seriously?!) among a whole lot of other changes.

That’s basically Madrid’s core, you see. Journalism standards for most websites and papers seem to be lower than N Srinivasan’s regard for the words of his fellow board members, and the opinion of a billion people. It is fun to read these incredulous stories on occasion, but mostly they just annoy most readers and create hysterical fears in easily culpable fans. One such rumour doing the rounds these fast few days, as much as it pains me to say, might not be one of those insane transfer rumours.

That is Real Madrid’s reported interest in Liverpool‘s Luis Suarez.

It’s easy to see why Madrid would want Suarez. Despite the reputation that precedes him, Suarez is an excellent dribbler, has an incredible ability to pick out a key pass, is a clinical finisher, and most of all, creates a ridiculous amount of chances for himself and his team. As clinical as Suarez has been this season, it is easy to forget that he can be terribly wasteful at times, and until Sturridge’s arrival, no one else was able to finish his clear-cut chances.

Being a Liverpool fan and a sympathising human being in general, I can understand where Suarez comes from. His claims of frustration at his continued vilification by the media, and the English community in general, is not unwarranted. Yes, he has made mistakes, he admits so himself, but the stream of hatred remains unwarranted. Many of his haters also saw the 10-game ban for biting to be a tad too excessive, sentiments echoed by a significant amount of people. Because the name read ‘Suarez’, the punishment dealt by the FA became automatically harsher. His wife and daughter have also been targeted, and if true, that is certainly shocking and disgraceful.

It is similar to the hatred aimed at John Terry after his affair with Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend. The media likes to fashion themselves as the moral police in such cases, and act as holier than thou fools, despite many of them being no better in real life.

Suarez has pledged his love for Liverpool, but Brendan Rodgers understands that Suarez may not be able to mentally continue in England. The enigmatic Uruguayan has been the heart and soul of the Reds since January 2011, and without him, they seem toothless most of the times. It’s not just his goals, or creativity that make him such a vital member of the squad, but the infectious passion that he plays with every time. Every time when he’s substituted, you can see the look of disappointment at his face, every time he misses a chance, you can see his agony, and every time he scores, the celebrations are there for all to see.

Suarez’s work-rate is vital to Liverpool, and he, quite simply, is the master piece in this new, young, and exciting side, no matter how impressive Sturridge or Coutinho have been. He was responsible for nearly half of his side’s goals in the 2012-13 season, and without him, statistically, Liverpool would’ve finished in close proximity to the relegation zone. Without him, the side seems to crumble more often than not. Steven Gerrard may still be the captain, and the side’s most recognisable player, but he himself knows the importance of Suarez.

Rodgers has strived to build his side around the Uruguayan’s mercurial talents, giving Suarez complete freedom on most occasions to create havoc in opposition ranks. Now, augmented by the creative talents of the Brazilian youngster Coutinho, his threat has only increased, as he finally has a player who’s creatively on the same wavelength. With Rodgers in the market for another creative midfielder (hopefully Ajax’s Christian Eriksen), the Reds side next season will be far superior to the one that started the 2011-12 season under Kenny Dalglish, provided Suarez stays that is.

The lure of Champions League football is a strong one, especially to play for Los Blancos, who are always one of the favourites. He is 26-years old, around the age that footballers generally peak, and would understandably want to add to his trophy haul. The prospect of linking up with the likes of Ozil, Alonso, Ronaldo, and Modric is rather tempting, and any player would find that hard to turn down.

If Liverpool don’t secure Champions League football soon, it is inevitable that he will leave. However, as a supporter and an optimist, I believe it would be in Liverpool’s best interest to persuade Suarez to stay at Liverpool for at least one more season, and move on next year if the Reds fail to secure Champions League football. Nobody would blame him for leaving, and the supporters would still worship him, his talents, and his hilarious dive in front of David Moyes at Goodison Park.

The manager needs to convince Suarez to stay for Liverpool’s and the Premier League’s good. To lose one of the their best players at a time when the EPL is playing third-fiddle in Europe would be a huge blow to the league. Suarez loves Liverpool and would undoubtedly love to stay at Liverpool to prove himself, and lead the side to the promised lands.