- The man who made Liverpool Football Club.
For a Liverpool fan there is nothing more prized than its glorious history. The tradition of the majestic Liverpool Football Club is laid on success. Built by Shanks and helped on by Paisley, Fagan, Dalglish, and Benitez, the club presently finds itself in no man's land. The club in the past 22 years has won silverware. They have won them all quite irregularly though. Plus, what they haven't won is the coveted League Title. The trophy had the name LFC pretty much at the start of the season during those days. Our regular involvement in Europe made us the most successful British club in the Europe's premier competition. Times changed dramatically and hardly we could realise that another Scot has wiped away the entire legacy that was built on and sustained by some other Scot for 30+ years ahead of that. Since them the Kop could do nothing but hope, pray, expect, yearn, get frustrated, and could only defend itself thanks to its illustrious HISTORY!
Our History is a testimony to success. The only other team that can match it in England has to be Manchester United only. As a Liverpool fan, I'm very much proud of this history too. But for 22 years what has been won in the past doesn't hold much relevance. That doesn't mean I don't respect what the club's forefathers to the current generation of players have done. What I mean is that we should start living in the present. For long we have discussed and argued only on one thing - HISTORY! Okay, ours is the most glorious in Britain, but for how long can it last more? With United always up there and is now joined by Man City and Chelsea and even Arsenal and Tottenham, where does a place for our history can be found? Liverpool have to start winning in the present. The Kop will never turn their back on their club, for sure! But the Kop needs its love back and for that we only need that our players respect the crest on the shirt. They need to play as if there is no tomorrow, they need to play as true Liverpool players, they need to play for the majestic for Kop for that makes them their darlings.
Last season was a disappointing one indeed. With Kenny Dalglish returning after replacing Roy Hodgson in utter turmoil, almost everybody thought that time has arrived. Liverpool had new owners and relatively more money than other seasons. But Dalglish couldn't materialize neither the money nor the talent of his players. Nobody ever thought Kenny would let people down this bad. Nobody that their King is too stale to deliver the goods. There were a lot of EXPECTATIONS! And this is one word I want to detach myself completely. LFC fans are bred to expect glory each seasons. Something they have been deluded of lately is glory itself. So, the solution is simple - Stop Expecting! Let time surprise you itself. And when time surprises you this way, it surprises you pleasantly.
Another thing that irks me, as I mentioned before, is too much love we give to our players. Well, everybody knows what happens when too much is given by the Kop to some of its best players. Many turned their back on us while a few perhaps made the right decision. Whichever way you may look at it, the Kop suffered. Liverpool just can't find replacements. We have always made, through our support, certain players indispensable. No matter how much we may deny, deep down inside we know that they are made into indispensables. Xabi Alonso still loves Liverpool and he left amid distasteful spats with Benitez, but have we been able to replace him? No. Fernando Torres left us when we needed him the most, but have we been able to replace him? No. Steven Gerrard is nearing his retirement. He would hang up his boots soon. So, would there be anyone as good as him? No. Liverpool is too static to change. One player gone and there is no way out. The club needs to be dynamic, a lot more dynamic and adaptable. All the 3 players mentioned above are unique, but they are not the end of the road. Stars were created yesterday, they are created today, and will be created tomorrow.
This season I think I sense something that I like. No expectations, less arguing over history, and more focus on what happens on the pitch. Having said that, I would always be proud of my club's glorious past, its players (no matter who), its managerial staff, its holy stadium, and above all the virtue of being a Liverpool fan, the virtue of being a Kopite, a person destined to sing YNWA right at the Kop.
