‘He was a joke’ – One ‘top, top player’ at Liverpool left a lasting impression on Jonjo Shelvey
Jonjo Shelvey was left in awe of one former teammate at Liverpool who he described (in the best way possible) as ‘a joke’ of a footballer.
The 33-year-old – who’s now playing in the United Arab Emirates with Arabian Falcons – spent the best part of three years at Anfield before leaving for Swansea in the summer of 2013, scoring seven times in 69 appearances for the Reds.
For the most part, his time on Merseyside overlapped with that of Luis Suarez, whose 31-goal exploits in the 2013/14 campaign earned him the PFA Player of the Year award before he left for Barcelona.
Shelvey shares memories of ‘unbelievable’ Suarez
Shelvey was the latest guest to appear on the Under The Cosh podcast, and in reflecting on his time at Liverpool, he recalled just what it was like to train and play alongside the Uruguayan, who’s now at Inter Miami and turns 39 later this month.
The former Reds midfielder said: “I loved Suarez. I think he’s a top, top centre-forward. He was so good, unbelievable player. The first day [at training], Carragher has gone in to press him and he’s just megged him and put it in the top bins.
“Normally, these South Americans take a while to adjust to the Premier League, but he was straight into it, nailing people in training.”
Shelvey continued: “He’s in Miami but he can’t move now. It’s a bit sad when you watch him, really, but he was a joke. That year when he scored three or four hat-tricks in a season, he was a joke. He was a top, top player.”
Suarez was a genius of a player for Liverpool
Suarez’s career will unfortunately be tainted by his multiple biting offences, including one in a Liverpool shirt against Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic in 2013, but any Reds fans who watched him in his time at Anfield will first and foremost recall his excellence as a footballer.
The Uruguayan was so much more than a prolific goalscorer for LFC (82 in 133 games); he could do things on the pitch which most players wouldn’t even dream of attempting. Thinking back to his four-goal masterclass against Norwich, every one of his goals that night was breathtaking in its own way.
The training ground testimonies of Brad Jones and Martin Kelly also highlighted the striker’s incredible competitiveness every single day, and Ian Byrne MP – who’s watched plenty of genuine Liverpool greats over the years – hailed him as ‘the greatest talent I have ever seen in my life on a football pitch’.
Suarez came to Anfield at a time when the club was at a low ebb, and at times we can only wonder what the Reds would’ve been like to watch had his time at the club coincided with that of Mo Salah et al.
Shelvey was one of those who had the privilege of working alongside him every day for nearly three years, and for all the Uruguayan’s flaws in terms of his temperament, few who’ve ever worn the famous red shirt can match him when it comes to pure footballing ability.
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