Do you ever wonder if your favorite celebrity supports the Liverpool Football Club?
I have done some thorough research and have come up with two lists that might surprise you! For the record, this is a factual blog and the following names were not taken out of thin air. The following information is very accurate, enjoy it and share it with your friends!
Celebrities (past & present) that support the Liverpool Football Club
Caroline Wozniacki - Danish Pro Tennis Player.
It isn't much of a secret that the world number-one is a Liverpool supporter. She often tweets about the club and has a large fanbase of Reds from around the world. She recently wore a signed Liverpool shirt at the Qatar Open, a shirt which was reportedly sent by Steven Gerrard.
Angelina Jolie - American Actress.
When the Hollywood beauty isn't raiding tombs, she's cheering the Mighty Reds on to victory. She revealed that her baby son, Maddox, "only wants to play for Liverpool". She also revealed that she frequently watches the Reds.
Samuel L Jackson - American Actor and Film Producer.
Samuel fell in love with the club after attending a Merseyside derby while shooting the movie 'The 51st State' in Liverpool. From an executive box, the star was seen waving his arms and singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' during the game. Jackson has also publicly expressed his distaste towards the people of Manchester.
Pope John Paul II - Polish Pope (deceased).
John Paul was a keen supporter of the Liverpool Football Club. He followed the club even more when Jerzy Dudek was the number-one goalkeeper. For the record, John Paul also supported Cracovia, a Polish football team.
Liam Neeson - Irish Actor.
Actor Liam and his two sons are big Liverpool fans. They attend games when they are able to. They were spotted at a Fulham v Liverpool game about 2 years ago after the tragic death of Liam's wife, Natasha Richardson, in a skiing accident.
Daniel Craig- English Actor and Film Producer.
Daniel is a Liverpool fan and his idol is Steven Gerrard (yes, even James Bond can't resist) although nobody knows how long he has supported the club for. He has been spotted several times at Anfield.
Mike Myers- Canadian Actor and Comedian.
Mike Myers is a passionate Liverpool fan who started following the club at a young age. He was influenced by his parents, who originated from the Old Swan area of Liverpool. The actor, known for his role as Austin Powers, admits that he was 'the odd one out' growing up in Canada.
LeBron James - American Pro Basketball Player and Businessman.
LeBron James recently obtained a minority share in the Liverpool Football Club in exchange for his global rights, a deal that was done with FSG. LeBron has revealed that he is excited in being part of one of the biggest sports clubs in the world at a recent press conference.
Sheamus - Irish Pro Wrestler.
Sheamus follows the club and recently visited Anfield and the LFC Museum. He was interviewed on the day as he spoke of his love for the club. He also went on to say that he would probably punch Gary Neville in the face if he saw him as he is a 'sour person'.
Kim Cattrall- English Actress.
Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall was born in Mossley Hill, Liverpool. Although she is quite busy with her various acting roles, she still finds the time to monitor the Reds' progress. In November 2010, she was Steven Gerrard's guest at Anfield when Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-0.
Nelson Mandela- Former South African President.
In 1994, Nelson revealed to John Barnes that he supported the Liverpool Football Club. John Barnes presented Nelson with a Liverpool shirt and had conducted a formal interview with him during the club's pre-season tour of the country.
Rafael Benitez - Spanish Football Manager.
The former Liverpool Manager's love for the club isn't much of a secret. When he was viciously axed by the former owners, Rafa went to Inter Milan and once said that he didn't like the blue colours as it reminded him of Everton. Rafa has also been of tremendous help to the families of the Hillsborough victims along the years, also donating 96 thousand pounds when he left the club. Rafa received two standing ovations at the 2011 Hillsborough Memorial Service and was seen weeping in the crowd. Rafa will always be remembered for the right reasons at our club.
Dr. Dre- American Record Producer, Rapper and Actor.
Dr. Dre became a huge fan of Liverpool after becoming good friends with John Barnes after the ‘Anfield Rap’ was recorded in 1988. Dre even claimed that John Barnes was his favorite player at the time. He also admitted that he always looks out for the Reds and keeps track of the team whenever he can.
Sven Goran Eriksson- Swedish Football Manager.
In June 2010, Sven confessed that he has been a lifelong Liverpool fan. Eriksson began following the Reds as a boy in Sweden. His father was also a Liverpool supporter and every Saturday, they would watch a Liverpool match on the television. It was the highlight of the week according to Sven. ''They have always been my team and nothing has changed.''
Billy-Bob Thornton- American Actor and Musician.
Billy-Bob is a big fan of the Liverpool Football Club, the city and the supporters. He revealed this in an interview with Empire magazine. He also met Gerry Marsden and saw Liverpool play Juventus at Anfield, an experience that he will never forget.
Snoop Dog - American Rapper and Entertainer.
Snoop Dog wore a Liverpool shirt at a recent concert that he held in Liverpool, to the delight of 90% of the fans. When interviewed, he revealed that a few of his friends supported the club so he thought he would do the same.
Melanie C- English Singer-songwriter and Actress.
Melanie Chisholm has been a passionate Liverpool FC supporter from a young age. She has even named her record label 'Red Girl Records' after the club.
Clive Owen- English Actor.
Clive is an avid Liverpool fan. He attends as many games as he can and always makes sure that he is able to watch the games on television, no matter where he is.
Graeme Smith- South African Pro Cricketer.
The captain of the South African cricket team has actually been a Red from the age of six, although the rest of his family support Manchester united. Graeme's all time hero is Kenny Dalglish, he has fond memories of watching videos of him as a youngster.
Stephen Graham- English Actor.
Stephen is a die-hard Liverpool fan. He often tries to convert Hollywood's leading actors and writers into becoming fans of the club. Stephen even tried converting Leonardo Di Caprio, but Di Caprio had found football to be a bit boring for his taste.
Robbie Slater - Former Professional Football Player.
The England-born Australian openly supports Liverpool although having won the Premiership with Blackburn in 1995. Slater also played for West Ham United, Southampton, Wolves and Lens.
Cameron Mooney - Australian Football Superstar.
The former AFL (Australian Football League) player is an avid Liverpool fan. He has won 3 premierships and is now co-hosting a successful Australian sports program.
Robbie Farah- Australian Pro Rugby League Player.
The Wests Tigers captain is a huge Liverpool FC fan and has followed the club since he was 13, partly due to his brothers supporting the club. His favourite games were the '01 FA Cup final, '05 Champions League final and the '06 FA Cup final amongst others. His favourite goal of all time was the Gerrard stunner against Olympiakos. Robbie went to a Liverpool v man united game and sung 'You'll Never Walk Alone' with the Kop and later stated that it was one of the best experiences of his entire life. He later met and shared a few drinks with Robbie Fowler, one of the all time Liverpool greats.
Ding Junhui- Chinese Pro Snooker Player.
Superstar snooker player, Ding Junhui, admits that he is a massive Liverpool fan. He is already China's most successful snooker player of all time.
Gerry Marsden - English Musician.
This one is pretty obvious. Gerry is best known for being leader of the band Gerry and the Pacemakers.
John Bishop- English Comedian and Actor.
John is originally from Liverpool and is an ardent fan of the club. He also tries to follow the Reds as much as he can.
Adam Woodyatt- English Actor and Media Personality.
More famously known as 'Ian Beale' in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, Adam is a passionate Liverpool fan and has a keen appreciation for sport in general.
Laura Davies- English Pro Golfer.
Laura is considered to be the most accomplished English female golfer of modern times, boasting 78 professional wins worldwide. And yes, you guessed it; she is a big Liverpool fan.
Rosanna Davison - Irish Model, Columnist and Personality.
Rosie was the winner of the 2003 Miss World contest. She is a Liverpool supporter, just like her father, Chris De Burgh.
Tommy Tiernan- Irish Comedian, Actor and Writer.
Funny-man Tommy Tiernan is also a passionate Liverpool supporter. He spoke about his passion for the club in a recent interview.
Kirsty Gallacher- Scottish Television Presenter.
Kirsty has supported the club since she was young. She was influenced by her father, who also happens to be a Liverpool supporter.
Football Players that support/grew up supporting Liverpool FC
Xabi Alonso- Spanish, plays for Real Madrid.
The former Liverpool midfielder recently revealed that he 'is and always will be' a Liverpool supporter. He loves the club so much that he wants to raise his son as a die-hard Liverpool supporter too. He has promised to return to Liverpool FC one day.
Theo Walcott- English, plays for Arsenal.
Theo has never hidden the fact that he's a massive Liverpool supporter. He started following the club as a youngster because of his father's support for the club. Who knows, he could very well join the club sooner rather than later.
Robbie Keane - Irish, plays for West Ham United.
Robbie Keane joined Liverpool in July 2008. At his first press conference with the club, he revealed that he had been a Liverpool supporter all his life and that he always had the Liverpool shirt on his back when he was a youngster. He left the club 7 months later due to poor form and a disappointing run.
Kevin Nolan - English, plays for Newcastle United.
Kevin was born in Toxteth, Liverpool and grew up supporting the Liverpool Football Club. His two favorite players however, were Eric Cantona and Lee Sharpe of Manchester united.
Jari Litmanen- Finnish, currently a Free Agent.
Jari grew up supporting Liverpool and was even signed by Gerard Houllier in 2001, but his days at the club were short lived due to constant injuries. Jari is arguably the best Finnish player of all time.
Rio Ferdinand- English, plays for Manchester united.
Rio grew up idolizing John Barnes. The Liverpool influence came about due to the majority of his friends supporting Liverpool. Rio once told MUTV, his club's official TV channel that ''As a kid, Liverpool was the team that were doing well, with the likes of John Barnes and John Aldridge, and United weren't really winning anything.''
John O'Shea- Irish, plays for Manchester united.
John supported Liverpool when he was growing up. He is admired at his current club, even though it is widely acknowledged amongst united fans that O'Shea grew up supporting Liverpool.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer- Norwegian, used to play for Manchester united.
Ole grew up supporting Liverpool, but he jumped ship as he signed with Manchester united in July 1996.
Forget about the cringeworthy rewritings of the Torres song. Forget about the inevitable photoshopping people are going to partake in. Forget about the melodrama and tears if you're over 16 years of age. Forget, even, about Fernando Torres next Sunday when he walks out at Stamford Bridge as one of of them as opposed to one of us.
This lad is our new number 9. He's one who wants to play for Liverpool Football Club. For Kenny. For us.
Support him from the word go. He has the potential to be an absolute monster. Our monster.
His new strike partner isn't bad, either. It's a duo no defence will want to mess with. Tenacious and pugnacious. Defenders will be breathless at the full-time whistle - as breathless as us supporters.
The Liverpool supporters are known for their ability to see good football, when they see it, and are supposedly an intelligent crowd. But after the comments to my last blog post, then I am beginning to doubt that some Liverpool supporters are so intelligent. Every day I am reading blog post about sacking Brendan Rodgers. Every week I read blog posts and comments on how the owners exploit Liverpool Football Club, in order to make a quick financial profit of an investment.
I am educated as a banker, and my speciality was that I was head on an investment group, and I had a lot to do with investments, and I know how to run a profitable business. Which means I know what I am talking about. I believed every word of owner John W. Henry's open letter to us Liverpool supporters, and I have read enough about the owners plans for Liverpool Football Club, and for those who don't have, then I can educate you, and let you know that the owners have a long term plan for the club. And so far the club is not a profitable investment for the owners, as some think it is.
All the critics of the owners, should remember the previous owners, and also remember that Liverpool Football Club was very close to going into administration, because of the debt the previous owners had left the club in. And it is only our current owners we can thank for that Liverpool isn't administrated by the banks. Because the first thing that John W. Henry did was to pay the debt from the previous owners, and it was a lot. So to those of you who thinks that John W. Henry is trying to exploit the club, then I suggest you think otherwise. Of course Liverpool Football Club is a business, but so far Liverpool as a business is not more worth, than it was when the new owners bought it.
