Share

I can't stand Suarez - Williams

London - Liverpool striker Luis Suarez dives so much during matches that his behaviour is embarrassing, Swansea City defender Ashley Williams says in a new book.

Suarez, already a target for boos from the stands in England after he received an eight-match ban last season for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra, was unworthy of respect, Williams said.

"He dived more than any other player I've played against before - it was so bad I was genuinely shocked," wrote Williams in his book, excerpts of which are being published in the South Wales Evening Post (www.thisissouthwales.co.uk).

"His behaviour was embarrassing. The sad thing is that he's a brilliant player and I rate him very highly, but he just possesses this temperament that I can't stand to see in a fellow footballer.

"The lack of respect he shows everyone means he gets no respect from me."

The Uruguayan was labelled a disgrace by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson after refusing to shake Evra's hand earlier this year following his ban and he is no stranger to controversy.

At the 2010 World Cup he was sent off for a blatant handball on the goal-line against Ghana and in October he celebrated a goal in the Merseyside derby with a comical dive in front of Everton manager David Moyes, a critic of Suarez's tactics.

After their meeting in May on the final day of the season, which Swansea won 1-0, and ahead of their English Premier League clash on Sunday, Williams wrote of his dislike for Suarez.

"The manner in which he approached the game, with utter contempt for us all, means that he's streets ahead of any player I've truly disliked since we've been in the Premier League.

"Suarez has that aura about him that says: 'I'm untouchable'. Having played against him for 90 minutes now, all I can say is that for such a talented player, he's very annoying."

Suarez told the Liverpool website (www.liverpoolfc.com) earlier this month he was happy for opposition supporters to jeer him as it motivated him even more.

The 25-year-old has been in superb form all season and leads the Premier League scoring charts with 10 goals to put his name firmly among the favourites for player of the year.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1817 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1777 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1084 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 461 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE