After a concerted campaign of classless self-promotion over the last month, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez appears to have dialed down his crass flirtation with Real Madrid, and many Reds fans are beginning to see that their blind faith in - and unquestioning support of - the Uruguayan may have been misplaced. That's not the case for everyone though, including former Liverpool midfielder Craig Johnston.
In an interview with The Australian on Saturday, Johnston - who won five league titles with Liverpool in the 1980s - hailed Suarez as 'very special', and made the baseless claim that 'no one had ever played with such passion and desire in English football'. Johnston's gross hyperbole continued with the following incredulous remarks:
"Suarez is the best player to have ever worn a Liverpool shirt. I know it will be controversial and cause a bit of a scene, but it is my opinion
"He is something very, very special. My assessment is based on what he brings to the team. He gets 5 per cent more out of the other players whenever he is on the field. If we lose him, I think we're in trouble."
Ugh. Johnson is indeed entitled to his opinion, but he has arguably delivered a gigantic, stinging insult to dozens of other Liverpool players, past and present, and his view is sadly indicative of the misguided hero-worship displayed by so many Reds fans over the last couple of years.
Suarez better than the likes of Dalglish, Barnes, Gerrard, Fowler, Rush and the many other great players of the past? Absolutely NO CHANCE (IMO). Not even close. With the greatest respect, the idea is simply laughable, and it's disappointing that Johnston would heap such exorbitant praise on a player who has spent 50% of his time dragging Liverpool's name through the mud.
When all is said and done, Suarez's specific, measurable impact on Liverpool is comparatively negligible, and history will remember it that way. In his two full seasons, the Reds have finished 8th and 7th in the league, so it's not as if he's done a Maradona at Napoli and galvanised the team to radically punch above its weight.
Yes, it's a team game, but a player who doesn't push the TEAM to greater heights cannot be called the 'best ever' (IMO). In the modern era, players like Dalglish, Gerrard, Barnes HAVE pushed LFC to greater heights, which is why they are deemed all-time greats for Liverpool.
It is utterly inconceivable that Suarez - a player whose greatest achievement is to break LFC's banned games record - is the club's best ever player, though there are probably lots of LFC fans out there who will echo Johnston's view.
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
In an interview with The Australian on Saturday, Johnston - who won five league titles with Liverpool in the 1980s - hailed Suarez as 'very special', and made the baseless claim that 'no one had ever played with such passion and desire in English football'. Johnston's gross hyperbole continued with the following incredulous remarks:
"Suarez is the best player to have ever worn a Liverpool shirt. I know it will be controversial and cause a bit of a scene, but it is my opinion
"He is something very, very special. My assessment is based on what he brings to the team. He gets 5 per cent more out of the other players whenever he is on the field. If we lose him, I think we're in trouble."
Ugh. Johnson is indeed entitled to his opinion, but he has arguably delivered a gigantic, stinging insult to dozens of other Liverpool players, past and present, and his view is sadly indicative of the misguided hero-worship displayed by so many Reds fans over the last couple of years.
Suarez better than the likes of Dalglish, Barnes, Gerrard, Fowler, Rush and the many other great players of the past? Absolutely NO CHANCE (IMO). Not even close. With the greatest respect, the idea is simply laughable, and it's disappointing that Johnston would heap such exorbitant praise on a player who has spent 50% of his time dragging Liverpool's name through the mud.
When all is said and done, Suarez's specific, measurable impact on Liverpool is comparatively negligible, and history will remember it that way. In his two full seasons, the Reds have finished 8th and 7th in the league, so it's not as if he's done a Maradona at Napoli and galvanised the team to radically punch above its weight.
Yes, it's a team game, but a player who doesn't push the TEAM to greater heights cannot be called the 'best ever' (IMO). In the modern era, players like Dalglish, Gerrard, Barnes HAVE pushed LFC to greater heights, which is why they are deemed all-time greats for Liverpool.
It is utterly inconceivable that Suarez - a player whose greatest achievement is to break LFC's banned games record - is the club's best ever player, though there are probably lots of LFC fans out there who will echo Johnston's view.
Luis Suarez: Is he Liverpool's 'best ever player'? I.e. is he better than the like of Dalglish, Gerrard, Barnes et al?
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Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
