LUIS SUAREZ is using Carlos Tevez as an unlikely role
model to rebuild his own battered reputation.
Last season it was a toss up which fiery South American was English football’s ‘Public Enemy No.1’.
Tevez went AWOL in Argentina for four months after a bust-up with Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, while Liverpool star Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
Suarez was banned for eight matches, heavily fined and then made things worse by publicly snubbing Evra’s handshake at their reunion.
But the Uruguayan, who was booed throughout the Olympics by unforgiving fans, comes face to face with Tevez tomorrow at Anfield admitting he is happy to follow the Argentine star’s lead.
“Like any other problem someone has, you put it behind you and move on,” said the ex-Ajax striker.
“Yes, Carlos, had some problems as well. But he is a mature person and has sorted out those problems. He’s an excellent player and everyone in England is enjoying watching him play at this moment.
“There were clubs that wanted to sign me, but my priority was always to stay and sign for Liverpool.
“I am very happy here and the manager said he wanted me to stay because he was happy with me as a player.
“That gave me the confidence that I was hoping for and that helped me to stay and sign for Liverpool.
“The club has trust in me because of the work I do on the football pitch and what happened in the past is in the past. It is over.”
It was Tevez’s impact at West Ham and Manchester United which convinced Suarez to move to the Premier League.
“I watched Tevez when I was playing in Holland and I could see he was doing really well,” said Suarez.
“That’s one of the things that really motivated me to come and play in the Premier League. I thought that if Tevez can do really well, then I could do too because I have a similar physical stature.
“South American players should have no problems settling into the English game, given the way they play.”
Suarez admits he plays on the edge and this can lead to him stepping over the line.
He infamously bit a player in Holland, denied Ghana in the 2010 World Cup with a goalline handball, head- butted a referee in Uruguay and has developed a reputation as a diver.
“I think I play football in a different way,” he said. “I love football and I put 100 per cent into it all the time.
“I recognise that sometimes this can lead to unusual behaviour, but it is because I love the game so much and I am so passionate about it.
“I have worked very hard to get where I am today and the 90 minutes on the pitch are so important to me.
“That is why I fight so hard. It was very hard for me as a kid to get through as a footballer in Uruguay.
“I had to sacrifice a lot of things to get where I am. Now I don’t want to miss any of the opportunities that are open to me. That’s why I play so hard on the pitch.
“Is that kid still inside me? No, not now. But from time to time I do remember playing football without shoes.”
He has had to develop a thick skin against the abuse from opposition fans.
“The only thing I am interested in is the fans of Liverpool and the fans of the national team of Uruguay,” he added.
“The others fans are fanatical about their own teams and it is not as if they are going to support or try and help an opposition player anyway, so I am not really that interested in the reception they give me.”
While he is clearly not bothered about launching a charm offensive, he admits he needs to sharpen up in front of goal after missing a sackful of chances in Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at West Brom.
“I am the problem,” he said. “It is all down to me. I need to take my time more when I do have chances. Sometimes I am rushing at chances too much and I know the problem is mine. It is up to me to sort it out and to start scoring goals.
“I am annoyed about last Saturday. I did the hardest thing, which was to get free of my marker. And after that I missed the chances. But that is why we have training, to try and tweak these little things and make them better.
“In Holland I scored a lot of lucky goals. If you look back on my goals for Ajax, you will see that a lot of times I didn’t even hit them properly but they went in.
“If there is one thing that is missing in this country it is that bit of luck that can make a big difference. I am hoping that it will return.”
