Carra: 'Fantastic' £65m Liverpool hero is one of the world's 'greatest players'. Agree?

With 51 goals/assists already this season, Luis Suarez - a Liverpool hero to many Reds fans (but not to me, of course!) continues to go from strength to strength at Barcelona, and according to Anfield legend Jamie Carragher, the Uruguayan maestro is now one of the world's best players. In an interview with Barca over the weekend, Carra raved : "Suarez^ was always a fantastic player but with Barcelona...he's one of the greatest players in world football. You wonder how many goals he'll get by the end of the season. He should be looking at maybe 50 goals." Suarez's creative return at Barcelona is simply stunning: * Barca Total : 100 goals/assists in 77 games (one every 66 mins) * This Season : 51 goals/assists in 34 games (One every 61 mins) Suarez is also outperforming Ronaldi, Neymar, and Messi this season, all of whom are averaging a goal/assist every 65 minutes. There's one player Suarez can't outdo, though, and that's - surprisingly...

Angry LFC Legend: Kenny should suspend 'disgraceful' Suarez. Is he right?

After four months of (self-inflicted) turmoil for Liverpool FC, the dust is finally settling on the Suarez-Evra fiasco. Or is it? According to Liverpool legend Steve Nicol, the situation will not be resolved until the club takes decisive action against Luis Suarez, and he believes that disciplinary sanctions must be imposed on the Uruguayan. Speaking on ESPN last night, Nicol described Suarez's refusal to shake Evra's hand as 'disgraceful', and called on Liverpool to punish Suarez further. He argued: "Regarding Suarez: You can't fine him to hurt him because he has so much money. "Suarez has to be suspended from all things Liverpool for at least two weeks. "Liverpool have always and will always support and trust their players until they find out differently, and that's exactly what's happened here. "Kenny and the club have to suspend this guy. With him not playing, it's going to affect them on the field, but three points is not as i...

Kevin Keegan blasts: Ferguson was 'Wrong', and he should've kept his mouth shut...

Liverpool legend Kevin Keegan has slammed Sir Alex Ferguson for his crass public attack on Luis Suarez after Liverpool's defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday. Keegan, whose Newcastle team memorably battled Man United for the league title in the 1990s, was incensed with Ferguson's hypocritical comments about 'getting rid' of Suarez, and told ESPN : "To come out and say a player shouldn't play for another club is wrong. "It's a very strong statement and it's unusual to comment on another club's player. "Both clubs have handled it badly, and instead of calming this down they've allowed it to escalate". Keegan also slammed Patrice Evra's conduct after the game finished: "Evra after the game - why would he want to do that? [Celebrate in front of Suarez]. You've won the game; sometimes as a manager you just don't understand players." To be fair, Ferguson criticised Evra's celebration after the game, but overall, ...

LFC Legend: There is 'no way' will Liverpool do what Alex Ferguson wants...

Predictably, today's newspapers are filled with cynical, scaremongering headlines about how Liverpool will now be forced to sell star striker Luis Suarez. However, Anfield legend Alan Hansen - a close friend of Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish - has strongly dismissed suggestions that the Uruguayan is heading for the Anfield exit. In an unprecedented display of public contrition, both Suarez and Dalglish apologised for their behaviour yesterday, and Managing Director Ian Ayre also entered the fray, blasting Suarez for apparently 'misleading' the club over his intention to shake Patrice Evra's hand. Hansen, who labelled Suarez's Evra snub as 'unacceptable' on Saturday night, has now called for everyone to get back to 'concentrating on football', and strongly refuted Sir Alex Ferguson's contention that Liverpool should 'get rid' of Suarez. He told The Telegraph : "He [Suarez] is such a good player, one who brings so much quality to the...

Alan Hansen blasts: Evra handshake snub was 'totally unacceptable'...

