Suarez, Reina and the hypocrisy of loyalty

Liverpool are outraged. Their fans are outraged, their manager is outraged, their club mascot, presumably, is outraged. How dare Luis Suarez make clear his intention to play football in another kit. It’s disrespectful, is what it is. Disrespectful for a player to ask to leave and classless for another football club, namely Arsenal, to do their best to make that wish come true.

Elsewhere on Merseyside, Jose Manuel Reina is in the process of packing up his worldly possessions. He’s recently informed his wife and newborn child that they’ll be moving to Italy this summer, for how long, well, we don’t really know, in less than 12 months, Daddy might be looking for work somewhere else. But what of respect for this loyal servant of 8 years? Did his club act with class, at least, in bidding him farewell? Oh, that’s right. They loaned him out without telling him first.

Here lies the pathetic hypocrisy behind Brendan Rodgers’ sanctimonious ramblings, the sheer emptiness behind any modern football club’s attempt to invoke blind loyalty as a reason why a player should feel obligated to remain their own. It’s a one way street.

Rush to announce ‘Bayern era’ reveals English desparation for a blueprint

How quick they were to dance on Barcelona’s grave. The empire had fallen, its impotent figurehead nothing more than a relic of dominance years gone by. The head of a statue alone in the desert.

The narrative for Tuesday night was written before a ball had even been kicked. Journalists across the board heralded a meeting of ‘past vs. present.’ It was a theme resonant in part due to Pep Guardiola’s impending destination, but there was something more at work. Ravaged by injury, their tiny talisman lacking match fitness, a tired Barca side were coming up against a German outfit in thundering form. The media smelt blood.

“My name is Messi, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

In true gladiatorial style, Bayern delivered. From the 4-0 scoreline all of the pre-match talk appears justified; the reaction was inevitable. The Barca Era had ended, the greatest team in decades was finally in decline. They had been neutralised, overpowered, frankly embarrassed. Now everyone would look to Bayern, not Barca, for the blueprint for success. Having a team awash with six foot athletes was once again in vogue. Xavi and Iniesta? Pfft, Javi Martinez fouls more than both of them combined.