Image via Jimmy Baikovicius – Wiki Commons
The reaction which Luis Suarez received from Liverpool fans during Steven Gerrard‘s testimonial was confusing.
We all know that Liverpool fans adore Suarez and have backed him through some of the most controversial incidents in modern football, but the reception he received when taking to the field on Saturday was not what I expected.
Given the fact that Suarez has been reported to be considering legal action if his wish to depart is not met (a similar situation to his Ajax period), one would surely have expected there to be a change in stance towards him.
By that, I do not mean a negative return full of boos and abuse, but a standing ovation from the entire Anfield crowd was bizarre. This is a man who has stated he would rather leave and is considering a transfer request and legal action — after all his fans have backed him through. It does beg the sadly frequent question in modern football: who is bigger — the club or the player?
I understand what Brendan Rodgers means by saying it is a great that Liverpool fans will always back their own players, but when slightly disrespectful situations arise, it is confusing that they would rather ignore that and instead continue supporting as if nothing occurred.
Perhaps the fact that Liverpool would find it extremely difficult to replace Suarez is a key reason in that, but if events continue to unfurl in the predicted manner, I would be even more surprised if the Anfield crowd continue to cherish Suarez in such a style.
Stowe Gregory is an English featured Soccer and Sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him or tweet on Twitter @stowegregory. Or add to circles on Google +