Liverpool legend Alan Hansen has slammed Luis Suarez for refusing to shake Patrice Evra's hand ahead prior to yesterday's game against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Speaking on Match of the Day , a disappointed Hansen dismissed the idea that it was Evra who refused the handshake, and laid the blame firmly on Suarez's shoulders. He said: "The rhetoric leading up to the game from both clubs was understandably to avoid hostility. "Liverpool made a statement saying there would be a handshake; Suarez was obviously party to the statement; he knew about it, and had obviously agreed it. "To snub Evra, in my mind, is totally unaccaptable. Liverpool football club have given him total and unequivocal support through thick and thin, and I think he's let Kenny down; he's let the club down, and I think he's let himself down". Jaimie Kanwar

Video: Perhaps it was *Evra* who refused the handshake, *not* Suarez...?

Luis Suarez sparked controversy earlier today by seemingly refusing to shake Patrice Evra's hand ahead of Liverpool's defeat to Manchester United. However, who actually did the refusing here? At first glance, it appears that Suarez ignored Evra, but could it have been the other way around? I've seen the footage of the handshake from several angles, and overall, I still believe that Suarez decided not to shake Evra's hand, but I can understand how others might feel differently after viewing the footage below: * Evra may have dropped his hand slightly but was it deliberate attempt to avpod a handshake? It was a highly charged moment for both players, and maybe it was an instinctive, involuntary act? * Suarez still could've taken his hand, but it's possible he saw the dropped-hand as a signal that Evra wasn't interested? * Evra's hand was slightly lowered, but his hand was still out there *open*, not closed, which suggests that he wanted to shake hands. A...

Does Kenny Dalglish really expect Liverpool fans to believe this...?

Prior to Liverpool's defeat at Old Trafford earlier today, Liverpool's Luis Suarez seemingly refused to shake Patrice Evra's hand. Tens of millions of people around the world saw it happen but Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has claimed that he didn't see the incident it, and didn't even know about it. Speaking to the BBC after the game, Dalglish was asked about the non-handshake, and he claimed: "I never knew Suarez refused to shake Evra's hand. I wasn't there, I never saw it. It's contrary to what I've been told." Contrary to what he's been told? By whom? Does he seriously expect people to believe that someone told him that Suarez DID shake Evra's hand, because in this context, that's exactly what 'contrary to what I've been told' means. With the greatest respect, Dalglish claiming not to know about the handshake incident trivializes a very important issue. In the interview, Kenny could've just declined...

LFC Legend warns: It's going to be 'very very bad' for Luis Suarez...

If the reception (i.e. abuse) Patrice Evra got at Anfield in the recent Liverpool-Man United FA Cup tie is anything to go by, Luis Suarez is in for a tough time at Old Trafford in tomorrow's Premier League crunch clash. I imagine every Liverpool fan is hoping that Suarez starts the game tomorrow, and Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson has urged the Uruguayan to prepare himself for a continual barrage of 'open abuse'. Suarez started on the bench against Spurs on Monday night, and it's possible that Kenny Dalglish will do the same against Man United tomorrow. That would be counter-productive in my view; Suarez is going to face abuse at most grounds for the rest of the season; there's no avoiding it, and hiding him on the bench is no good to Liverpool's chances of finishing in the top four. Lawro feels that the inevitable abuse coming Suarez's way will be much worse than what Evra experienced at Anfield recently. He told the Liverpool Daily Post : "One thing ...

REVENGE? The FA targets Luis Suarez's most vocal supporter...

When it comes to blunt, outspoken support for Liverpool FC's Luis Suarez, Brighton manager (and fellow Uruguayan) Gustavo Poyet has been El Pistolero's most passionate advocate. However, the former Chelsea man may be about to pay the price for publicly criticising English football's alleged Governing body. After Suarez was banned for 8 games, Poyet rubbished the decision and called it 'Incredible, shocking and disproportionate', and it seems that the FA is about to (indirectly) take revenge on the former Chelsea man for his stinging public criticism of the organisation. The FA released a statement on its site a couple of days ago announcing that Poyet had been charged for 'improper conduct during his side’s game at Coventry City on 31 December 2011' There are no details on the FA's site about exactly what this conduct is, but the timing - very soon after Suarez's ban - is rather interesting to say the least. Of course, I'm not literally suggesti...

EXCLUSIVE: 'Unhappy' LFC plan to 'revisit' the Suarez-Evra decision...

