Luis Suarez can be just like a child, says ex-boss

The manager who brought Luis Suarez to Europe says the 26-year-old has “the mentality of a child”.

Suarez was given a 10-match ban by the Football Association last week for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, which was the latest episode in the Uruguay striker’s poor disciplinary record.

The Liverpool star (above) was 19 when he joined Henk Veldmate’s Groningen in 2006 and the Dutch manager claims Suarez’s character is a result of his South American upbringing.

“He’s a grown-up person but also, in the way he likes playing football, he sometimes has the mentality of a child,” said Veldmate.

“If you compare the mentality and attitude to Dutch players, then in South America it’s dead or alive. It’s a way of life and a way of surviving.”