Here we are again, the brilliance of Luis Suarez marred by controversy of the highest order.
In Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Chelsea last Sunday, the Uruguay international bit (yes bit!) Blues defender Branislav Ivanovic in an act that was malicious and totally unprovoked.
Suarez did proceed to apologise on twitter but to what avail? Did he do it personally from the bottom of his heart or did Liverpool give him a nudge to get him out of the situation (as they’ve done previously)?
There’s no doubt the quality the 26-year-old possesses and he would’ve picked up the headline for his last gasp equaliser if not for his “inexcusable behaviour” as he describes it.
The FA have charged him with violent conduct, Liverpool have taken disciplinary action with a fine but when will the actions of a supposed role-model stop for good?
It’s just the latest in a long list of Suarez-misdemeanours.
It’s the former Ajax man’s second case of biting an opponent, previously chomping on the shoulder of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal in November 2010.
He received a seven-match suspension but after displaying the persona of a badly-trained Rottweiler and drawing blood, he may have escaped lightly.
The racial abuse of Patrice Evra in 2011 saw Suarez banned for eight matches and imposed with a £40,000 fine.
Okay, that’s another mishap in the footballing life of Luis Suarez; you think he’d move on from such an incident?
You’d be wrong.
Refusing to shake hands with someone if you have a rift with them is fair enough (à la Wayne Bridge and John Terry) but if you’ve caused said rift via racial abuse, what gives you the right to ignore the victim?
Lesser transgressions followed with diving and handballs leaving opposition members of staff angry but Suarez is yet to learn that just because you’re on a football pitch doesn’t mean you can behave idiotic.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers and managing director Ian Ayre have come out with the template response of ‘we know he did wrong… he will be punished… we will work with him to change his behaviour’ – would you expect anything less?
They’re a football club who have one of the most talented yet out of control players in the world and wouldn’t want to sell him for his wrongdoings.
Can they tame him?
Of course they can, if they actually work with him like they’ve said they will.
But there have been four incidents (as well as an accusation of stamping from Wigan boss Roberto Martinez) which Liverpool should’ve started to attempt to reign in Suarez and give him a training course on personal conduct.
They can’t afford to lose the man that cost them around £23 million in January 2011; his goals are priceless. However, the bad press he generates needs to be squashed by Liverpool Football Club and turned into the positive headlines everyone knows he’s capable of grabbing.
Find me on Twitter: @L_Hancock6
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.