Last week, Liverpool FC begrudgingly accepted Luis Suarez's 8 match ban for using 'insulting words which included a reference to Patrice Evra's colour', and many fans will be hoping that this means an end to the club's (arguably) misguided public announcements on the issue. However, Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has revealed that the club is still 'very unhappy', and may pursue the issue in the future. Speaking on Irish radio station Today FM, Lawro had to stop himself from revealing too much about the club's stance on the Suarez-Evra issue, but he did reveal that depth of unhappiness inside Anfield at the moment, and hinted that once things have calmed down, Liverpool will be back to contest the FA's decision in some way. He said: "What you'll find now with Liverpool is they'll absolutely, completely leave this [issue] for now, but don't think you've heard the last of it. I still think it will come back. "I know that they...

Angry Uruguay star warns: "EVRA is going to have to wear body armour..."

Porto's Alvaro Pereira has warned Manchester United defender Patrice Evra that he will be a marked man when France play Uruguay in a friendly later in the year. Pereira, who plays alongside Luis Suarez in the Uruguay national team, recently accused Evra of having an 'inferiority complex'; now, he's made it clear that the left-back will have to watch his back in what is primed to be an international 'grudge match' in August. He said: "Evra is going to have to wear body armour. "I think Man United tried to take advantage of this situation and prevent one of Liverpool’s best players from playing, which is sad. "If I ’m called negro, I laugh. But now it’s a crime to say something on the pitch. “If this happened in South America, they’d have to suspend everyone". Jaimie Kanwar

LFC LEGEND slams 'unqualified' Suarez-Evra panel member...

A few weeks ago, this site exclusively revealed the close links between Denis Smith - a member the Suarez-Evra 'Independent' Regulatory Commission (IRC) - and Manchester United , specifically his ties to Darren Ferguson. Despite the obvious potential for subconscious bias, Liverpool's Solicitor did not request Smith's removal from the panel. Now, Anfield legend Jan Molby has added to the debate by arguing that Smith was not even qualified to be part of the IRC. In his column for the Liverpool Echo, Molby argued: "The [FA's] disciplinary system is flawed. "Although the three man panel which found Suarez guilty included a QC, someone qualified in such instances, how can Denis Smith be deemed as qualified to determine if a player has committed a racist act ? "I couldn’t sit on such a panel because, simply, I don’t know enough about such issues. I doubt very much that Denis Smith does either". Molby also praised the club for finally accepting the d...

HYPOCRITES: The FA's dirty little secret EXPOSED...

The FA recently condemned Liverpool's Luis Suarez to a life of being labelled a racist, but when it comes to their own employees, they shy away from taking any kind of action. Case in point: In September 2011, FA Council member Peter Brown sent a racist email to his brother from a dedicated FA email account. In a shameful display of hypocrisy from the FA, Brown is STILL working for organisation almost four months later. Brown was due to retire last month but he's still working as Chief Executive of Bedfordshire FA to ensure a 'smooth handover' to his successor. The most disgraceful aspect of the situation is the fact that the FA - who recently banned Liverpool's Luis Suarez for 8 games - took NO ACTION against Brown at the time. So much for being tough on racism. Brown offered to resign, and his resignation was accepted, but he received no disciplinary sanctions whatsoever. At the time, the FA released the following statement: "The FA can confirm that Bedfords...

REVEALED: How Liverpool could've STOPPED the Evra fiasco from happening...

Liverpool have begrudgingly decided not to appeal against Luis Suarez's 'conviction' for using 'insulting words which included a reference to Patrice Evra's colour', and whilst I personally believe that Suarez should've appealed against the FA's *unproven* 'findings of fact ', the truth is that the club must take responsibility for failing to stop the incident from happening in the first place. If Liverpool had been MORE culturally aware and LESS blasé about the use of the word 'Negro' prior to the Evra incident, then the entire unsavoury incident could've been avoided. In his witness statement, Luis Suarez freely admitted that he refers to Glen Johnson as 'negro': FA REPORT - Section 258: "I used the word negro, as I said in the interview, in the same way that I do when I talk to Glen Johnson" . This was confirmed once again later in the report: Section 352: "He is familiar with this use of the word from his ...