What John W. Henry wrote in his open letter to us the supporters, was that he was more concerned about the future of Liverpool for the next 16 years, rather than the future for the next 16 weeks. And I happen to believe in that, as it makes perfect sense. I know that the summer transfer window didn't go as planned, but that is hardly the owners fault. The fact that they didn't want to invest in an almost 30 years old striker, Clint Dempsey is not so strange, when the owners are trying to build a Liverpool team up from the ground. And that means to invest in young players. And to give the talented young players from the Academy a chance. Signing Clint Dempsey would not have helped Liverpool a lot. So Tottenham bought him instead, but he is not even a regular starter for Tottenham, and so far he has only scored twice for them. I admit that someone made a mistake in the summer transfer window, but things don't always goes as planned. Accept it and move on.
To all those who expect instant results, then I can only say that it is not going to happen, Liverpool are not going to win anything, this season. You might as well get used to that thought. Liverpool have the youngest team in the Premier League, at least when Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are not playing at the same time. Every match Liverpool plays, we have three teenagers on the team, and normally a teenager is substituted in, such as 18 years old Suso. Liverpool have a lot of young players, and it will take them some time, before they gel and get the necessary confidence and experience that they need to win matches in the Premier League.
To all those “intelligent” supporters who are writing blog posts about sacking Brendan Rodgers, I have to say that you don't know the first thing about the plan that Brendan Rodgers has for Liverpool Football Club. He has stated that he needs at least three transfer windows, to complete his plan for which players Liverpool should have in the squad. That means that you can't expect results before in two seasons from now. And what is the point in sacking Brendan Rodgers? Who should Liverpool then hire? Rafa Benitez? I have read many supporters who wants him back. If Rafa Benitez came back, then he would probably ask for a lot of money, so that he could buy players like Falcao and Messi, or someone else, very expensive. And Liverpool would need to start all over again, and with Rafa Benitez back at the helm, then I am sure that he won't deliver results and win trophies or the Premier League, before Brendan Rodgers does it.
Both the owners and Brendan Rodgers have agreed to a plan, and it's a long term plan. It is going to take a couple of seasons, before Liverpool will be back on the top of both English and European football. All we Liverpool supporters needs to be patient, and stop being so paranoid when you are accusing the owners of lying to us. And I think that Brendan Rodgers is the right man for the job.
Now I have stated my opinions, and I don't expect everyone else to have the same opinion as I do, and I respect that. But try at least to be positive and have some faith. Liverpool is on the right path, and we are going to return to former glory, it will just take some time. Of course I don't expect any high ranking on this blog post, but I don't really care. All I care about is the future of my beloved Liverpool Football Club, and so does the owners and Brendan Rodgers, and everyone else working for Liverpool Football Club.
Mid-September 2010. After finishing 7th last season, I’m struggling to convince my two boys that Liverpool are the greatest club in the world. And now, under Hodgson’s guidance and the increasingly worrying Hicks/Gillett ownership, my job is getting more difficult. I arrive home from work one day, and my 9-year-old approaches me sheepishly.
“Dad? I don’t want to support Liverpool anymore. I want to support Man United.” Six words that any LFC-supporting father dreads.
“Me too!” chips in my 7-year-old, helpfully.
“Why?” I reply calmly, struggling to hide the panic and anger bubbling up inside.
“Everyone at school supports Man United, and I don’t want to be the odd-one-out.” It’s true. We live in Surrey, a few miles from Chelsea’s training ground, and about 15 miles from Stamford Bridge. Chelsea run the local soccer schools. And yet the kids support United.
Unfortunately, my anger gets the better of me. “Well, you have a simple choice to make boys. Either you can support Man United, or you can have a Dad.” This sends them running to Mum, and you can imagine the trouble I’m in.
Once calm returns to the house, chastised, I try a different approach. “Well you can’t support Man United can you boys? Remember the first rule of football: You can only support the team your Dad supports, or your local team.” I’d taken them to see Reading when they were in the Premier League, including the time they beat Liverpool. But they got bored when I took them to Championship games, and they’d lost interest. “It’s got to be Liverpool or Reading.”
“Reading? They’re rubbish”, declares my youngest.
“Well it’s got to be Liverpool then”, I say, in a matter-of-fact kind of way.
“Reading aren’t our only local team you know”, offers my eldest kindly. Unfortunately geography is one of his stronger subjects. “If I can’t support Man United, I want to support Chelsea.”
“Fulham are closer”, I reply confidently, not sure if it’s true.
“Fulham? They’re rubbish”, declares my youngest, again.
I’m really panicking now. “OK, you can support Liverpool and either Arsenal or Tottenham for a bit, until Liverpool improve. They both play good football and are both only a bit further away than Chelsea.”
“I’m going to support Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham” declares my youngest.
“Then you’ll have a very successful season”, I mutter.
“I’ll do you a deal”, offers my eldest. Always doing deals. “I’ll support Liverpool and Man United until the end of the season, and then decide.”
With Liverpool still in the picture for both of them, I decide to leave it there for the time-being. Let them go on a journey of discovery - plenty of time to steer them back onto the righteous path before the end of the season. “Deal”, I agree.
“But…” continues my eldest, “if Liverpool drop into the relegation zone, I’m supporting Man United”.
“Relegation zone?!” I laugh. Never in my lifetime. Never. “Alright boys, no problem. You don’t have to support Liverpool if we drop into the relegation zone.”
3rd October 2010. Home to Blackpool, absolute banker – home win, 99 times out of 100. Even a draw will keep us out of the relegation zone, so absolutely no worries at all.
Of course you know what happens. Total humiliation. The most humiliating defeat at Anfield since…. well, since Northampton won there 11 days earlier. My boys see the result, and I pray they won’t see the table.
“Dad, Dad, Liverpool are in the relegation zone! You said we don’t have to support them if they’re in the relegation zone! Yeessss!!!”
We don’t play again for two weeks, and they’re two of the worst weeks of my life. On top of everything else, Liverpool face administration and probable relegation if they can’t sell the club. I seriously wonder if the club I’ve loved for my whole life is dying before me.
The week of 11th to 15th October I can’t sleep properly or focus on work. I sit at my desk clicking the refresh button on the live news feeds a hundred times a day. Finally on 15th October, just an hour or two before the deadline, the LFC board burst out of the High Court declaring victory. The club can be sold to NESV. I should feel euphoric, but I’m broken, exhausted, and slump on my desk, numb with relief.
Confident that Liverpool will climb back up the table, I explain to my boys how Liverpool will now be great again, and sit back and wait for the victories to roll in. But of course, they don’t. Week after week I pray for Liverpool victories, while at the same time a shameful part of me hopes we lose so that Hodgson will be sacked.
For the first time I wonder if I’m being cruel, insisting my boys support Liverpool. Then I bump into a mate who has his son dressed in a Brentford shirt. Immediately, I know that encouraging them to support Liverpool is one of the greatest gifts I can ever give to them. I just need to bide my time.
In mid-December we lose to Newcastle, and I tell my boys that Hodgson will be sacked the next day. Then we lose to Wolves at Anfield, and I tell my boys that Hodgson will definitely, definitely, be sacked the next day. They find my pain hilarious. Then on 5th January we lose to Blackburn, and finally the axe falls.
8th January 2011. Liverpool announce that King Kenny will return as manager until the end of the season. Now, I’ve loved Kenny my whole life. Two years ago, in an interview for a business magazine, I told them Kenny Dalglish was my inspiration, because no-one has achieved so much as both a team player and a Manager. But I have my reservations. If he can still do it, why has he been out of management for so long? Anyway, I can’t let my boys know my concerns. This is too good a chance to miss.
“Kenny Dalglish? He is such an old man”, offers my eldest generously.
“Right”, I said. “Both of you wait there.”
I went upstairs and fetched Kenny’s autobiography and my LFC history books. “Right. Guess how many league titles Kenny has won.” I didn’t wait for an answer. “Nine. Nine league titles. And, and three European Cups.” They sat there with their mouths open, catching flies.
Finally my eldest spoke. “Yeah, he was a good player but that doesn’t make him a good manager, does it?”
I smiled. “Well, he was Liverpool manager for five years. In his first season, he won the league title and the FA Cup. Not only that, but he also played 29 games that season, and scored the winning goal at Chelsea to win the title on the final day of the season.”
“What? You can’t be a player and a Manager at the same time.”
“Kenny could. And in those five years, he won the title three times. Then he went to Blackburn, and won the title for them too. Blackburn! So do you think he’s a good Manager?”
“Yeah! Brilliant.”
The next day, and Kenny’s first match is away at Old Trafford. I fear the worst. My boys cheer when United score just to wind me up, but I can tell they’re not sure who they want to win. Our performance overall is much improved so I feel quietly optimistic about the future.
During the next few weeks, Liverpool gradually improve and we get some victories under our belt. I subliminally try to influence my boys by leaving Liverpool scarves and pennants around the house, and put a picture of Kenny in a frame next to the TV. I leave their Match Attax collection album open at the Liverpool page after they go to bed, and I tell them all the transfer rumours about the players that the new owners may be buying for us. They increasingly play as Liverpool on PES, and beg to stay up to watch the first-half of our televised evening games.
Then at the end of January a set-back. They love Gerrard and Torres, and all of a sudden it seems Torres may be going to Chelsea. I quickly go into damage limitation mode, reminding them how bad Torres has been for a year or more. He goes, and I quietly remove their posters of him while they are out. I show them a video of new-signing Luis Suarez on YouTube, and they watch Carra stop Torres getting anywhere near our goal as Liverpool thrillingly beat Chelsea. Torres is forgotten, and Liverpool’s good form continues.
6th March 2011. Liverpool versus United, and a true test of their loyalties. They join me on the sofa at kick-off, each with a Liverpool scarf draped around their neck. I’m happy but nervous. Are we good enough yet to beat United? As the game progresses, my nerves ease. We’re playing well. Then, with his back to goal, Suarez takes his first giant step to becoming a Liverpool Legend. He suddenly spins between two defenders, beats a third, and rolls the ball under the on-rushing keeper. Kuyt taps it in, and me and my boys go wild. Before half-time it’s 2-0, and we’re all delighted. Half way through the second half, and a fantastic Suarez free-kick is parried into the path of Kuyt, who hammers it into the net. The boys leap on me and I find myself twirling around the living room, one of them held high in each arm, their arms raised, fingertips touching the ceiling.
“Kuyt’s got a hat-trick, Kuyt’s got a hat-trick – against Man United!” they scream in delight, and I know our journey is complete. For the first time in months I can hold my head up high and walk on, with hope in my heart.
Support United, or have a Dad? Boys, You’ll NEVER Walk Alone.
It hardly seems like three and a half years since you were photographed with Rafa Benitez jointly holding aloft a ‘Liverpool FC –You’ll Never Walk Alone’ scarf with the Kop as a backdrop. That day Liverpool supporters all over the world were as proud and as pleased as punch. Kids raced out to get their new shirts with Torres 9 emblazoned on the back, and the older generation such as me looked forward to another in the line of famous LFC goal scorers.
A new love affair had begun.
Three days later we had our first glimpse of you in a Liverpool kit as you replaced fellow debutant Andre Voronin as a 63rd minute substitute in the Friendly in Switzerland against Werder Bremen. The two friendly games played in Switzerland must have confirmed to you the size of the club that you had joined, the stands being full of Liverpool reds from their vast army of fans on the continent.
But surely the scenes that greeted you and your new team-mates when you arrived in Hong Kong International Airport must have had an impression upon you. There were thousands of adoring Asian fans to greet the team, and the scenes were repeated everywhere you went on that short Far East tour. Believe me Fernando, this sort of worldwide appeal is reserved for special clubs. Liverpool, Barcelona and (dare I say) Manchester United.
Chelsea, for all their recent spending power simply do not compare.
