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LONDON ― 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.
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.
“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.
“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”.
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.” — Mailonline.
Online Reporter