DALGLISH: The FA withheld information in the Suarez-Evra report

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has strongly suggested that certain important details were deliberately omitted from the FA Panel's official report into the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra issue. Prior to Liverpool's defeat to Man City last night, the club released two statements that appeared to draw a line under the Evra affair, but for some inexplicable reason, Dalglish allowed himself to become embroiled in further discussion about the issue after the game. In response to questions about the club's statement, Dalglish revealed: "I think it is very dangerous and unfortunate that you don't actually know the whole content of what went on at the hearing. I'm not prepared, and I can't say it, but I am just saying it is really unfortunate you never got to hear it. That's all I'm saying. "I don't think we are digging a bigger hole but I just think it's unfortunate we can't be more forthcoming. That's the unfortunate thing. "We are ...

BREAKING NEWS: Statement from Luis SUAREZ on his 8-match ban

Liverpool's Luis Suarez has released the following statement tonight: "First of all I would like to thank everyone so much for all the help and support I have received during these last few weeks. "Thank you to my family, my friends and everybody at LFC (the staff, manager and coaching staff, the directors, my team mates and everyone who is working on a daily basis for this great club) and thank you especially to all the fans who made sure I never felt let down for one second. During those days I understood more than ever what 'You'll Never Walk Alone' means. "Like many of you I was born into a very humble family, in a working class neighbourhood, in a small country. But I was born and raised learning what respect, manners and sacrifice mean. "Thanks to my family, from my first club where I started playing, to my transfer to Holland in Europe, I learned the values which made me the person I am now. Never, I repeat, never, have I had any racial proble...

FA Report: Unproven, character-killing facts. Why Luis Suarez must appeal...

The FA Independent Regulatory Commission report into the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra situation is a whopping 115 pages long, and goes into great detail about a variety of things, but and one thing that is repeated over and over is the fact the Suarez is not a racist, However, he has been convicted - without proof - of stating things are undeniably racist, which seems to me to be a major contradiction. You'll have to bear with me whilst I outline my thinking on this issue. I apologise for the length of this post: Evra's QC Suggests Suarez is Not Racist FA REPORT - Section 223 "First, this case is not about whether Mr Suarez is in fact a racist. Indeed, the Commission will no doubt conclude that there are some indications that he is not" Patrice Evra Admits Suarez is Not Racist Section 232: "I don't think he [Suarez] is racist" Evra's QC suggests Suarez was 'racially offensive' Section 223: "The question is not whether Mr ...

Exclusive: How the FA withheld vital evidence from Liverpool in its case against Luis Suarez

Having the read the FA Regulatory Commission's report into the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra affair, I think it's fair to say no one involved in the whole sorry saga comes out with any credit. This includes the FA, which inexcusably withheld potentially vital information from Liverpool's legal team. Just to be clear: I don't raise this issue as a defence of Luis Suarez, or to suggest that there is a conspiracy against Liverpool; I raise the issue to highlight the questionable conduct and possible procedural impropriety of the FA, alarming issues that should worry every club in England. Let's start at the beginning: Suarez Charge Letter On the 16th November, the FA outlined its charges against Suarez in a letter, a key part of which stated: "The Football Association also provides with this letter documentation listed in the attached Schedule 2. This documentation is not relied upon by The Association but is disclosed to you as unused material ." The ...

FA REPORT: How Dalglish, Comolli + Kuyt CONTRADICTED Suarez's Evra story...

The FA has released a lengthy (!) and detailed report into the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra affair, and in this new series, I will pick out the most important parts of the report in a bid to to clarify facts and/or debunk misconceptions. There are several issues I want to highlight in the report, and I will do so over several articles, but one of the most interesting revelations is the fact that Kenny Dalglish, Damien Comolli and Dirk Kuyt all contradicted Suarez's version of events, and this inconsistency was undoubtedly fatal to Suarez's case. EVRA'S Claim FA report. Section 90: "Mr Evra's evidence was that, in response to his question "Why did you kick me?", Mr Suarez replied ' Porque tu eres negro' " SUAREZ'S Version of Events Section 104: "Mr Evra said to him "Don't touch me, South American". Mr Suarez said that he turned to Mr Evra and said " Por que, negro? POST-MATCH: Suarez explains himself to Dalglish and...