The memories from that first season will live long in our hearts as I trust they will in yours. The magical first goal at Anfield when you accepted Stevie’s pass and running half the length of the Main Stand, you cut in, twisted past two Chelsea defenders with a burst of pace and eased the ball into the far corner with expert precision.
The love affair was consummated.
More magical memories are etched in the mind. A couple in a drubbing of Derby, a hat-trick against a Reading team that tried in vain to kick you out of the game, consecutive home trebles against Boro and West Ham, magical solo goals at Derby and Marseille and a fabulous feint against the hapless Geordies.
On top of that there was the wonderful goal in the San Siro, sealing one of the greatest nights in Liverpool’s illustrious history.
And the goals and memories have gone on and on. Old Trafford in 2009, the annihilation of Real Madrid both witnessed the Torres celebration and the familiar smile.
This was a team of great potential , registering wins at Chelsea, the Camp Nou, the Bernabou, Old Trafford. On their day this team could beat anyone.
Yet all the while there was a cancer in the club. A cancer at the very top.
The owners had lied. They had no doubt lied to you, and they had lied to us.
There was to be no investment. There would only be spiralling debts. The chance for making the final step to glory was lost. The moment had passed.
Don’t forget though Fernando that the fans put a lot of effort into removing the culprits. We marched. We stayed behind. But all the while we supported the team. Results became inconsistent but we supported the team. We supported you when you were injured. We supported you when the media started to question you.
The owners have been replaced of course and now FSG are at the helm. I understand that you are frustrated by the speed of progress. However we have previously witnessed false promises and a repeat would have been met with distrust. I firmly believe that John Henry and TomWerner’s approach is the correct one. They are taking time to assess things before making decisions, but they will make the right decisions. Their track record in North American sports tells us this.
We have signed Luis Suarez, a quality player who will light up the Premier league. There is no better keeper than Pepe. Stevie G, Raul and Lucas form a formidable midfield. We will reinforce the squad, using the money that would formerly have been swallowed up by interest payments.
If you see the grass as greener at Chelsea, then make the move. It isn’t though. Not by a long chalk.
You will not get the support at away games that you have become accustomed to. They are not as patient as us. (They booed Drogba, for goodness sake). There is no comparison in the atmosphere at special nights.
Liverpool is a family club. Chelsea are not, they are a rich man's plaything.
At times this season, you have cast a lonely furrow at the top of our attack. Under Hodgson the team was not set up to get the best out of you. We could see that. We understood. We wanted our Torres back. For that reason, above all others, Roy had to go.
Now we have Kenny. Now we finally have our club back. The lads who made ‘The King and The Kid’ flag which has been on the Kop recently did not spend their hard-earned money just because they wanted to be on the television. I’ll bet they did that for their belief in Dalglish and their belief in you. You represent the heartbeat of this club, and that is why we are hurting.
Once again, if you must go then there is nothing we can do, except wish you all the best.
We realise that it is not fair to expect players to share our attachment to the football clubs we support. I am a Liverpool Football club supporter. It occupies an irrationally high proportion of my time and my thoughts. I know it’s probably a bit sad, but that’s the way I am. I will support LFC whoever the owners are. I will support LFC whoever is manager. I will support them wherever our home ground is, whoever the board of directors are, whatever kit we wear, whatever league we are in, and of course, whoever the current players are.
The one constant is the connection between the fan and the club. Everything else is a variable.
The lads who made that flag will be sad this weekend. The kids with Torres posters on their wall will not understand. The older kids with Torres proudly emblazoned on their backs will be sad too. I am bl**dy sad for God’s sake.
But I am also damn proud that I saw your hundred goals for Liverpool Football Club. I thank you sincerely for all the joy you have given me and my fellow Koppites. Thanks too for all the hours you put in on the training ground and in fighting back from injury.
Thanks for that fabulous photo when you had your hands on the World cup but you remembered us and draped a Liverpool scarf around your neck. In a small way we felt part of that moment too.
Great memories. Proud memories. How about making some more? Give it a thought...
Subs : Doni Kelly Enrique Downing Adam Maxi Coates
Starting with the back four I dont think flanagan has played since exeter back in august and the same for Robinson I think they would both be capable with this match considering theyv played against arsenal in April last season . with the partnership of Agger and Skertl forming there hasnt been room for carra because whats the point in getting rid of something that works ? with two youngsters put into the line up I think Carra would be the best to organise them , I considered putting Coates in the other cb position instead of agger put I decided that 3 youngsters in the back 4 might be pushing it so he would most likely have to make do with an appearnace from the bench .
Midfield
Henderson and Spearing are both good young , english players and either havent done to bad for the squad bear in mind that both of them have had to fill in the Lucas role in the past month or so , people may say that Henderson hasnt done much but he has actually created some brilliant chances and some of them have ended up as goals ( guess who set up suarez's header for the 2nd goal against stoke in the cup ?) Gerrard has yet to make his first start for the team after his second return from injury and after playing 3 games from off the bench I think he should be ready now , Bellamy has been brilliant since returning to the club and he has given it his all , I think that both Gerrard and Bellamy should have started against city and the team got a real lift when they came on but it was short lived with that so called ' penalty ' , but Im sure kenny has his reasons .
Strike
Carroll seemed abit isolated v city and kuyt hasnt got to play in strike for along time I think that the pair should both get their chance in strike , besides , with suarez's 8 match ban who else should play ? sometimes Carrolls performances havnet been up to scratch and others he was unlucky and couldnt done more 9 late on v blackburn and mancity at home for example )
Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’ For the loser now will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’
Late last January (2011) I was compelled to write an open letter to Fernando Torres as he packed his bags and headed for Chelsea. As we all now know Fernando went through with his move and took his chances in West London. At the same time you were in the midst of agreeing your transfer to Liverpool, and it wasn’t too long before the Kop had forgotten their former number 9 and were singing the praises of their new hero.
We all delighted in your effervescence as you danced through the Manchester United defence, and your audacity as you smashed the ball home from a ridiculous angle at the Stadium of Light.
For almost every kid in the red half of Liverpool there was only one name that they wanted on their Liverpool shirt. Luis Suarez. We just couldn’t get enough.
Then after the home fixture with Man United in October we saw Alex Ferguson up to his tricks again. A year earlier he had singled out Torres as a ‘diver’.Now Torres had gone, he had a new danger man in his sights. “Suarez was diving all over the place” he said. He spoke and the press lapped it up, as usual. Operation Smear Suarez had begun.
However worse was to follow.
So much has been written about the Evra accusations that i do not intend going over it again. Except to say that I, like many, many other Liverpool fans, players and manager, publicly declared our support for your version of events. The FA report was greeted with incredulity and merely stiffened our support.
We felt that justice had not been seen to be done. Your good name was sullied.
In light of this we have all suffered. I have been called a racist so many times on twitter that I can’t care to remember, merely for supporting your case. Our fans have been vilified by opposition supporters and the media. Kenny Dalglish has been pilloried.
Now we have the unbelievable reaction over a handshake.
“He should have shook hands, then we could have moved on” they said.
Again, we all have our views on that farce. Why were the FA reluctant to cancel the ritual? If it was deemed like no other occasion, why then did the referee order the reversal of normal protocol whereby the home team walk down the away team’s line? Did Evra really show intention to shake hands?
These questions are, of course, incidental now. The furore blew up as expected.
“He must apologise. LFC must apologise. Dalglish must apologise” they said again “Then we can move on”
Finally an acceptance at FSG and Liverpool FC that sometimes you are in a fight that you cannot win, hit home and in order to protect the image of the club and it’s sponsors a series of apologies were issued.
Now we can move on? Not a chance.
Manchester United have not apologised for the disgraceful comments of a manager who has the audacity to demand the immediate end of your LFC career, in contradiction to his rehabilitation of Cantona, Keane, Giggs, Rooney, Ferdinand and of course Peter Schmeichel after eachof them brought disgrace to Man United for various misdemeanours.
Neither has any apology been forthcoming for Evra’s antics in trying to gain entry to the Liverpool dressing room at the interval, or for his inflammatory antics in attempting to foster a reaction from you at the whistle.
So we are where we are.
You may feel that your love affair with Liverpool FC and its fans has been damaged. Not so.
This week we will get back to the real business of football. The Kop will sing your name Luis. We have all been through the mill to varying degrees, and the best way out is for us ALL to mount a major charm offensive.
You are the player the press love to hate right now. Liverpool FC and it fans are also targets. We must smile our way out of this. The apologies were the right way to start, no matter how they were brought about.
We fans must now rediscover our reputation as the friendliest, most knowledgeable fans in the game. That starts here. Kenny Dalglish is going to have to embrace the media, with a grin. You, my friend, will have to play with a smile on your face.
It has been clear since your return that there is NO doubt that your team-mates are fully behind you. The way Pepe, Danny Agger, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson had your back was great to see. The team spirit is unquestionable. That is a great foundation.
Soon, the focus of the media will find another target. Meanwhile, forget any thoughts that you are no longer wanted at Liverpool Football Club. In two weeks time we will hopefully celebrating a Carling Cup win at Wembley. The great stadium is a fantastic place for everyone involved with Liverpool FC to show the football world that we are truly a special football club.
“At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky...”
These names will mean nothing to you. In fact, these names, collectively, will probably mean nothing to most Liverpool supporters.
To me, it’s that biting October wind. It’s the moment the door is knocked upon and your granddad stands there. It’s a hat, cap, badge or a scarf as you walk down Walton Breck Road and catch sight of what will come to define you as both a football fan and a person.
Port Vale, Rumbelows Cup third round, 29 October 1991. My first match at Anfield. It wouldn’t be the last.
I studied Dickens and Shakespeare at great depth in university, but my memory can hardly differentiate between Macbeth and Magwitch. The midfield of McManaman, Molby and McMahon is a different story.
I remember seeing the ball hit the net from Rush’s header and hearing the sparse Kop roar. I will never forget the touch of my granddad’s hug as we scored as the smell of celebratory cigarettes filled the night air. My first taste of Liverpool Football Club.
Ask any Liverpool fan about their first experience and they’ll be similarly encyclopaedic, because that’s what supporting this football club is about. A mosaic of memories in your mind displayed every time you see your team play.
This football club has the most impressive mosaic of all. That famous Anfield roar on a European night originates from the voices of the thousands who have gone before us. Inter Milan, St. Etienne, Auxerre, Roma, Olympiakos, Juventus, Chelsea. Layer upon layer of the club's history being created by us, the fans.
Football is the purest form of escapism. For 90 minutes, it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, married or single. For 90 minutes, it doesn't matter if you're a lawyer, a librarian or a landscape architect. You get lost in the experience of innocence.
Part of you drifts back to that night against Port Vale, or that league match against Norwich; that time when all that mattered in the world was who started up front.
That innocence has been ruined by snakes who slithered into our garden and offered David Moores the fruit of his labours three-and-a-half years ago. Moores devoured, and now Liverpool supporters have to suffer for his sin.
Now, it feels like we have to be chartered accountants to understand the football club. We’re sending letters to your bank using words and terms it’s not our job to fully comprehend. When my grandfather took me to that Port Vale game in 1991, he was taking me to watch a football match, not a business venture.
All of our actions and efforts to remove Hicks & Gillett are necessary evils. Just because we do it doesn’t mean we enjoy it. It will make us stronger and it will bring the fans of this football club together once more, but I look forward to the day we can all stand united over our support for a new left-back, as opposed to disdain for leveraged buyouts.
I don’t know what to believe, but I know the fact that this sort of business is our business is the most lamentable part of it all – Shankly’s holy trinity of manager, players and supporters is not sacred anymore.
Perhaps there should be intentions from those in power to do something with Liverpool Football Club that hasn’t happened from the moment David Moores accepted Hicks and Gillett’s bid.
Act with the best interests of the club, and its supporters, in mind - give us our football club back.
