Liverpool striker Luis Suarez will be determined to restore his image in the Carling Cup final.
Striker expected to want to repay the faith of Liverpool
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez will be determined to restore his image in the Carling Cup final, according to one of his closest allies.
The Uruguayan is on Sunday expected to start at Wembley against Cardiff as his employers seek to win their first trophy since 2006.
It will be just a fourth appearance for Suarez since he returned from an eight-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra, and Cardiff fans will follow the trend of greeting him with boos.
That, though, will just inspire the 25-year-old to change the minds of his critics, thinks his former team manager at Ajax, Herman Pinkster.
"Luis is someone who values loyalty more than money, I believe the internal support for Luis at Liverpool has been strong and he will never forget that," said Pinkster in the
Daily Telegraph.
"Luis will know it was not such a wise decision not to shake Patrice Evra's hand. He will want to change people's opinion of him.
Ambition
"I see a different perspective than others. He will be even more determined to show everyone his football skills.
"When he makes his mind up about something, he sticks to it. That is what happened when he was determined to leave Ajax and move to England and his ambition then was to improve himself and become an even better player.
"Outside of football he is one of the greatest guys I have ever met. He is so determined on the pitch and sometimes it is that determination that is a problem for him."
Pinkster is also adamant Suarez is not a racist and the incident with Evra came as a result of a misunderstanding.
"It does not matter to Luis where you come from. What matters is if you can play football," he said.
"He never knew the impact of the word he used in England and it was the lack of knowledge of the English language that has caused a problem."
