By Dominic King
|
Luis Suarez has been sent into exile for his astonishing attack on Liverpool with manager Brendan Rodgers accusing the striker of treating the club with 'utter disrespect'.
The Uruguay forward will be made to train on his own as punishment for his attitude over the past fortnight following Liverpool's rejection of a 40million plus 1 bid from Arsenal.
Suarez has also been heavily reprimanded for the interviews he gave to two broadsheet newspapers on Tuesday, in which he accused Rodgers of breaking promises and not telling the truth.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch Brendan Rodgers speaking about Luis Suarez
Child's play: Luis Suarez, who is training alone, and daughter Delfina at Melwood on Wednesday
Rodgers is furious with Suarez's behaviour and the 26-year-old will have to make a formal, public apology before he will be considered to play for Liverpool again.
Arsenal are the only club to have bid for Suarez and the Anfield hierarchy, continuing the strong line they have adopted, are adamant he will not be sold to a rival.
Rodgers said: 'There were no promises made - categorically none - and no promises broken. The club and his representatives had several conversations and he knew exactly where he was at.
Unhappy: Brendan Rodgers is disappointed with the conduct of Suarez who is angling for a move away
'I will take strong, decisive action. There has been total disrespect of the club - this is a club that is historically one of the biggest in the world and has given him everything; absolutely everything.'
When pressed on whether there was a way back for Suarez, Rodgers added: 'We first of all need to assess where (the situation) is. Things have been said that are derogatory against the football club, his team-mates and the supporters.
'There's a few bridges to cross before that (playing for Liverpool) can happen again. It's about respect. This is one of the most iconic football clubs in the world, you can't disrespect it. That's something I will ensure before anything happens in the future.'
At the heart of Suarez's dispute with Liverpool is the terminology of the clause in his contract. Suarez and his agent, Pere Guardiola, have enlisted the help of the PFA to arbitrate but Liverpool are adamant they only had to tell the player of bids over 40m.
Suarez, in newspaper interviews, said he believed a clause written into the contract he signed last summer entitled him to a move.
He said: 'Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that, if we failed to qualify for the Champions League, the following season I'd be allowed to go. I gave absolutely everything last season but it was not enough to give us a top-four finish - now all I want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement.
In demand: The Uruguay international was mobbed by autograph hunters on Wednesday
Liverpool gave Suarez everything - Rodgers
'I don't feel betrayed (by Liverpool) but the club promised me something a year ago just as I promised them I would stay and try everything possible to get us into the Champions League.
'They gave me their word a year ago and now I want them to honour that. 'And it is not just something verbal with the coach but something that is written in the contract. I'm not going to another club to hurt Liverpool.
'I have the club's word and we have the written contract and we are happy to take this to the Premier League for them to decide the case but I do not want it to come to that.
'I spoke with Brendan Rodgers several times and he told me, "Stay another season and, you have my word, if we don't make it then I will personally make sure you can leave".'
Mini-me: Suarez's team-mates travelled to Norway, while the striker trained alone at Melwood with his daughter
PFA boss Gordon Taylor said the situation is fraught with complexities and going to a tribunal offers no certainty Suarez will force a move.
He said: 'If Luis Suarez is determined to leave then, of course, you don't see any sense in a player being where he doesn't want to be.
'But, on the other hand, with a short period of time left in the window, if you're going to lose a player as good as Suarez you need time to replace him and you need good money.'
Wish you were here? Brendan Rodgers and his Liverpool side signed a Reds-themed car on their tour of Oslo
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes the club have no other option than to 'cash in' on Suarez.
Owen told BT Sport: 'It's another victory for player power but, if you've got an unhappy player and a huge asset like he is, then you really have no option. It's not like back in the day when you could leave them in the reserves on a relatively small wage and make them suffer.
'You've got 40m-plus of player, plus his wage every year. You just have to cash in.'
Liverpool continued their pre-season programme with a 4-1 win over Valerenga on Wednesday night in Oslo. The goals were scored by Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas, Martin Kelly and Raheem Sterling as principal owner John W Henry looked on.
Behind the wheel: Luis Suarez, leaving training on Tuesday, believes he should be allowed to leave Anfield
There was no mistaking how angry Rodgers is about the Suarez distraction. He said: 'I really, really feel sorry for the supporters, people that have sung his name. We have travelled the world over the course of this pre-season. 85,000 fans were singing Luis's name in Jakarta.
'I understand his ambition, but this is a club that is one of the very best in the world.'
However, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he was still waiting to sign Suarez. 'The situation is on standby' he said.
'I don't know what has been said, what has been promised and what has been written. Only Suarez and Liverpool can decide that. It is nothing to do with us.
'We have been told that the player wants to leave Liverpool and that is why we have acted.'
Interested: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger knows his side need a world-class striker
Unhappy: Suarez is determined to leave Liverpool, with Arsenal the frontrunners to sign him
Never mind he wants to get in touch with Wayne Rooney and they can train together.
- bigbucks , lincoln, 09/8/2013 13:23
Report abuse