I wrote this letter to John W. Henry this evening as the one-year anniversary of Fenway Sports Group approaches.
These names will mean everything to you. In fact, these names, collectively, will mean everything to most Liverpool supporters.
It was the team that disposed of Everton in the Merseyside derby so callously, so superbly.
It was the team that possessed and displayed every important attribute – mental and physical - ensuring the man advantage from Rodwell’s red card was fully appreciated.
It was a team that had proven quality on the bench in Craig Bellamy and Steven Gerrard, as well as exciting young prospects such as Sebastian Coates, John Flanagan and Jordan Henderson.
But most importantly, it was a team. It was Kenny’s team. It was our team.
When I wrote the letter to Mr. Hester, it was our lowest ebb. I didn’t write that as a journalist, nor necessarily as a Liverpool supporter. I wrote it as someone who watched something he loved slowly die. I wrote it as a desperate plea for a stay of execution; a final attempt to stop the plug from being pulled on a 119-year-old institution.
I know my words alone did nothing. I doubt you even read them. But you read our words. Thousands of letters, e-mails, phone calls; thousands of people trying their best to educate others about the state of our football club. The individual words may not have been processed, but the collective vitriol was. My letter was just a mere cinder flying from the raging fire heading towards Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? It does if there’s tens of thousands of them, all at once, falling together, screaming to save their club.
When you, Mr. Werner and the rest of Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool last October, you saved that club.
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that.
People, rightfully, will focus on your transfer activity.
You brought in Luis Suarez, a player whom we just can’t get enough of; a player who we just can’t believe how little we paid for us. You brought in Andy Carroll, a player who – hopefully – Suarez will partner for years to come.
You brought in Jose Enrique, Jordan Henderson, Sebastian Coates, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Craig Bellamy. You respectfully relinquished those who no longer wished to play for the club and those who no longer possessed the talent to do so.
You allowed Kenny Dalglish to return to his rightful home; to have the chance to finish what he started over two decades ago.
But more important than any of this is, you ensured this happened at Liverpool Football Club. You ensured that there still was, and forever will be, a Liverpool Football Club.
You ensured I will forever be proud of a lot of our support.
I’ve always maintained that Liverpool Football Club will always exist as long as it has its supporters. During the final hours of Hicks and Gillett’s reign, this was proven true.
What started as 200 people in The Sandon pub on Walton Breck Road making a few grumbles of discontent turned into thousands acting with the club’s best interests at heart – all because those who were at the top of the hierarchy weren’t doing so.
The actions of Spirit of Shankly and other supporter groups – and to be a part of that while you were battling for the club – made me proud to be a Liverpool supporter again. It made me believe in those I stand next to on the Kop once more.
I remember touching down after the Champions League final defeat in Athens and feeling a five-minute vibrate in my pocket; those who were home had text me in the vague, misguided hope my phone would work beyond Dover.
Liverpool had lost a European Cup final 2-1, but more unsettling than that were the comments of Rafa Benitez after the full-time whistle. He was doing what was best for the club; it was at that point that the realisation set in – those above him weren’t doing so. I don’t think it’s been the same ever since.
Not until you emerged from that courtroom in London and assured us the club was in good hands once again. In just three years, 119 years of history could have been erased due to arrogance and greed. The only epic swindle was that they were allowed to do it for so long.
Thank you for being true to your word. You’ve been nothing but respectful to the culture of this football club, and consequently, the traditions of its supporters.
There's a vital link between the players and the fans, between the city and the football club. They work with each other and help each other.
The football club would not have 18 league titles or five European Cups if it wasn't for the city or the fans. The city wouldn't be what it is now if it wasn't for the football club.
In your first game, I left Goodison Park after watching personnel not good enough for Liverpool Football Club embarrass themselves and the football club. I knew you had a massive task ahead to rebuild the club from the debris of Tom Hicks, George Gillett and others.
Leaving this year, the personnel – and feeling – could not have been different. It shows that the club, even in 12 months, is heading in the right direction.
Thank you for Luis Suarez. Thank you for Kenny Dalglish. Thank you, Mr. Henry, for ensuring we will hear that famous Anfield roar on a European night yet again; thank you for allowing that mosaic in my mind to keep expanding.
Thank you for reminding me why we all wanted to support Liverpool Football Club to begin with; why those supporters who fought for the club would have made Shankly proud.
But most of all, thank you for giving us our football club back; for making sure remembering that game against Port Vale, my first taste of Liverpool Football Club, didn't forever taste of tears as I remembered a club that was no more.
First, I thank everybody that has replied to my yesterday blog '' WE NEED A NEW COACH''. However, i find it hard to relent to some peaple that have nothing else to write other than saying u muppet, idiot, go join Manchs etc etc. Apalently, these peaple think they are in Love with King Kenny, the players, and Liverpool alot more than others and there fore find it hard to let go of anyone whether that person is a performer or not. Its soo sad to think like that because that low key attitude doesnt take us any where. Am in my 30's and have supported liverpool since my childhood. My loyality to this club is unquestionable because I have no any other club I support. Its Liverpool and only Liverpool. when I say We need another coach i say it from the bottom of my heart. I want to see goals coming in, i want to see Liverpool winning, i want to see trophies without any excuses. We have every thing it takes and so my ambition isnt far fetched. We wont trophies in the past when we didnt have half the Talent we have today. Kenny isnt good enough and must go.My reasons are these.
When I compare coaches or Managers, I dont want to compare King Kenny with Roy Hogson like people do. We are supposed to have the best coach because we are a top club. I take Hogson as an accident that ever happened to Liverpool. So tell me why I should compare Kenny with the worsed?? I want and love the coach of my club to be in the class of Bill Shankly,Fergies, Mourinhos, Capello and so on. People find it easy to compare Kenny with Hogson but i take that as lack of Ambition. I even find it hard to put him next Benitez a man that crippled our youth project but again he brought us the biggest trouphy in just a year at Anifield. My be thats the reason people extend him down further to the class of Hogson. So he isnt a class coach. He is just better than Hogson.
Another reason is that every body in our squad including Carrol, Henderson and Adam have talent enough to beat Fulham, stoke, Bburn, wigan and any other team above us on the table. What they lack is the organisational skill and attitude that is ofcourse impated in by the coach. This is what is lacking at Liverpool and I dont see it coming from the current coach. Some may argue that Kenny was an excellent player for us but so was Barnes, Hypia, G.cisse, Robbie fowler etc. So should we pick any of these as our coach because they won us trophies as players?? Do they make a cut?? If any of them did, should we get stuck with him even when he is underperforming??.
Being a Liverpool coach is a hard job and thats the reason i cant apply for it. There fore if anyone is in there, they should perfom as expected without leaving some fans feeling they could have as well perfomed better. And truth is some fans feel they could draft a better line up or buy better players than Kenny. He should go early and remain in our good books than leaving us when everyone is tired of him. Lets all campain for Morinho to come in. He seems to like premier league. This is the best time to tap him otherwise if we delay, he will succed Fergy. I support Kenny to win the next match though. I will cheer him if he wins.
Seriously, a year an a half ago, FSG were our great saviours and rid us of the Hicks and Gillett monster that had so engulf our precious club. Now they are just like them? Only after money? Give me a break, FSG have poured a hell of a lot of money into this club and anyone who bags them out as money grabbing glory mongers is an idiot. We all love Kenny and he was, is and always will be an LFC legend, but if was any other manager with his record, no one would say a word. Results, particularly at Anfield, were just unacceptable and somethings had to be changed. Heck we only gave the now England manager 6 months. Are you serious? Roy had a win percentage of almost 42% where Kenny's was 47%. Granted is was a little better but not exactly setting the world on fire huh? You really need to get over yourself. Who do you support? Kenny or the club? No one person is bigger than LFC and that includes managers, players nor fans. Liverpool was up and running before we were born and will be still going long after we have died. Get behind the club and support them, like I am always told to do, but now that is too hard right? Get a grip.
HAD anyone suggested just two years ago that Lucas Leiva would win the respect of the Liverpool supporters at the same time that Fernando Torres would go from hero to zero in their eyes then they would have been whisked off to the nearest establishment for the clinically insane.
Torres: - the then darling of the Kop, an individual who in the words of his admirers at the time “just gets us, an icon and an idol; Lucas – derided, ridiculed, viewed by many as an unfit wearer of the Liver Bird upon his chest. Their standing amongst the overwhelming majority of supporters could hardly have been more contrasting, the only thing harder than finding someone with a bad word to say about Torres was coming across someone with a good word to say about Lucas.
No-one could have foreseen the sea change in attitudes that has occurred since, not even the most vivid of imaginations could have come up with a scenario in which Lucas would have his name chanted by the Liverpool fans while Torres would be booed but this is exactly what happened at Stamford Bridge back in February. Talk about trading places.
More than enough has been written and said to account for Torres’s fall from grace in the eyes of those who once adored him. The less well known story is the one with the feel good factor, the tale of a player who found himself on the canvas, battered and almost beaten into submission, who dragged himself up off the floor through sheer force of will and went on to reach his own personal ambitions, confounding his critics in the process.
If that all sounds melodramatic and a bit too Hollywood then I apologise but when a footballer is booed onto the pitch by a section of his own fans but still manages to come back and convince them of his worth then there is undoubtedly a fairytale element to his story.
The new long term contract that Lucas signed earlier this week proved many things. It proved that he is valued by Liverpool Football Club. It proved that Kenny Dalglish, as he has stated on several occasions, rates him highly as a player. It proved that the club is ready and willing to reward those who show commitment and who demonstrate their quality and development. But perhaps most importantly, it proved that careers can be turned around no matter how unlikely it may seem.
That Lucas has managed to do this is testament to both his talent and his determination. Football is littered with individuals who point to a lack of love from the fans as the reason for their failure, it is a well worn excuse that becomes less convincing with each and every hearing. “The supporters never gave me a chance,” they claim, conveniently forgetting that in the overwhelming majority of cases all supporters want from managers and players is for them to provide good football, do that and the chances of being left out in the cold diminish almost altogether.
Lucas could have hidden behind that kind of excuse. He could have packed his bags and headed back to his native Brazil or to one of the clutch of European clubs who would have readily offered him a safe haven at the merest hint that he was willing to give up his battle to win over the hearts and minds of the Anfield faithful. After being booed onto the pitch he could have said “enough is enough” and used such an audible lack of faith as a just cause for quitting.
He didn’t. He chose to stay and fight in an attempt to prove to himself that he deserved to be a Liverpool player and to convince those who had so publicly doubted him that he was worthy of their support. At times, it looked like the battle would be too much for him and there were occasions when Lucas’s morale hit rock bottom. But even at his lowest, he still found it within him to carry on plugging away, both for the club and himself and through this fight he found his own salvation.
The fact that Lucas never hid when things got really bad is acknowledged even by his fiercest critics. It would have been easy to let others dominate possession while he just lurked in the shadows, afraid of getting heavily involved for fear of making a mistake that would make things even worse. But from one game to the next, you could see Liverpool’s number 21 demanding the ball from his centre backs, making tackles that others might shy away from because a foul could be conceded and generally being conspicuous. If his visibility was heartening then his refusal to shy away from a situation that could so easily have consumed him speaks volumes for his character.
There will still be debates about Lucas’s ability and about his status as a first team regular – and so there should. That is an occupational hazard for all but the most exceptional of footballers and it is the right of every fan to venture their own opinion about each and every player’s value.
But the days of Lucas having to fight for the right to prove that he was worthy of being a Liverpool player are long gone and the qualities that lie behind the dramatic turnaround in his career are the very same ones that should be associated with every servant of one of Europe’s most successful clubs. His next challenge is to prove that he is capable of improving still further but having already faced adversity down he will not be intimidated by that task.
