Liverpool FC Forum

"You've done well to ignore all the Suarez fuss"
Manager's praise for players including Luis Suarez for focusing on LFC season preparations

Brendan Rodgers has saluted his Liverpool FC players for refusing to allow the uncertainty over Luis Suarez’s future to hamper their pre-season preparations.

The Uruguay striker has dominated the agenda throughout the summer with the Reds having rejected two bids from Arsenal following his admission he wants to quit Anfield.

However, despite the ongoing speculation, Liverpool have won all four friendlies so far without conceding a goal.

Rodgers believes that speaks volumes not only about the unity in his squad but also the attitude Suarez has shown since he returned to club duty 10 days ago.

“It could have unsettled them but it hasn’t,” Rodgers told the ECHO.

“It’s two fold really. Firstly, it says a lot about their professionalism. The environment that we’re creating is that the star will always be the team.

“We want to have top players here. But if for whatever reason we don’t, we will always know we can rely on the team and each other.

“Secondly, it’s also testament to Luis. He hasn’t been moping about.

“It’s obviously difficult when you come back after a break, but he has settled in and has been working well.

“The harmony in the group is very good.

“The spirit is strong. Right across the club there is a one club mentality.

“If we can keep it that way we can have a great season.”

Having admitted that ‘every player has his price’, Rodgers can offer no guarantees that Suarez will still be at Anfield when the transfer window shuts. A shortlist of potential replacements has been drawn up.

But in the absence of any bid in excess of £50million, Suarez will be staying put and the manager insists the 30-goal top scorer accepts that.

“It’s a story that can keep running but for me there is no new news,” he added. “Luis is happy. He totally understands the club’s point of view.

“He’s in a difficult position in terms of not being able to play because of his suspension. He will sit out the first six games and he will miss playing football.

“But he’s working hard and remains part of the group. He needs to get up to speed and we will continue to work to get all the players ready for the first game of the season.”

After a short recovery period following their tour of the Far East and Australia, the Reds return to Melwood today to begin their preparations for Steven Gerrard’s testimonial against Olympiacos at Anfield on Saturday.


http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-manager-brendan-rodgers-5387079

Its quite lucky that its happening early during pre season - if it starts to drag on into the start of the season it could start to effect the players/team

The club have played a great hand in regards his contract - the ball is firmly in the court of Arsenal and Suarez - for him to leave he will need to request that transfer. But we could certainly help keep him by buying quality.

Liverpool have become the target of Europe’s wealthiest pilferers as the transfer volcano threatens to erupt

Potential move: a big bid for Luis Suarez from Spurs would be most welcome at Anfield

By Chris Bascombe11:59AM BST 31 Jul 2013
The rumblings have not ceased all summer, but for the moment the inhabitants of football transfer land continue to stare at the volcano waiting for it to erupt.

The activation, many believe, will be Gareth Bale’s move to Real Madrid for £85 million. It is suggested today this will enable Spurs to penetrate the monotony of the Luis Suarez to Arsenal affair, Manchester United to test Madrid’s resolve to keep Cristiano Ronaldo as they press on for Cesc Fabregas, thus making the possibility of David Moyes selling Wayne Rooney to Chelsea more palatable, and offering Tranmere all the hope they require to lure Fernando Torres back to Merseyside from Stamford Bridge

That last one might be fanciful (Tranmere think Torres is well past his best, although Marine need a striker if he’s still got his heart on a return to the North West).


The Suarez to Tottenham link is a product of that specifically football-related mathematical equation where 2 plus 2 equals a £50 million bid.

It would be surprise if, once they’ve received the Bale cash, Spurs did not seek to annoy Arsenal by outbidding them for Suarez while aspiring to ensure Liverpool had no chance of finishing above 6th for the fifth consecutive season.

Indeed, a mega Spurs bid for Suarez would be most welcome at Anfield. Not because it would be accepted but it might prompt those who have a realistic chance of signing Suarez to meet his actual valuation.

A Spurs bid would also be attractive to delight in Suarez’s reaction. Presumably he’d make it clear he only wanted to leave for Champions League football so Spurs’ interest was on the more extreme side of futility.

Best be careful about jumping to conclusions were Suarez is concerned, though. Lest we forget he was comparing the persecutors of English football to the tormentors on the road to Calvary before Arsenal’s shoddy attempt at a quid pro quo.

Liverpool supporters continue to mock when hearing of Arsenal and Spurs’ plans and they’re still, just about, entitled to do so.

The Anfield patient remains ill but it has not lost its faculties so much to reckon selling your best player to Arsenal makes sense.

Players largely gain sympathy for wishing to join clubs who regularly win titles, but leaving to play a few games in Europe is a relatively new phenomenon. At least Arsenal are always in the Champions League.

You might need to lock some of the greatest Harvard minds in a room for several weeks before you come up with a reasonable theory as to why Suarez would leave Anfield for Spurs.

There is a broader problem for Liverpool, however. These stories will repeat themselves until they restore a top four place.

Although the club continues to perceive itself as one of the greatest institutions to bless this shores, those above in the Premier League are seeing them more and more as Aston Villa.

This may not be easy for everyone at Anfield to accept but being top of the ‘wow, look how many people around the world support us and follow us on Twitter’ league is not impressing anyone but themselves.

It’s hard to recall a time when Liverpool looked more vulnerable, not only in terms of losing their best player but struggling to convince those they covet to join the club.

A former Liverpool coach once offered a revealing insight into the rather straightforward recruitment measures of the top Premier League scouts.

Basically, they go through the top European leagues, identify the best players in each team and work their way through until they find one that is obtainable.