6 reasons why Luis Suarez's ban could be GREAT for Liverpool's season...

Liverpool fans are understandably miserable over the prospect of losing Luis Suarez for 8 games in the new year, but I actually think the Uruguayan's ban could be positive for the club, and could conceivably transform Liverpool's season. Hear me out! I know it sounds like madness to suggest that losing the club's best player could be a good thing, but you only have to look at how the team has performed without Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher to see that Liverpool can play well without their star players. Here are six reasons why Suarez's ban could be a blessing in disguise: A Chance to Recharge and Come Back Stronger Suarez has been playing almost non-stop football for the last year, and didn't get a proper rest in the summer due to the Copa America. The ban will force him to rest and recharge, which can only benefit Liverpool for the rest of the season. Do or Die for Andy Carroll Suarez's absence will mean Andy Carroll will get a run of games, and he will ...

LAWYER blasts: Luis Suarez should face CRIMINAL CHARGES...

The Society of Black Lawyers (SBL) is urging the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to treat the Luis Suarez affair as a racist incident and argues the Uruguayan should not be treated any differently to Chelsea's John Terry. In an alarming turn of events for Liverpool, The SBL revealed in a Press Release that it plans to make a formal complaint to the CPS about Suarez in the hope that it will launch a full investigation. Peter Herbert OBE & co-chair of the organisation argued: "To our knowledge, neither club has bothered to conduct its own independent investigation or hold a disciplinary hearing". I believe this is true. I've been trying to get an answer to this question for the last month but no one from Liverpool's Press Office has been willing to confirm or deny whether the club carried out its own disciplinary investigation. Herbert continued: “If such serious allegations of racism had been made in the workplace, any reasonable employer would consider itself...

LAWRO: Suarez T-Shirt fiasco had a 'subliminal message'

Prior to last Wednesday's game at Wigan, Liverpool players were proudly prancing around in Luis Suarez T-Shirts in an (arguably) misguided show of support. It was uncomfortable to watch, but Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes there may have been method behind Kenny Dalglish's madness. In his weekly column for The Mirror, Lawro argued: "Maybe there is also a subliminal message in Liverpool wearing those T-shirts at Wigan. "It could be seen as cute man-management by Dalglish to keep his star player. A manager will go a long way to keep players happy, and that is understandable, within limits. "Otherwise you could have a situation where he feels persecuted and wants to leave Liverpool and England. "Liverpool are right behind Suarez but that cannot be confused with anything other than support for a team-mate because no-one can condone racism". Jaimie Kanwar

Why Liverpool and Suarez should sue Alex Ferguson for DEFAMATION...

Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has finally revealed his thoughts on the FA's decision to ban Luis Suarez for 8 games, and like so many other people/media outlets, he has made the mistake of labelling Suarez racist, something that could arguably leave him open to a defamation suit. Giving his views earlier today, Ferguson observed: "Our support of Patrice was obvious right from the word go and that's still the same. "The matter is over and I think we're satisfied that they [the FA's independent commission] found the right decision". Liverpool fans may not agree that it was 'the right decision' but this part of Ferguson's statement on the issue is fair. However, the following comments are inaccurate, and arguably defamatory: "This wasn't about Manchester United and Liverpool at all. It was nothing to do with that. This was an individual situation where one person was racially abused." I have a lot of respect for Ferguson but...

BREAKING NEWS: Newspaper banned from Anfield after Suarez insult...

Liverpool FC has today banned journalists from the Daily Mirror from Anfield after it ran a negative story on Luis Suarez using the headline 'RACIST'. As I argued earlier today, the FA did NOT convict Suarez of being racist ; they did not even argue that he used a word relating to Patrice Evra's race. Suarez was convicted of using an insulting word that made reference to Evra's colour, something that does not automatically mean Suarez is racist. The day after the FA banned Suarez for 8 games, The Mirror ran the following story: The Mirror's headline is totally out of order, and Suarez should now SUE for defamation of character. Jaimie Kanwar

SUAREZ: Why it's Liverpool FC's fault if people label him 'RACIST'...