It is an absolutely wonderful thing is it not? We are going through our brightest patch of the season, not only on the pitch, but as a club on the whole. The positivity we see is infectious and at times, exhilarating. This positivity is spreading through the whole fan base, coursing through the players and there is now a real belief that we can challenge; and maybe, just maybe, teams will start to fear us again.
The King is right. When the club and everyone associated with the club, including the fans, pull in the same direction, there will only be one result, the direction we are pulling for. Sometimes, I feel, in this current green patch, what we feel is almost like stuff made for dreams. It is some romance. Think about it.
Hindsight, as brilliant as it may be, may make you wonder about what could have happened had something been done differently and one of the things thrown up into the air is whether Kenny should have been installed as manager at the beginning of this season. But how often does hindsight help you solve a problem unless it is a recurring event?
What we are seeing right now, the momentum, the love, the fantasy, the way everything has been pieced together, is only something this wonderfully historic club has been able to build up to. We went through our darkest times in recent years, many promises were broken and at times, the fans were left wondering what was becoming of their beloved club. I've been there and I'm sure many of you have been. But let me bring you back to that question when I said, think about it. The timing of everything has been wonderful and how often have we mentioned the woeful timing of a player who recently departed us?
Had Kenny come in prior, he would have worked under the previous owners. I'm not saying that it would not have been a similar outcome as we are seeing now. We just wouldn't know. But to me, everything just seems that much sweeter the way it has panned out. Sure, we have not won a trophy, we have not won a league championship just yet and under the King, we have just 4 wins out of a possible 6 games so far. But the large disparity in change that we see at LFC now, again, is almost night and day. From a state of utter despair, we look almost euphoric at times now.
Our new owners swooped in at a time when the value of LFC was at a down low and depending on how you look at it, it was a real swindle of epic proportions. We are a great club with true tradition and a global fan base. It was the best deal that the then NESV, now FSG, could have gotten. They took us out of the hands of wretched owners whose time here best be forgotten and slowly, the cogs started turning.
We had Roy who really perhaps, was here at the wrong time and we went through some truly horrific performances on the field and fault should be shared by everyone. But when it all seemed to work against us, yet again, we had the King installed into the hot seat. There were questions over his legendary status should he not succeed with the club, but again, think about it. If he had taken the club earlier on, it would have been under different pressures and personally, there was more chance of it failing then. Now, the timing of the King's return, there really was nothing much to lose. He believed and he knew, he would answer the call to LFC. It was a match made in heaven. I believe that he will bring back the good times to LFC and he already has. It made the motivation and the mood change that much more to have a club legend that many respected to be back at the helm. It really wouldn't have been that sweet had it happened earlier. At least, that is what I believe.
Heck, we could be 6 losses out of 6 matches, but how's hindsight helpful there? We live in the here and now; and that's the real point. We focus on what we can change, what we can do and that is why we look towards the future. LFC is going through a transition, but it some ways, it looks as if we are going back to our grass roots. We look like we are trying to instill that old boot room mentality and to keep things within the club. We are going back to our glory days, a time when there was more respect, integrity and in the words of the King and even our new owners, "no one player is bigger than the club".
Things at the moment, couldn't be better at this club. We have owners who now understand the fans, who are willing to learn and understand a model of success that the fans believe in, and who look as if they would do anything to bring success back to this club.
As a club, we never really did things the easy way. Just think of the two recent trophies we won, the FA Cup and the Champions League. We took it to the absolute brink. We don't know easy. We do it hard. We are LFC, we are built and associated to a working class city and that is how it is, we fight to achieve and achieve we will. I may never have grown up in the glory days. I was born in 1984 and I never really followed LFC more closely than in the last 5 years. Prior to which I just watched and followed the team. I won't go into what drew me to LFC, but suffice to say, it was the club, its tradition and its fans.
So often of late we have bemoaned the timing of a particular players departure, but perhaps, it was just meant to be. It could have and I put it across, that it galvanised the team even more than ever. It was all in the timing. It is easy to look back now and say this, but that is the way it is. You look back, take the positives and move on. I digress.
Make no mistake. Hindsight is wonderful at times, but when it bears no good to the future, it is better left behind and concentration on the here and now will be a more fruitful event. Kenny has turned our club a whole 180 degrees, we are all in it together now. Times may get hard, but we know, we know we have what it takes to achieve, we just have to believe. Our club needs us, as its fans, as its 12th man, to be with it through thick and thin and right now, we are the future of LFC. Turn back the clocks and I would have it no other way. I've learnt to accept the cards that life has dealt me and I think LFC right now, is headed in the right direction. The stars are slowly aligning and I truly believe that we are not far from greatness again. I may be wrong, but I don't think I am wrong in thinking that we have a chance to make it back to the top. We do. We just need to take it.
Our future is in our hands, the clubs. The many phrases I've taken away of late are: "no player is bigger than the club", "keep the faith" and "you'll never walk alone". I hope and pray, one day, I can come back to look at this and say, this, this truly was the club's turning point. I believe in this club and my love and affection for LFC is right up there. I'm proud. I'm proud to be a fan of the best club in world football and to be amongst all of you as fans of this historic club. And long may it continue.
We now have a club where everything seems to be aligned. Is there anything else missing? Perhaps, but if there isn't. It is our time. We are coming back. We are LFC. There is no easy way for us.
However FSG made their money, it certainly wasn't in the field of football. Their "proven" track record of monumental failures they continue to appoint at LFC becomes ever more staggeringly obvious, by the day.
Proven liars, proven lack of investment depsite claims of profitablility, proven lack of knowedge of the game, proven meddlers by appointing "Cash Flow" Comolli to be their stooge and most incompetent negotiator on transfers, proven liars - ok I said that last point twice, but it's worth reiterating, I feel.
I am sick and tired of mediocrity being dressed up with the need for changes to "take time". NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
We must have the largest collection of international players who are underperforming, out of any top flight team in the world right now, and THAT is definitely down to the manager. Gerrard has been all at sorts this season, despite the fact he has no injuries we know of; we play for draws and the manager claims he's happy with the result; we look tactically naiive against European minnows; the team consistently fails to support the only striker we have, when going forward; we do not inspire fear in the opposition - even at Anfield; we seem happy to let mediocre owners come in and tells us lie after lie, etc, etc.
AND...TO TOP IT ALL...Brendan Rodgers says in an interview with Robbie Savage, for the BBC's Football Focus, that "sometimes you have to drop a bit before you go forward"!!!!!!!!!!!! Am I the only one who wants to punch this man severely in that fat Steve Bruce of a head of his, until my knuckles bleed, for that kind of attitude?
Steve Clarke has turned a West Brom side around in a short period of time. Kenny, when he came in inspired a 6th place finish from 12th, in only a few months, and but for the jinx of woodwork would have had a higher position than 8th last year. We were playing attractive, pass and move football again, under Kenny and while we did have bad games we would also have ones where we battered opponents. Of course, Kenny's was an unfinished project but FSG are so $%^&*(& arrogant that they seem to feel "they know best". All I can say to this parental attitude is that I feel like we're the children of a parent that should be on Trisha for abusing said children with their ignorant posturing.
BONG. Boom, snap, whistle, crackle, shut; and with that, the transfer window – with all of Sky’s pomp and circumstance - closed.
The ringmaster Jim White, now somehow the main attraction, proclaimed names as his time drew near. “Wright-Phillips! Arteta! Bellamy!” he croaked akin to a dying swan’s final song before finally, mercifully, ceasing the incessant bellowing.
11 o’clock had passed. The final deals were struck. Charlie Adam had his face superimposed onto fireworks. A job well done by all.
Well, almost.
Five minutes after the superficial countdown clock stopped, ten minutes after Craig Bellamy had sealed a return to his boyhood club, Raul Meireles followed in his fellow Iberian’s footsteps and left for Stamford Bridge.
Meireles was always a player who divided opinion; true to form, his departure did likewise.
Some chose to see Meireles’ move as smart, understandable and best for both player and Liverpool Football Club; others felt it constituted a transfer window spoiled, a player whose economy of possession and long-range shooting would be sorely missed.
Whatever the judgment on Meireles, his last-minute departure should not be dwelt upon. Kenny Dalglish won’t be.
I wrote in February about why Liverpool’s winner at Stamford Bridge was the perfect goal; ironically, it was scored by Raul Merieles. But the sentiment still stands.
Liverpool’s squad has been streamlined. Raul Meireles’ departure became the 18th of 19th since Fenway Sports Group took charge – few of them were involuntary.
In their place, not only players who want to play for Liverpool, but crucially, players who are good enough to play for Liverpool; players good enough to achieve the standards dictated by the club’s history and set by Kenny Dalglish.
With respect to their predecessors, the improvement this summer’s seven signings bring to the squad is immeasurable. Each signing adds something different, something better, to the squad.
It might be hard to quantify, but it’s not hard to notice already with just four competitive fixtures played.
Jose Enrique’s speed, distribution and intelligence have been craved for years. The midfield duo of Adam and Henderson provide passing and movement in abundance, while Downing provided a glimpse of his capabilities with his solo effort against Sunderland. It’s enough to leave supporters salivating for more - especially given Sebastian Coates and Craig Bellamy are yet to feature.
But while the Kop’s knowledge on the 6 foot 6 Uruguayan centre-back is limited to his impressive showings at the Copa America, they know all about Craig Bellamy.
Quick, tenacious and relentless, Bellamy impressed during his first tenure at Anfield cut short by circumstance. Most impressive from Bellamy, however, is his voracious desire to play for Liverpool again – something which can also be said of Coates rejecting Atletico Madrid, or even reserve goalkeeper Doni, willing to become Pepe Reina’s understudy.
On the pitch, Henderson and Adam’s celebrations after their goals against Bolton Wanderers epitomised their dedication to the club.
If the Liverpool hierarchy wanted to bring in players who give everything to the club - both in talent and dedication – then this transfer window can be deemed one of their biggest successes.
The bar has been set high. No player, surely, can exude the arête and ardour of Luis Suarez.
Against Bolton, much like the entirety of his eight-month Liverpool career, Suarez was sensational, spectacular, sparkling, splendid, salient. Superlatives, nor alliteration, do him justice.
I’ve likened his playing style before to watching the Minotaur perform Swan Lake, floating with grace before driving with pugnacity, tenacity, skill and strength; not so. Unlike the Minotaur, Suarez would have weaved through the Labyrinth in his trademark style, slain Theseus and become King of Athens.
Instead, he must make do with being the quintessence of King Kenny’s Liverpool, playing with an amalgamation of delight and disdain upon his face.
The delight came after the majestic ball he played with the outside of his right foot to Stewart Downing. Such are the frivolities of certain statistics, Suarez won’t be accredited with the assist. He should be. The ball may have touched Downing, Jaaskelainen, Kuyt and Henderson before the goal, but it was conjured purely from Luis Suarez’s ingenuity.
The disdain came later; it came on the rare occurrence a shot, pass or piece of skill failed to do as instructed. He left the pitch to a standing ovation, but his smile barely emerged from a cantankerous contortion, entrenched on his face after his failure to score.
But that’s the mentality Suarez possesses, and it’s one that’s precipitating to the rest of the squad.
Even with three goals and three points secured, the team wanted more; the howl of anguish after Ivan Klasnic’s inconsequential consolation told the whole story. This is a squad that will always strive for better. That’s how Kenny Dalglish has built his squad.
It’s not only a squad of good players, but one that’s leaner, meaner and tighter. The players brought in are ones of a similar mentality to players like Suarez, Kuyt, Lucas, Carragher, Gerrard and Reina. Kenny Dalglish, and Fenway, are seeing their plans come to fruition.
Watching the circus of transfer deadline day, there were neither nervous twitches nor strained ears from Liverpool supporters. It’s much more entertaining when you’re not in the lion’s den. Bellamy or not, Liverpool had strengthened sufficiently; the Welshman was merely a wonderful bonus to a splendid summer.
