Luis Suarez received some powerful backing yesterday, from the striker whose sportsmanship has gone down in football history.
Liverpool's controversial South American is at the centre of yet another cheat storm, after his handball cost minnows Mansfield their FA Cup dream.
Already, critics are citing the example of Robbie Fowler - who back in 1997 urged a referee to change his penalty award, after admitting he had not been brought down by Arsenal keeper David Seaman.
But the man himself laughs at the idea that his Anfield successor should have done something similar, by admitting he had handled the ball before casually knocking it into the net for a goal that proved decisive in the pulsating tie.
"If he has to tell the referee that he handled, do the defenders have to go and tell the ref every time they foul a striker? It's laughable, it really is," he explained with a smile.
"Seriously, Suarez did nothing wrong, and I'm amazed at the reaction. I honestly don't even believe he handled deliberately. The ball is smashed right at his hand from very close range, and he'd need some reactions to have calculated that one.
"You can see by the way his arm bounces above his shoulder after the ball hits him that he isn't braced for it. That tells you something. I think the way he then knocked the ball in the net he assumed it would be ruled out, but if there's any criticism, it should be at the referee, not the player."
Fowler of course, memorably turned the referee and said "no, no", when he tripped accidentally against Arsenal and was awarded a penalty, and even apologised to opposition keeper David Seaman.
His honesty won him a commendation from UEFA, but in the same month he was fined by the same organisation for displaying a t-shirt backing a dock workers' strike...which summed up his often turbulent career.
And for the former Liverpool striker, says the condemnation that is now aimed at Suarez comes with the job of being a forward who plays on the edge to operate at the very top of the game.
"It's amusing that they use me as an example to criticise Suarez, when I was always getting slaughtered in my career!" he laughs now.
"He's the one now, isn't he? Everything he does, he'll get criticised for it when somebody else wouldn't even raise a murmur. I think only Balotelli gets the same treatment, but sometimes that's what happens when you play on the edge.
"I think the Mansfield manager and his players summed it up when they said Suarez was just doing his job, and they'd have done exactly the same thing. So would I. It was handball, but instinctive and not deliberate cheating, and you can't criticise him for that."
Fowler has maintained his fitness and is still considering playing this season if he gets the right offer from a Football League club, but he is doing his coaching badges, and wants to move into that side of the game after some success as player-manager of Thailand side Muangthong United.
He has been linked with several managerial roles recently, and has been mentioned as a candidate for the vacant position at Doncaster after former team-mate Dean Saunders left to join Wolves.
But he admits he would be attracted by the idea of working with the likes of Suarez as a striking coach if the opportunity came along.
"He's some player isn't he, he's got real class, and I think sometimes you have to remember the quality he has and enjoy the fact that he's playing in the Premier League," Fowler added.
"I would like the chance to go into coaching and if the right job comes along then I'll take it, ...but I haven't officially retired from playing yet!
"People have compared Suarez's style to the way I played, but that's not for me to comment on. I know he's got class and I reckon he'd be great to work with, because you can see the desire he's got, and that that's one of the most important things for a striker."
Meanwhile, Daniel Sturridge is itching to team up with Luis Suarez and turn the heat on Sir Alex Ferguson on Sunday.
Liverpool's new £12million striker said: "I was quite tired against Mansfield as I haven't been playing or training much over the last few months.
"But you are always fit enough to start a game against Man Utd.
"I'd love to play at Old Trafford, and I'm looking forward to forming a formidable partnership with Luis. It will be a pleasure to play alongside him."
No comments:
Post a Comment