Thus, when they were a top four club, Liverpool could analyse the Premier League squads of those in fifth, sixth and seventh and identify players who’d strengthen their own squad and, presumably, weaken those who might threaten their Champions League position. It’s precisely the same principle Arsenal – and possibly Spurs – would use by targeting Suarez.

If Spurs planning to use Bale funds to sign Suarez does not, on the surface, seem much to worry about, the symbolism of Liverpool’s best players now being seen as potential targets by England’s fifth-placed club surely is.

Liverpool have gone from being one of the club’s most likely to poach the best of the rest to being the target of Europe’s wealthiest pilferers.

Why would he go to Spurs? They are not in the Champions League.

They have a better chance than us ? I think it's highly unlikely

Suarez wants future 'settled by Friday

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez wants his future to be sorted out within the next seven days.

The controversial Uruguayan is wanted by Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

And SportsDirect News understands the star wants to know his next destination by the end of next week.

A well-placed Anfield source told us: “Luis wants everything done and dusted by next Friday.

“He’s keen to move on, as people know, but he doesn’t want it to turn into a saga. He knows clubs are interested in him and he desperately wants one of them to make an acceptable offer soon.”

His stance is likely to spark a bidding war between the Premier League giants – who are all keen to send a signal of intent by landing the 26-year-old.

However, Liverpool have so far adopted a hard-line approach over Suarez’s future, and there is still no guarantee they will sell their prized asset.
http://www.sportsdirectnews.com/premier ... friday.php

If he wants out so badly it's pretty fucklng simple.  Hand in a transfer request.

The Good Yank » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:04 pm wrote:If he wants out so badly it's pretty fucklng simple.  Hand in a transfer request.

Players try not to these days mate - lose a lot of money

I still can't understand when a player wants to leave so we sell them and then we also have to give them money because we broke their contract ?

What is it with our club, we sign players turn them into superstars and they sh.it all over us? Hope Suarez,s move ends up like Torres. If Suarez wants out he has to bite the bullet( He's bitten everything else!!) and hand in a transfer request

It's the price we pay for not being in the CL - Torres wouldn't have left if we had stayed in the CL and Suarez now wouldn't be angling for a move if we were in the CL.

Players used to want to play for the big clubs and play for the champions - as the CL started up and then got bigger and bigger its now become the pinnacle of a players club career - winning national titles is seen as a way into the CL.

As someone mentioned a while back Arsenal are satisfied with just getting CL each season - it keeps the club ticking over with minimal fuss but its taking the next step .

If we get ourselves back into the CL it should be used as a base for us to spring forward from - it shouldn't be main aim - we need CL to allow us to gain the success ( Titles and CL wins ) we want and crave

here's yer man indykaila's latest on suarez

Suarez meeting
According to our sources, Luis Suarez held two hour long meeting with Liverpool Football Club to discuss his future at the club. We believe Luis Suarez was told, the club are willing to accept 43m plus bid from Real Madrid but that does look unlikely at this stage due to Bale becoming the Spanish club number one target. The player was also told, they expect Arsenal to submit third bid for him and they will reject the offer unless they make 48m plus offer which is unlikely at this stage. We’ve seen reports of Luis Suarez looking at the options of approaching the Premier League to arbitrate, we believe these reports are incorrect and Luis Suarez officials didn’t even consider this option. Pro Luis Suarez Public Relations plan is in progress, if Luis Suarez was to stay and that is looking likely by each hour which passes.

its beginning to look like its real or nothing for him and i cannot see them paying £43mil for suarez after landing bale.
our chances of keeping him are getting better by the day.
if madrid do come for him then it has to be ££££ and up front, no pay half now ***** or worse a loan and payment next season.

So basically he still wants to leave - I don't think this is far from finished yet - going to be a few twists yet

red till i die!! » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:09 pm wrote:here's yer man indykaila's latest on suarez

Suarez meeting
According to our sources, Luis Suarez held two hour long meeting with Liverpool Football Club to discuss his future at the club. We believe Luis Suarez was told, the club are willing to accept 43m plus bid from Real Madrid but that does look unlikely at this stage due to Bale becoming the Spanish club number one target. The player was also told, they expect Arsenal to submit third bid for him and they will reject the offer unless they make 48m plus offer which is unlikely at this stage. We’ve seen reports of Luis Suarez looking at the options of approaching the Premier League to arbitrate, we believe these reports are incorrect and Luis Suarez officials didn’t even consider this option. Pro Luis Suarez Public Relations plan is in progress, if Luis Suarez was to stay and that is looking likely by each hour which passes.

its beginning to look like its real or nothing for him and i cannot see them paying £43mil for suarez after landing bale.
our chances of keeping him are getting better by the day.
if madrid do come for him then it has to be ££££ and up front, no pay half now ***** or worse a loan and payment next season.

I think it's fair to say, Suarez is a right little tinker's melt....

red till i die!! » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:09 pm wrote:
if madrid do come for him then it has to be ££££ and up front, no pay half now ***** or worse a loan and payment next season.

Apparently they still owe Spurs a sizable chunk for Modric's transfer and are reportedly £600 million in debt.

Can't wait for the day (if ever) when it all comes crashing down on them.

woof woof ! » Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:12 am wrote:

red till i die!! » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:09 pm wrote:
if madrid do come for him then it has to be ££££ and up front, no pay half now ***** or worse a loan and payment next season.

Apparently they still owe Spurs a sizable chunk for Modric's transfer and are reportedly £600 million in debt.

Can't wait for the day (if ever) when it all comes crashing down on them.

They sold their old training ground in the heart of Madrid for 200 million to fund their transfers a few years ago. Imagine selling a fantastic asset they have had for so many years for transfers. Awful business sense.