This is a post from a lad called Andy@ Allerton who posts on a couple of other forums and it pretty much sums how I feel -
I've been going to the match since the 80s. I've had a season ticket for nigh on 20 years. But I'm wondering where the once great club that I supported all that time is going.
I'm not even remotely talking about the results on the pitch or the disappointment of the FA Cup defeat by Barnsley - only knee jerking fair weather fans would complain about little blips like our form.
I'm talking about the idea that the press and some fans are putting increasing pressure on the club to get shot of the best manager we've had here for around 20 years.
I've heard people on here laughably (And incredibly) saying that 'These are the darkest days for Liverpool FC' (Regarding the manager and the football - obviously we all know about the real dark days of the club) - but regarding the football and manager - this is where I'm really struggling. Assuming these people aren't around 10 years of age or so - can they not remember the days when Souness took over? Can they not remember the good crack at management - but the ultimate failure of the superb Roy Evans (A true Gentleman in the mould of Rafa) and the success. I won't put Gerard Houllier and Phil Thompsons role at the club in any light as a failure - it wasn't. They moved us forward with the facilities and the setup of the club - a platform that will serve any new manager well.
We've had real dross in the past - but that's nowhere near where we are now. I've heard some people talk about 'Exciting' football - I'm still not really sure what that is supposed to mean? I've been watching the game for around 30 years and I haven't got a clue what that is supposed to be? I know that it didn't really seem to be around or indeed a requirement until around 1992. We used to get up. Get on the lash. Watch the football. Hopefully win or at least draw and because we all loved football through and through - every game was enjoyable. It still is to me. I even enjoyed the Barnsley game (Even though we lost) - because I love going to watch the game that much. I would suggest to some people that think 'our football is boring' that they really, really look at themselves and see what they expect to see in a bunch of 22 fellas kicking a ball about on a pitch. It's not (to me) about 'excitement' or whatever the **** Sky and the other sensationalist channels are bleating on about at the time - it's about support. It's about seeing a bunch of lads (And yes I know they are somewhat distanced by the ridiculous wages and expectation) kick a ball about for your club and you hoping and wishing for the best result. But then being able to handle the fact that (hopefully) football isn't fixed. Sometimes mad results happen. Sometimes they happen a bit too often. Sometimes (Like under Souness) it's a bit of a shock when results actually go your way.
But all that's by the by.
The thing is with Liverpool FC is that even when everything went wrong - they kept their quiet. They kept their dignity. Any dealings with the manager were private and were away from the press. We did things in a quiet, measured and controlled way. We took our time. We didn't rush. We tried to make the right choices at the right time with the right people in the right way.
But now I'm reading (And yes, I know the press is about as reliable as a fox in a chicken coop) that we're being linked with the likes of Mourinho, Martin O'Neill and some other bewildering names. I have to check that these people really are being linked with our great club. And I have to wonder what really is supposed to be going on.
Last year you'd know this was all your usual media guff - but now? With these new owners? With these 'fans'? With this situation at the club?
I'm sure that Mourinho and O'Neill are very nice people in their own right - but what other Liverpool board or owners would have brought these people in? Their style and their mentality doesn't to me tally up with the club. But it even goes further than this. Until recently (As little ago as the end of November last year - 2 and a half months, in fact). Everything at the club looked on course. The players were gaining in stature. The manager looked calm and composed. The owners looked like they were the ones that really should be at the helm of our great club. But then things started to get somewhat strange. A little bit weird.
Perhaps some of the 'fans' on here (And certainly the media) have affected the new owners of the club? Who knows? But one thing I do know is that things have never happened like this at Anfield. Things were never done this way - and if Rafa Benitez - and I can say this because I've seen us as we were - THE GREATEST MANAGER WE'VE HAD AT THE CLUB FOR 20 YEARS - gets binned - then that's a total disgrace. Those that want him gone should really hang their heads in shame. Go out. Get to HMV or a bit torrent site. Look at what we had to put up with with Souness and Evans and even with Gerard at the end when the wheels fell off. Look at the way our club AND OUR FANS behaved and conducted themselves. We (apparently) used to be known for our football nouse and knowledge. And that didn't include throwing the baby out with the dishwater. It didn't include wanting endless manager changes in a petulant attempt to get success NOW NOW NOW and play this elusive (And Sky-Engineered) 'Entertaining Football'. Football isn't there to Entertain. It's there just to be there for its supporters. You could argue that neutrals watching a game want to be entertained. Fine. Fair Enough. In My opinion these neutrals can **** off - I'm not even remotely interested in what their wants and needs are. If you as a Liverpool Fan aren't 'Entertained' - go and watch something else. Go and DO something else. Football just obviously isn't for you.
The 'Entertainment' is in the highs. It's in the lows. It's in togetherness. It's in belief. It's in patience. It's in love of the club and It's in Support.
It isn't about Endless Success and winning and lording it over others. Endless success is a rare commodity in football of any generation.
I still Love the Club. I think the manager in place is a superb fella with his head screwed on. If these people doubting and judging and complaining just give him the time to do the job he obviously was born for - perhaps they may find that Entertainment in their appreciation of the game.
It's hard being a fan sometimes. But ultimately. If you stay with it. Stay calm. Take defeat in the way you take victory. Keep believing and keep supporting - well - how can that not be entertaining?