I'm aware that this will be an unpopular opinion, but for me, Liverpool's reaction to Luis Suarez's 8-match ban has been an embarrassment, and what makes it worse is the club's overwrought 'us against the world' approach is clearly predicated upon a fundamental misunderstanding of FA's ruling. The club's ill-advised, amateur 'statement' in response to the FA was clearly driven by emotion, and it demonstrated to the world that Liverpool had totally misunderstood the most important (and obvious) parts of the FA's ruling. Consider the following sentences from the LFC statement: "LFC considers racism in any form to be unacceptable – without compromise. It is our strong-held belief, having gone over the facts of the case, that Luis Suárez did not commit any racist act". "It is key to note that Patrice Evra himself in his written statement in this case said: 'I don't think that Luis Suárez is racist .' The FA in their op...

Debunking LFC myths: No 11 – Patrice Evra has a history of race complaints

Myths, lies and false assumptions are an inescapable reality of modern football. The more emotive the incident, the less objective people become, which leads inexorably to the endless (and sometimes deliberate) perpetuation of misinformation. This has undoubtedly been the case during the Suarez-Evra race row, which is why I feel compelled to highlight several glaring (and embarrassing) inaccuracies related to the situation. Objectivity is the name of the game here, and if fans are going to assess the Suarez-Evra issue in a fair manner, then false information needs to be exposed, and removed from the equation. I'll be looking at several myths related to the Suarez-Evra situation (across several articles), but the first piece of misinformation that needs to be addressed is the persistent allegation that Patrice Evra has a history of 'playing the race card'. This is categorically UNTRUE, and it does Liverpool fans no credit at all to continually perpetuate this lie. ...

ARSENAL LEGEND blasts 'ridiculously harsh' Suarez treatment...

Arsenal goalscoring legend has slammed the FA for not being more open about the specific reasons behind Luis Suarez's recently imposed 8-match ban. In his column for ESPN, Wright argued that FA 'muddied the waters even more' with its official statement on the Suarez-Evra issue. He raged: "Why now does everyone have to wait until the written judgment is delivered for a full explanation? "Surely it would have made more sense for the written proof, which everyone is waiting for, to have been published on the day of the verdict. "But, at the moment, I have to say I think the punishment — on all public evidence — is ridiculously harsh because it was based only on what Patrice said he was called. "If Suarez is as guilty as the commission found then fine — he deserves his punishment, but for heaven's sake, let's see the proof because until that's out there, the rows will only get worse. "I am not calling Evra a liar, far from it, because someth...

Martinez: Suarez was probably suffering from 'culture shock'

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has joined the growing list of people citing 'cultural differences' as a possible defence for Luis Suarez's comments towards Patrice Evra. Martinez - who was nicknamed 'El Judas by angry Swansea fans when he defected to Wigan in 2009 - outlined the problems overseas players sometimes face when settling into a new country. "It is difficult to comment on that particular incident but in general you arrive to the British game and it is a culture shock. "Believe me, there is no right or wrong in understanding your culture. You are seen doing something wrong and you don't think you are doing anything wrong because your background and your culture and the way you live back in your country it is nothing wrong. "It is the same when British people go abroad and could upset people. The problem is where you draw the line. We are playing in England and you need to understand what is right and wrong but you need to understand cultures...

REDKNAPP: I'm not going to judge Luis Suarez...

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has insisted that despite Luis Suarez's 'conviction' last night, racism is not major problem in English football. In a press conference earlier today, Redknapp was asked if he thought racism was prevalent in football, to which he responded: "No I've never thought that, no [that racism is a problem in football]. "I don't know if there can be. You come into a dressing room, I've got as many black players here as white players so I don’t see where there should be a problem. “They are all mates. They all play together, they all get on great together. It's not in my mind that those things happen anymore." However, Redknapp agreed that anyone found guilty of racism should be punished, and indirectly suggested that people should not be so quick to judge Suarez: "There's no place for racism in sport or in life so I’ve got no time for it, and if somebody is definitely guilty then they have to take the consequen...