FIFA World Cup 2014: Luis Suarez may have bitten off more than he can chew

Luis Suarez has had his share of indiscretions, but has he finally overstepped his mark?

There is a fine line between genius and lunacy, and Luis Suarez has spent the last four years waltzing on either side as his mind instructs him. Now the latest, and arguably craziest, action of all threatens to cause a major legal confrontation between several powerful footballing institutions.

FIFA’s verdict on Suarez is in: banned for 4 months from all football-related activity, and 9 internationals, with immediate effect. His World Cup 2014 campaign has ended abruptly, as it did in 2010. Uruguay will be devoid of their best attacking talent in the round of 16 clash against Colombia, and thereafter – assuming they make it that far without him.

The Uruguayan FA, on the offensive thus far, are yet to come up with a response – but they will be defiant. Till yesterday evening, the claims about Giorgio Chiellini displaying old bite marks were getting shriller and shriller.

There’s just one problem: the Uruguayan FA doesn’t pay Suarez’s salary. His cheques are issued by Liverpool FC, and John Henry and Co will not be happy about the terms of the ban. The wording is comprehensive in its language: Luis Suárez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium during the period of the ban. That means he can’t play for Liverpool in pre-season, and even training could be a problem.

Rumours that a cash plus player swap was to be agreed with Barcelona to trade Suarez and Alexis Sanchez are now certainly quashed; Liverpool will have to raise the cash from other sources. During the 2-month period between mid-August and Oct 25th, when his ban ends, the club will shell out 1.5 million pounds in salary for Suarez to watch games from afar. He will miss the first 3 group matches in the Champions League.

A year of work with psychologist Dr Steve Peters seemed to have fixed Suarez’s anger management issues, but who can really tell what goes on in a person’s mind? I’m not going to attempt a profile of Suarez, given that a brilliant writeup already exists here. But all that talk of ‘redemption’ last season, of his turning over a new leaf, now seems so hollow.

Every match without a Suarez implosion gave fresh hope to his legions of fans; but frankly he was never far from that line. Fan confidence had however risen so high that the letdown now feels still greater.

There is anger against FIFA for a ban that hits Liverpool the hardest, for a sin they had nothing to do with. There is talk of suing the world football authorities for damages. There is also a growing suspicion that his own people are doing him no favours: back home, in a more aggressive setting where he is revered as a god, Suarez’s head may have been turned again.

But above all there is anger at Suarez himself for repeatedly letting the club down. The Evra slur may have been a cultural misunderstanding, but the handshake drama was not. Biting Ivanovic and then trying to weep his way out of the club lowered his cred further. He marshalled Liverpool’s attack superbly after his return from his last ban, even captaining the side for a while, but remorse cannot be measured in terms of goals scored.

However, the suggestion that Liverpool should sell him is silly. It solves nothing. Football doesn’t end with the EPL, and Suarez isn’t going to mellow down with a change in scenery. And Liverpool’s investment in his talents has been considerable. But now, the blowback will need a major PR effort just to convince agitated sponsors that the club’s image won’t be hit.

From Kenny Dalglish to Steven Gerrard through Brendan Rodgers, several leading lights from the red half of Merseyside have stuck up for Suarez in public, and in Dalglish’s case even put their careers on the line. Each time Suarez has proved them right with months of onfield genius, then brutally wrong with an act of indiscretion.

Like the butterfly flapping its wings, however, this one could cause an unintended tornado. Suarez’s moment of madness against Italy will now see his club and country on a collision course with FIFA. The shockwaves from that clash will hit his value hardest of all.

Football history is littered with stillborn greats who never realized their true potential, and there may still be hope for Luis Suarez, but few have put more effort into claiming that dubious distinction than he has done.