I've been going to the match since the 80s. I've had a season ticket for nigh on 20 years. But I'm wondering where the once great club that I supported all that time is going.
I'm not even remotely talking about the results on the pitch or the disappointment of the FA Cup defeat by Barnsley - only knee jerking fair weather fans would complain about little blips like our form.
I'm talking about the idea that the press and some fans are putting increasing pressure on the club to get shot of the best manager we've had here for around 20 years.
I've heard people on here laughably (And incredibly) saying that 'These are the darkest days for Liverpool FC' (Regarding the manager and the football - obviously we all know about the real dark days of the club) - but regarding the football and manager - this is where I'm really struggling. Assuming these people aren't around 10 years of age or so - can they not remember the days when Souness took over? Can they not remember the good crack at management - but the ultimate failure of the superb Roy Evans (A true Gentleman in the mould of Rafa) and the success. I won't put Gerard Houllier and Phil Thompsons role at the club in any light as a failure - it wasn't. They moved us forward with the facilities and the setup of the club - a platform that will serve any new manager well.
We've had real dross in the past - but that's nowhere near where we are now. I've heard some people talk about 'Exciting' football - I'm still not really sure what that is supposed to mean? I've been watching the game for around 30 years and I haven't got a clue what that is supposed to be? I know that it didn't really seem to be around or indeed a requirement until around 1992. We used to get up. Get on the lash. Watch the football. Hopefully win or at least draw and because we all loved football through and through - every game was enjoyable. It still is to me. I even enjoyed the Barnsley game (Even though we lost) - because I love going to watch the game that much. I would suggest to some people that think 'our football is boring' that they really, really look at themselves and see what they expect to see in a bunch of 22 fellas kicking a ball about on a pitch. It's not (to me) about 'excitement' or whatever the **** Sky and the other sensationalist channels are bleating on about at the time - it's about support. It's about seeing a bunch of lads (And yes I know they are somewhat distanced by the ridiculous wages and expectation) kick a ball about for your club and you hoping and wishing for the best result. But then being able to handle the fact that (hopefully) football isn't fixed. Sometimes mad results happen. Sometimes they happen a bit too often. Sometimes (Like under Souness) it's a bit of a shock when results actually go your way.
But all that's by the by.
The thing is with Liverpool FC is that even when everything went wrong - they kept their quiet. They kept their dignity. Any dealings with the manager were private and were away from the press. We did things in a quiet, measured and controlled way. We took our time. We didn't rush. We tried to make the right choices at the right time with the right people in the right way.
But now I'm reading (And yes, I know the press is about as reliable as a fox in a chicken coop) that we're being linked with the likes of Mourinho, Martin O'Neill and some other bewildering names. I have to check that these people really are being linked with our great club. And I have to wonder what really is supposed to be going on.
Last year you'd know this was all your usual media guff - but now? With these new owners? With these 'fans'? With this situation at the club?
I'm sure that Mourinho and O'Neill are very nice people in their own right - but what other Liverpool board or owners would have brought these people in? Their style and their mentality doesn't to me tally up with the club. But it even goes further than this. Until recently (As little ago as the end of November last year - 2 and a half months, in fact). Everything at the club looked on course. The players were gaining in stature. The manager looked calm and composed. The owners looked like they were the ones that really should be at the helm of our great club. But then things started to get somewhat strange. A little bit weird.
Perhaps some of the 'fans' on here (And certainly the media) have affected the new owners of the club? Who knows? But one thing I do know is that things have never happened like this at Anfield. Things were never done this way - and if Rafa Benitez - and I can say this because I've seen us as we were - THE GREATEST MANAGER WE'VE HAD AT THE CLUB FOR 20 YEARS - gets binned - then that's a total disgrace. Those that want him gone should really hang their heads in shame. Go out. Get to HMV or a bit torrent site. Look at what we had to put up with with Souness and Evans and even with Gerard at the end when the wheels fell off. Look at the way our club AND OUR FANS behaved and conducted themselves. We (apparently) used to be known for our football nouse and knowledge. And that didn't include throwing the baby out with the dishwater. It didn't include wanting endless manager changes in a petulant attempt to get success NOW NOW NOW and play this elusive (And Sky-Engineered) 'Entertaining Football'. Football isn't there to Entertain. It's there just to be there for its supporters. You could argue that neutrals watching a game want to be entertained. Fine. Fair Enough. In My opinion these neutrals can **** off - I'm not even remotely interested in what their wants and needs are. If you as a Liverpool Fan aren't 'Entertained' - go and watch something else. Go and DO something else. Football just obviously isn't for you.
The 'Entertainment' is in the highs. It's in the lows. It's in togetherness. It's in belief. It's in patience. It's in love of the club and It's in Support.
It isn't about Endless Success and winning and lording it over others. Endless success is a rare commodity in football of any generation.
I still Love the Club. I think the manager in place is a superb fella with his head screwed on. If these people doubting and judging and complaining just give him the time to do the job he obviously was born for - perhaps they may find that Entertainment in their appreciation of the game.
It's hard being a fan sometimes. But ultimately. If you stay with it. Stay calm. Take defeat in the way you take victory. Keep believing and keep supporting - well - how can that not be entertaining?
Comment