There’s genuine belief that – for the first time in years – those in charge know what they’re doing, and they’re doing so with the best interests of the club at heart.
It’s enough to make Luis Suarez’s infectious smile permanent. Maybe.
I am writing to you to "fix it for me" to have my husband's heart & undivided attention back please. It's been missing since 8th January 2011, the date you were appointed caretaker manager at LFC. Granted, despite the dodgy tracksuits, you're not Jimmy Saville but I thought I'd give it a shot cause since this date the following changes have taken place;
My husband has regressed back to childhood and no longer talks, he now shouts excitedly punctuating every 2nd sentence with 'Dalglish'.
He has taken up five-a-side footy (at the age of 34) in the desperate belief his life long dream of training with you at Anfield will now come true (seriously!!)
He no longer sits down to watch LFC matches - he stands two inches away from the telly talking animatedly to the players and to you....you can hear him right? Well the neighbours 5 doors down can.
He religiously follows all levels of LFC football so every morning I awake to a story about you & LFC, the team, fixtures, injuries, statistics, antidotes, quotes, photos, trivia, the youth players etc..... and again each evening without fail. Without fail.
He mentions your name more than mine.... (that's a tough one to swallow I have to admit)
Since your return his dream of scoring the winning goal to lift the Premiership title for LFC has returned, so at night I endure the dreaming, the tossing & turning and the kicking - I have the bruises to prove it.
He joined Twitter to follow you & all things LFC related. This wouldn't have been a big deal only I work in Social Media and spent the previous year trying to get him on Twitter with no success. One word got him on @kennethdalglish (he's @cookiedub1 in case you want to tell him to put on the 1986 kit he still has & join the team!)
And lastly when asked what his happiest memory was, he smiled broadly with emotion welling up in his eyes and proudly announced .......your appointment as caretaker manager of LFC ...... eh we were only recently married at the time!!
So Kenny I'm a realist there's probably no chance he's going to change, he's LFC to the core. It appears that at the altar he failed to mention there's another bird I'll be sharing him with for life - the Liver Bird. The only thing I ask is that you don't break his heart, you sign a permanent contract, get knighted and keep doing what you're doing because despite all of the above you've taken 20 years off him already & given me endless weekends away shopping in Liverpool!
THERE isn’t a player who is linked with any club these days who isn’t first subjected to a seemingly endless scrutiny on message boards and radio phone-in shows. Amateur scouting has become as much a part of modern football as daft kick-off times and feigning injury and what’s more it is undoubtedly here to stay.
People are now able to watch much more football than ever before thanks to satellite television and internet streams and the popularity of computer games that allow anyone to be the manager, in fantasy world at least, means that supporters can indulge themselves when it comes to assessing the relative merits of a potential transfer target.
In the past week alone the media has linked Liverpool with – among others – Jordan Henderson, Phil Jones, Connor Wickham, Charlie Adam and Sylvain Marveux and all have been subjected to trial by forum. In a way, this is just a technologically fuelled advance on people debating transfer targets verbally in a pub but the one thing that hasn’t changed is that when you have a manager like Kenny Dalglish in charge he should be trusted to know better than anyone else what is best for his team.
Towards the end of last season, Dalglish made a pertinent point which offered both an insight into the type of players Liverpool would be in the market for this summer and the importance of the club being single minded in their pursuit of these targets.
“If people want to see the best players and assets of football club wearing a red shirt, that’s what we want to try and provide,” the Liverpool manager said. “We want to get the highest quality of player in that we can. That’s what position we have been put into, and that’s what we will try to do. Who judges players? Whose opinion is it that matters? It’s the people that go after them. Some others might not think they are the highest quality, but it’s our opinion that matters most.”
That Dalglish is adamant that only the views of himself, Damien Comolli and the club’s scouting department is all that matters when it comes to deciding whether or not a player is good enough for Liverpool should provide a major reassurance to everyone desperate to see the club regain its place among English football’s elite. The moment a manager falls prey to outside influences he ceases to be a manager. In that role, you cannot afford to be swayed by public opinion, this is Liverpool Football Club after all, not Pop Idol.
Anyone wanting to understand how Dalglish will do things this summer could do a lot worse than seek out a book called The Secret Diary Of A Liverpool Scout, a brilliant account of the work of the legendary Geoff Twentyman who worked with Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan. There may be those who believe that modern day scouting is a world apart from how it was done when Twentyman was recruiting some of the best players English football has seen but Dalglish knows better than anyone that the basics remain the same.
He will be looking for the same things that Twentyman sought out, the kind of qualities that served Liverpool so well in the past and which can do so again in the future. If a player can pass and move, has a good temperament and a winning mentality then he has the starting points needed to become a Liverpool player. Of course, there are a multitude of such players currently plying their trade in football so then it comes down to the eye of the person scouting them and, according to those in the game, there are few better than Dalglish at spotting talent.
We have been here before, of course. Go back to 1987 when Dalglish was working on putting together arguably the greatest ever Liverpool side. John Aldridge was the first signed and it might be hard to imagine now but at the time there were plenty who questioned whether an Oxford United player and someone who once played in the Liverpool Sunday League would be good enough for a title challenging team.
The same went for John Barnes who aroused suspicion because he had been inconsistent at Watford and had not attracted bids from any of the top English clubs when Liverpool came in with a £900,000 offer for his services. The capture of Peter Beardsley for a then club record of £1.9 million prompted less doubt with the only real concern being that his signing would inevitably push Dalglish the player ever closer to retirement.
When Ray Houghton and Nigel Spackman, two steady but far from spectacular players with Oxford and Chelsea respectively, were brought in there were those who wondered why Liverpool were not in the market for top stars. Dalglish saw things differently. In his eyes he had bought a quintet of stars and the world just did not know it yet. He was proven right in the most spectacular fashion as Liverpool swept all comers aside and romped to the league title playing some of the best football ever seen in this country.
All that was down to Dalglish’s ability to spot a player and then to mould a team around his new signings and those already at the club. It is an art and he is an artist. That is why when we debate whether or not a transfer target is good enough for Liverpool – as we all do – there is one man who is better placed than any of us to decide that and that man is Kenny Dalglish.
F**king horrible game to watch , how the hell are we supposed to play against a team that doesnt want to play , so many people in their box its just rediculous , about 65% possession , 20 F**KING goal attempts but only one f**king goal , why the f**k wont we get a f**king a penalty , bl00dy disgrace that.
Have to wonder though , what in the world was skrtel thinking in that third goal , Benteke just strolled in there without any challenge . And yeh he scored today but bl00dy hell otherwise Gerrard just had no influence on the game , his current form in horrible and he just needs to catch his breath , rest him a game or two for cryin out loud , same goes for Sterling . Now a few question , why wasnt Suso brought on , we needed some new ideas , and why isnt Assaidi even on the bench ??!!
Anyway , its not a bad day in the office , its rather a horrible day in the office , but lets just put it behind and focus on the next 4 games , no less than wins is acceptable if we were ever to achieve a top 5 finish this season , still not too far , 7 point from fourth , alot of games to be played .
Man of the match , Without a shadow of doubt Stewart Downing , hardly touched a ball wrong this evening , an absolutely cracking performance from Stewie , I am sure though Suarez will win the poll on the website , yeh alot of fans just say what the heck lets give it to Suarez , but I know I will be voting for Stewie .
And yeh just a reminder , If you dont support us when we lose or draw , dont support us when we win , we say that alot but honestly some people just dont respnd well so we just have to keep trying . Rodgers said this in August after we lost 3-0 to WBA: "There is a big job to do and we will have more days like this along the way," "That is the reality of it. It is still a work in progress. There will be days along the way that will hurt and it will be difficult for us. It is going to take time." We have to realise it does take time .
In Brendan we trust
YNWA
*and yeh I probably owe you guys an apology for the -not so- foul language up there*
Question: who scored the goal in 2005-06 that secured their team fourth spot in the Premier League?
Give up?
It was Thierry Henry. A hat-trick for Arsenal against Wigan on the final day as Tottenham – food-poisoned Spurs – lost to West Ham.
Now try this one: which player lifted the FA Cup in the same year?
Too easy, I know.
It was Steven Gerrard, after the most engrossing domestic showpiece of the modern era.
The point being that the Champions League may be football's El Dorado, but nobody remembers a triumphant march to fourth spot.
Financially, entry into Europe's premier club competition is important – of course it is. But why do we follow football? Is it to brag about our team's bank balance, or is it to enjoy days like May 13, 2006?
That's why it irks when the media dispatches the tired smear that Liverpool 'are just a cup team'.
Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League every season since Henry's treble, but what has it led to other than healthy finances?
People talk about attracting top players, but a lack of Champions League football did not deter Luis Suarez, Sami Hyypia, Jari Litmanen nor Didi Hamann from a transfer to Anfield.
Arsenal haven't won a single trophy since 2005, and trophies – not coffers – are what football is about.
The league title is the trophy Liverpool fans crave most, and our league form this season has not been as good as any supporter would have liked.
But did anyone really think this – the first full campaign for our manager and owners, seven new signings bedding into the team – would be the year when our too-long wait for the title would end?
And that being so, which is a better consolation prize: fourth spot and entry into the Champions League or, possibly, two cup wins?
Do Arsenal fans remember what they were doing on the night Henry scored his hat-trick? Some might. But I bet you couldn't find a Liverpool supporter without a story to tell about the evening after the Gerrard final.
Days like these are the apex of life in the stands. Days like Saturday: beating your local rivals in a semi-final at Wembley. Days when your match ticket will be preserved in a shoe box under your bed alongside a stub from your first concert and your childhood bank book. Days that ever so slightly change who you are.
Liverpool may be 'just' a cup team right now but which of the 91 other English league sides have had more of these days since the turn of the century?
A treble in 2001, including the drama of a late comeback against Arsenal and a nine-goal European final; a League Cup win over our fiercest rivals in 2003; the aforementioned FA Cup in 2006; a possible FA and League Cup double this season. And, of course, Istanbul: a fifth European Cup, a night some Liverpool fans would describe as the greatest of their life.
Would you swap all this for Arsenal's cache of two league titles and three FA Cups? No Liverpool fan in my office would.
How about Chelsea's collection of three league titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups? This is tougher – but it was still a toss-up for all those colleagues I questioned.
Which leaves Manchester United - whose 12 major trophies since the turn of the century include seven Premier League triumphs - as the only team to have unquestionably given their supporters more joy than Liverpool over the past dozen years.
There isn't a Liverpool fan alive who is happy that United have been the dominant force in English football during this period, but 90 other clubs would surely love to be seen as a cup team as defined by Liverpool since the Millennium.
Just a cup team? Tell that to those who stood in the Westfalenstadion in 2001. Tell that to those who were in Cardiff when Gerrard felt-tipped memories into our minds. Tell that to anyone who spent a month's wages travelling to Istanbul. Tell that to these people and see if they care.
I have justed watched Being Liverpool on Fox soccer , and I am a little annoyed about the begining of the programme which explained last last season and concentrated on the FA Cup final and our league form last season, and the sacking of Kenny Dalglish.
It never mentioned that we won the League Cup , only that we only won 6 games at home last season and we lost the FA cup Final. I know the league cup is not held in as higher regard as it used to be , but the documentary makers should have mentioned that we won a piece of silverware , because thats what we are all about as far as I remember .
I also have my doubts about some of the things Brendan Rogers said about a couple of players and some other things , that since they recorded that part of the programmme , he may have changed his mind , or maybe had his hand forced ?
I will wait and see what happens in the next 5 weeks of the documentary before I make judgements on people, because I know things can be altered in the cutting room , from what realy happened or was said .
The one funny thing I liked was , the team when in Boston was given a Yoga lesson to try and help with the pressure of being a premiership player , and the look on Carra,s face when they were getting put through this , was priceless.
Blog Posts With the Most Comments
Celebrities that support LFC Celebrities that support LFC
Do you ever wonder if your favorite celebrity supports the Liverpool Football Club?
