He told the club he would, he told the manager he would, but crucially at the last moment he didn't. Suarez, with this small but significant non action, has created a firestorm surrounding a fairly average match where United came up winners after a defensive lapse from Glen Johnson at a corner and an awful giveaway on the edge of his box from Jay Spearing (don't get me started). The man in all the headlines actually scored late on after Johnny Evans made his huge usual mistake and Rio Ferdinand showed everyone why he's half the player he used to be with his snail like reactions and poor body shape.
Sir Alex Ferguson came out after the game and made some pretty huge statements. Labeling Suarez a "disgrace" and declaring he should never be allowed to play for Liverpool again. I'm not sure if Kenny Dalglish had heard these sentiments before he was interviewed, but King Kenny, clearly riled, didn't paint himself or the club in the best light by saying the interviewer was "bang out of order" and Luis Suarez was not to blame for anything. Kenny has since apologised for his comments after the match, but I think they're more understandable than what they may have first seemed. Sir Alex, the greatest Manager the game has ever seen in my opinion, jumped up on the high horse (which he is entitled to have after his years of success in the game and the vast experience he had) but commenting on another clubs player like that is not only out of character for him, but also as Kenny said "bang out of order". Fergie defends his players just as Dalglish does.
Suarez was found guilty and served his ban. He still believes his innocence and feels harshly done by. Claiming a player should never play again for a club because he didn't shake someone's hand is a little much, especially when you consider Ferguson's players previous behavior on and off the pitch. Eric Cantona kung fu kicked a fan and I don't remember Fergie declaring that behaviour as the last he should ever make on the pitch. Sometimes the great players have an edge. Suarez, the player of the tournament at the last Copa America, is an amazing talent. Like Cantona, he has made mistakes, but like Cantona, is supported by his own fans through thick and thin with a type of blind love only the greatest players can muster from the public. Many football fans were horrified by what Cantona did, and while Suarez racially abusing and then not shaking Evra's hand is horrific enough it is not as in your face and dramatic as what Cantona did. Kids watching at home will not have been able to lip read "negrito" and probably won't have seen the non hand shake from Suarez, but if they did, they will have also seen Ferdinand not shake, and if there's one thing we tell kids - 'two wrongs don't make a right.' Suarez like Cantona was wrong and paid the price, apologised and now has to let his football do the talking. Rio Ferdinand should try and do the same thing, as I can remember not too long ago him being out for 9 months for failing a drug test. (Failing to show up counts as failing of course.) One thing that is beyond question, just like Cantona, Suarez was wrong - but maybe that wrong is what helps make them so 'right' on the football pitch...
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