I have done some thorough research and have come up with two lists that might surprise you! For the record, this is a factual blog and the following names were not taken out of thin air. The following information is very accurate, enjoy it and share it with your friends!
Celebrities (past & present) that support the Liverpool Football Club
Caroline Wozniacki - Danish Pro Tennis Player.
It isn't much of a secret that the world number-one is a Liverpool supporter. She often tweets about the club and has a large fanbase of Reds from around the world. She recently wore a signed Liverpool shirt at the Qatar Open, a shirt which was reportedly sent by Steven Gerrard.
Angelina Jolie - American Actress.
When the Hollywood beauty isn't raiding tombs, she's cheering the Mighty Reds on to victory. She revealed that her baby son, Maddox, "only wants to play for Liverpool". She also revealed that she frequently watches the Reds.
Samuel L Jackson - American Actor and Film Producer.
Samuel fell in love with the club after attending a Merseyside derby while shooting the movie 'The 51st State' in Liverpool. From an executive box, the star was seen waving his arms and singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' during the game. Jackson has also publicly expressed his distaste towards the people of Manchester.
Pope John Paul II - Polish Pope (deceased).
John Paul was a keen supporter of the Liverpool Football Club. He followed the club even more when Jerzy Dudek was the number-one goalkeeper. For the record, John Paul also supported Cracovia, a Polish football team.
Liam Neeson - Irish Actor.
Actor Liam and his two sons are big Liverpool fans. They attend games when they are able to. They were spotted at a Fulham v Liverpool game about 2 years ago after the tragic death of Liam's wife, Natasha Richardson, in a skiing accident.
Daniel Craig - English Actor and Film Producer.
Daniel is a Liverpool fan and his idol is Steven Gerrard (yes, even James Bond can't resist) although nobody knows how long he has supported the club for. He has been spotted several times at Anfield.
Mike Myers - Canadian Actor and Comedian.
Mike Myers is a passionate Liverpool fan who started following the club at a young age. He was influenced by his parents, who originated from the Old Swan area of Liverpool. The actor, known for his role as Austin Powers, admits that he was 'the odd one out' growing up in Canada.
LeBron James - American Pro Basketball Player and Businessman.
LeBron James recently obtained a minority share in the Liverpool Football Club in exchange for his global rights, a deal that was done with FSG. LeBron has revealed that he is excited in being part of one of the biggest sports clubs in the world at a recent press conference.
Sheamus - Irish Pro Wrestler.
Sheamus follows the club and recently visited Anfield and the LFC Museum. He was interviewed on the day as he spoke of his love for the club. He also went on to say that he would probably punch Gary Neville in the face if he saw him as he is a 'sour person'.
Kim Cattrall - English Actress.
Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall was born in Mossley Hill, Liverpool. Although she is quite busy with her various acting roles, she still finds the time to monitor the Reds' progress. In November 2010, she was Steven Gerrard's guest at Anfield when Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-0.
Nelson Mandela - Former South African President.
In 1994, Nelson revealed to John Barnes that he supported the Liverpool Football Club. John Barnes presented Nelson with a Liverpool shirt and had conducted a formal interview with him during the club's pre-season tour of the country.
Rafael Benitez - Spanish Football Manager.
The former Liverpool Manager's love for the club isn't much of a secret. When he was viciously axed by the former owners, Rafa went to Inter Milan and once said that he didn't like the blue colours as it reminded him of Everton. Rafa has also been of tremendous help to the families of the Hillsborough victims along the years, also donating 96 thousand pounds when he left the club. Rafa received two standing ovations at the 2011 Hillsborough Memorial Service and was seen weeping in the crowd. Rafa will always be remembered for the right reasons at our club.
Dr. Dre - American Record Producer, Rapper and Actor.
Dr. Dre became a huge fan of Liverpool after becoming good friends with John Barnes after the ‘Anfield Rap’ was recorded in 1988. Dre even claimed that John Barnes was his favorite player at the time. He also admitted that he always looks out for the Reds and keeps track of the team whenever he can.
Sven Goran Eriksson - Swedish Football Manager.
In June 2010, Sven confessed that he has been a lifelong Liverpool fan. Eriksson began following the Reds as a boy in Sweden. His father was also a Liverpool supporter and every Saturday, they would watch a Liverpool match on the television. It was the highlight of the week according to Sven. ''They have always been my team and nothing has changed.''
Billy-Bob Thornton - American Actor and Musician.
Billy-Bob is a big fan of the Liverpool Football Club, the city and the supporters. He revealed this in an interview with Empire magazine. He also met Gerry Marsden and saw Liverpool play Juventus at Anfield, an experience that he will never forget.
Snoop Dog - American Rapper and Entertainer.
Snoop Dog wore a Liverpool shirt at a recent concert that he held in Liverpool, to the delight of 90% of the fans. When interviewed, he revealed that a few of his friends supported the club so he thought he would do the same.
Melanie C - English Singer-songwriter and Actress.
Melanie Chisholm has been a passionate Liverpool FC supporter from a young age. She has even named her record label 'Red Girl Records' after the club.
Clive Owen - English Actor.
Clive is an avid Liverpool fan. He attends as many games as he can and always makes sure that he is able to watch the games on television, no matter where he is.
Graeme Smith - South African Pro Cricketer.
The captain of the South African cricket team has actually been a Red from the age of six, although the rest of his family support Manchester united. Graeme's all time hero is Kenny Dalglish, he has fond memories of watching videos of him as a youngster.
Stephen Graham - English Actor.
Stephen is a die-hard Liverpool fan. He often tries to convert Hollywood's leading actors and writers into becoming fans of the club. Stephen even tried converting Leonardo Di Caprio, but Di Caprio had found football to be a bit boring for his taste.
Robbie Slater - Former Professional Football Player.
The England-born Australian openly supports Liverpool although having won the Premiership with Blackburn in 1995. Slater also played for West Ham United, Southampton, Wolves and Lens.
Cameron Mooney - Australian Football Superstar.
The former AFL (Australian Football League) player is an avid Liverpool fan. He has won 3 premierships and is now co-hosting a successful Australian sports program.
Robbie Farah - Australian Pro Rugby League Player.
The Wests Tigers captain is a huge Liverpool FC fan and has followed the club since he was 13, partly due to his brothers supporting the club. His favourite games were the '01 FA Cup final, '05 Champions League final and the '06 FA Cup final amongst others. His favourite goal of all time was the Gerrard stunner against Olympiakos. Robbie went to a Liverpool v man united game and sung 'You'll Never Walk Alone' with the Kop and later stated that it was one of the best experiences of his entire life. He later met and shared a few drinks with Robbie Fowler, one of the all time Liverpool greats.
Ding Junhui - Chinese Pro Snooker Player.
Superstar snooker player, Ding Junhui, admits that he is a massive Liverpool fan. He is already China's most successful snooker player of all time.
Gerry Marsden - English Musician.
This one is pretty obvious. Gerry is best known for being leader of the band Gerry and the Pacemakers.
John Bishop - English Comedian and Actor.
John is originally from Liverpool and is an ardent fan of the club. He also tries to follow the Reds as much as he can.
Adam Woodyatt - English Actor and Media Personality.
More famously known as 'Ian Beale' in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, Adam is a passionate Liverpool fan and has a keen appreciation for sport in general.
Laura Davies - English Pro Golfer.
Laura is considered to be the most accomplished English female golfer of modern times, boasting 78 professional wins worldwide. And yes, you guessed it; she is a big Liverpool fan.
Rosanna Davison - Irish Model, Columnist and Personality.
Rosie was the winner of the 2003 Miss World contest. She is a Liverpool supporter, just like her father, Chris De Burgh.
Tommy Tiernan - Irish Comedian, Actor and Writer.
Funny-man Tommy Tiernan is also a passionate Liverpool supporter. He spoke about his passion for the club in a recent interview.
Kirsty Gallacher - Scottish Television Presenter.
Kirsty has supported the club since she was young. She was influenced by her father, who also happens to be a Liverpool supporter.
Football Players that support/grew up supporting Liverpool FC
Xabi Alonso - Spanish, plays for Real Madrid.
The former Liverpool midfielder recently revealed that he 'is and always will be' a Liverpool supporter. He loves the club so much that he wants to raise his son as a die-hard Liverpool supporter too. He has promised to return to Liverpool FC one day.
Theo Walcott - English, plays for Arsenal.
Theo has never hidden the fact that he's a massive Liverpool supporter. He started following the club as a youngster because of his father's support for the club. Who knows, he could very well join the club sooner rather than later.
Robbie Keane - Irish, plays for West Ham United.
Robbie Keane joined Liverpool in July 2008. At his first press conference with the club, he revealed that he had been a Liverpool supporter all his life and that he always had the Liverpool shirt on his back when he was a youngster. He left the club 7 months later due to poor form and a disappointing run.
Kevin Nolan - English, plays for Newcastle United.
Kevin was born in Toxteth, Liverpool and grew up supporting the Liverpool Football Club. His two favorite players however, were Eric Cantona and Lee Sharpe of Manchester united.
Jari Litmanen - Finnish, currently a Free Agent.
Jari grew up supporting Liverpool and was even signed by Gerard Houllier in 2001, but his days at the club were short lived due to constant injuries. Jari is arguably the best Finnish player of all time.
Rio Ferdinand - English, plays for Manchester united.
Rio grew up idolizing John Barnes. The Liverpool influence came about due to the majority of his friends supporting Liverpool. Rio once told MUTV, his club's official TV channel that ''As a kid, Liverpool was the team that were doing well, with the likes of John Barnes and John Aldridge, and United weren't really winning anything.''
John O'Shea - Irish, plays for Manchester united.
John supported Liverpool when he was growing up. He is admired at his current club, even though it is widely acknowledged amongst united fans that O'Shea grew up supporting Liverpool.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer - Norwegian, used to play for Manchester united.
Ole grew up supporting Liverpool, but he jumped ship as he signed with Manchester united in July 1996.
We've just signed a colossus.. We've just signed a colossus...
Come in and walk around him.
Forget about the cringeworthy rewritings of the Torres song.
Forget about the inevitable photoshopping people are going to partake in.
Forget about the melodrama and tears if you're over 16 years of age.
Forget, even, about Fernando Torres next Sunday when he walks out at Stamford Bridge as one of of them as opposed to one of us.
This lad is our new number 9. He's one who wants to play for Liverpool Football Club. For Kenny. For us.
Support him from the word go. He has the potential to be an absolute monster. Our monster.
His new strike partner isn't bad, either. It's a duo no defence will want to mess with. Tenacious and pugnacious. Defenders will be breathless at the full-time whistle - as breathless as us supporters.
The reds are coming up the hill, boys.
The intelligent supporters The intelligent supporters
The Liverpool supporters are known for their ability to see good football, when they see it, and are supposedly an intelligent crowd. But after the comments to my last blog post, then I am beginning to doubt that some Liverpool supporters are so intelligent. Every day I am reading blog post about sacking Brendan Rodgers. Every week I read blog posts and comments on how the owners exploit Liverpool Football Club, in order to make a quick financial profit of an investment.
I am educated as a banker, and my speciality was that I was head on an investment group, and I had a lot to do with investments, and I know how to run a profitable business. Which means I know what I am talking about. I believed every word of owner John W. Henry's open letter to us Liverpool supporters, and I have read enough about the owners plans for Liverpool Football Club, and for those who don't have, then I can educate you, and let you know that the owners have a long term plan for the club. And so far the club is not a profitable investment for the owners, as some think it is.
All the critics of the owners, should remember the previous owners, and also remember that Liverpool Football Club was very close to going into administration, because of the debt the previous owners had left the club in. And it is only our current owners we can thank for that Liverpool isn't administrated by the banks. Because the first thing that John W. Henry did was to pay the debt from the previous owners, and it was a lot. So to those of you who thinks that John W. Henry is trying to exploit the club, then I suggest you think otherwise. Of course Liverpool Football Club is a business, but so far Liverpool as a business is not more worth, than it was when the new owners bought it.
What John W. Henry wrote in his open letter to us the supporters, was that he was more concerned about the future of Liverpool for the next 16 years, rather than the future for the next 16 weeks. And I happen to believe in that, as it makes perfect sense. I know that the summer transfer window didn't go as planned, but that is hardly the owners fault. The fact that they didn't want to invest in an almost 30 years old striker, Clint Dempsey is not so strange, when the owners are trying to build a Liverpool team up from the ground. And that means to invest in young players. And to give the talented young players from the Academy a chance. Signing Clint Dempsey would not have helped Liverpool a lot. So Tottenham bought him instead, but he is not even a regular starter for Tottenham, and so far he has only scored twice for them. I admit that someone made a mistake in the summer transfer window, but things don't always goes as planned. Accept it and move on.
To all those who expect instant results, then I can only say that it is not going to happen, Liverpool are not going to win anything, this season. You might as well get used to that thought. Liverpool have the youngest team in the Premier League, at least when Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are not playing at the same time. Every match Liverpool plays, we have three teenagers on the team, and normally a teenager is substituted in, such as 18 years old Suso. Liverpool have a lot of young players, and it will take them some time, before they gel and get the necessary confidence and experience that they need to win matches in the Premier League.
To all those “intelligent” supporters who are writing blog posts about sacking Brendan Rodgers, I have to say that you don't know the first thing about the plan that Brendan Rodgers has for Liverpool Football Club. He has stated that he needs at least three transfer windows, to complete his plan for which players Liverpool should have in the squad. That means that you can't expect results before in two seasons from now. And what is the point in sacking Brendan Rodgers? Who should Liverpool then hire? Rafa Benitez? I have read many supporters who wants him back. If Rafa Benitez came back, then he would probably ask for a lot of money, so that he could buy players like Falcao and Messi, or someone else, very expensive. And Liverpool would need to start all over again, and with Rafa Benitez back at the helm, then I am sure that he won't deliver results and win trophies or the Premier League, before Brendan Rodgers does it.
Both the owners and Brendan Rodgers have agreed to a plan, and it's a long term plan. It is going to take a couple of seasons, before Liverpool will be back on the top of both English and European football. All we Liverpool supporters needs to be patient, and stop being so paranoid when you are accusing the owners of lying to us. And I think that Brendan Rodgers is the right man for the job.
Now I have stated my opinions, and I don't expect everyone else to have the same opinion as I do, and I respect that. But try at least to be positive and have some faith. Liverpool is on the right path, and we are going to return to former glory, it will just take some time. Of course I don't expect any high ranking on this blog post, but I don't really care. All I care about is the future of my beloved Liverpool Football Club, and so does the owners and Brendan Rodgers, and everyone else working for Liverpool Football Club.
You'll never walk alone...
"Dad? I want to support Man Un "Dad? I want to support Man United."
Mid-September 2010. After finishing 7th last season, I’m struggling to convince my two boys that Liverpool are the greatest club in the world. And now, under Hodgson’s guidance and the increasingly worrying Hicks/Gillett ownership, my job is getting more difficult. I arrive home from work one day, and my 9-year-old approaches me sheepishly.
“Dad? I don’t want to support Liverpool anymore. I want to support Man United.” Six words that any LFC-supporting father dreads.
“Me too!” chips in my 7-year-old, helpfully.
“Why?” I reply calmly, struggling to hide the panic and anger bubbling up inside.
“Everyone at school supports Man United, and I don’t want to be the odd-one-out.” It’s true. We live in Surrey, a few miles from Chelsea’s training ground, and about 15 miles from Stamford Bridge. Chelsea run the local soccer schools. And yet the kids support United.
Unfortunately, my anger gets the better of me. “Well, you have a simple choice to make boys. Either you can support Man United, or you can have a Dad.” This sends them running to Mum, and you can imagine the trouble I’m in.
Once calm returns to the house, chastised, I try a different approach. “Well you can’t support Man United can you boys? Remember the first rule of football: You can only support the team your Dad supports, or your local team.” I’d taken them to see Reading when they were in the Premier League, including the time they beat Liverpool. But they got bored when I took them to Championship games, and they’d lost interest. “It’s got to be Liverpool or Reading.”
“Reading? They’re rubbish”, declares my youngest.
“Well it’s got to be Liverpool then”, I say, in a matter-of-fact kind of way.
“Reading aren’t our only local team you know”, offers my eldest kindly. Unfortunately geography is one of his stronger subjects. “If I can’t support Man United, I want to support Chelsea.”
“Fulham are closer”, I reply confidently, not sure if it’s true.
“Fulham? They’re rubbish”, declares my youngest, again.
I’m really panicking now. “OK, you can support Liverpool and either Arsenal or Tottenham for a bit, until Liverpool improve. They both play good football and are both only a bit further away than Chelsea.”
“I’m going to support Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham” declares my youngest.
“Then you’ll have a very successful season”, I mutter.
“I’ll do you a deal”, offers my eldest. Always doing deals. “I’ll support Liverpool and Man United until the end of the season, and then decide.”
With Liverpool still in the picture for both of them, I decide to leave it there for the time-being. Let them go on a journey of discovery - plenty of time to steer them back onto the righteous path before the end of the season. “Deal”, I agree.
“But…” continues my eldest, “if Liverpool drop into the relegation zone, I’m supporting Man United”.
“Relegation zone?!” I laugh. Never in my lifetime. Never. “Alright boys, no problem. You don’t have to support Liverpool if we drop into the relegation zone.”
3rd October 2010. Home to Blackpool, absolute banker – home win, 99 times out of 100. Even a draw will keep us out of the relegation zone, so absolutely no worries at all.
Of course you know what happens. Total humiliation. The most humiliating defeat at Anfield since…. well, since Northampton won there 11 days earlier. My boys see the result, and I pray they won’t see the table.
“Dad, Dad, Liverpool are in the relegation zone! You said we don’t have to support them if they’re in the relegation zone! Yeessss!!!”
We don’t play again for two weeks, and they’re two of the worst weeks of my life. On top of everything else, Liverpool face administration and probable relegation if they can’t sell the club. I seriously wonder if the club I’ve loved for my whole life is dying before me.
The week of 11th to 15th October I can’t sleep properly or focus on work. I sit at my desk clicking the refresh button on the live news feeds a hundred times a day. Finally on 15th October, just an hour or two before the deadline, the LFC board burst out of the High Court declaring victory. The club can be sold to NESV. I should feel euphoric, but I’m broken, exhausted, and slump on my desk, numb with relief.
Confident that Liverpool will climb back up the table, I explain to my boys how Liverpool will now be great again, and sit back and wait for the victories to roll in. But of course, they don’t. Week after week I pray for Liverpool victories, while at the same time a shameful part of me hopes we lose so that Hodgson will be sacked.
For the first time I wonder if I’m being cruel, insisting my boys support Liverpool. Then I bump into a mate who has his son dressed in a Brentford shirt. Immediately, I know that encouraging them to support Liverpool is one of the greatest gifts I can ever give to them. I just need to bide my time.
In mid-December we lose to Newcastle, and I tell my boys that Hodgson will be sacked the next day. Then we lose to Wolves at Anfield, and I tell my boys that Hodgson will definitely, definitely, be sacked the next day. They find my pain hilarious. Then on 5th January we lose to Blackburn, and finally the axe falls.
8th January 2011. Liverpool announce that King Kenny will return as manager until the end of the season. Now, I’ve loved Kenny my whole life. Two years ago, in an interview for a business magazine, I told them Kenny Dalglish was my inspiration, because no-one has achieved so much as both a team player and a Manager. But I have my reservations. If he can still do it, why has he been out of management for so long? Anyway, I can’t let my boys know my concerns. This is too good a chance to miss.
“Kenny Dalglish? He is such an old man”, offers my eldest generously.
“Right”, I said. “Both of you wait there.”
I went upstairs and fetched Kenny’s autobiography and my LFC history books. “Right. Guess how many league titles Kenny has won.” I didn’t wait for an answer. “Nine. Nine league titles. And, and three European Cups.” They sat there with their mouths open, catching flies.
Finally my eldest spoke. “Yeah, he was a good player but that doesn’t make him a good manager, does it?”
I smiled. “Well, he was Liverpool manager for five years. In his first season, he won the league title and the FA Cup. Not only that, but he also played 29 games that season, and scored the winning goal at Chelsea to win the title on the final day of the season.”
“What? You can’t be a player and a Manager at the same time.”
“Kenny could. And in those five years, he won the title three times. Then he went to Blackburn, and won the title for them too. Blackburn! So do you think he’s a good Manager?”
“Yeah! Brilliant.”
The next day, and Kenny’s first match is away at Old Trafford. I fear the worst. My boys cheer when United score just to wind me up, but I can tell they’re not sure who they want to win. Our performance overall is much improved so I feel quietly optimistic about the future.
During the next few weeks, Liverpool gradually improve and we get some victories under our belt. I subliminally try to influence my boys by leaving Liverpool scarves and pennants around the house, and put a picture of Kenny in a frame next to the TV. I leave their Match Attax collection album open at the Liverpool page after they go to bed, and I tell them all the transfer rumours about the players that the new owners may be buying for us. They increasingly play as Liverpool on PES, and beg to stay up to watch the first-half of our televised evening games.
Then at the end of January a set-back. They love Gerrard and Torres, and all of a sudden it seems Torres may be going to Chelsea. I quickly go into damage limitation mode, reminding them how bad Torres has been for a year or more. He goes, and I quietly remove their posters of him while they are out. I show them a video of new-signing Luis Suarez on YouTube, and they watch Carra stop Torres getting anywhere near our goal as Liverpool thrillingly beat Chelsea. Torres is forgotten, and Liverpool’s good form continues.
6th March 2011. Liverpool versus United, and a true test of their loyalties. They join me on the sofa at kick-off, each with a Liverpool scarf draped around their neck. I’m happy but nervous. Are we good enough yet to beat United? As the game progresses, my nerves ease. We’re playing well. Then, with his back to goal, Suarez takes his first giant step to becoming a Liverpool Legend. He suddenly spins between two defenders, beats a third, and rolls the ball under the on-rushing keeper. Kuyt taps it in, and me and my boys go wild. Before half-time it’s 2-0, and we’re all delighted. Half way through the second half, and a fantastic Suarez free-kick is parried into the path of Kuyt, who hammers it into the net. The boys leap on me and I find myself twirling around the living room, one of them held high in each arm, their arms raised, fingertips touching the ceiling.
“Kuyt’s got a hat-trick, Kuyt’s got a hat-trick – against Man United!” they scream in delight, and I know our journey is complete. For the first time in months I can hold my head up high and walk on, with hope in my heart.
Support United, or have a Dad? Boys, You’ll NEVER Walk Alone.
An Open Letter to Fernando Tor An Open Letter to Fernando Torres
An Open Letter to Fernando Jose Torres Sanz
It hardly seems like three and a half years since you were photographed with Rafa Benitez jointly holding aloft a ‘Liverpool FC –You’ll Never Walk Alone’ scarf with the Kop as a backdrop. That day Liverpool supporters all over the world were as proud and as pleased as punch. Kids raced out to get their new shirts with Torres 9 emblazoned on the back, and the older generation such as me looked forward to another in the line of famous LFC goal scorers.
A new love affair had begun.
Three days later we had our first glimpse of you in a Liverpool kit as you replaced fellow debutant Andre Voronin as a 63rd minute substitute in the Friendly in Switzerland against Werder Bremen. The two friendly games played in Switzerland must have confirmed to you the size of the club that you had joined, the stands being full of Liverpool reds from their vast army of fans on the continent.
But surely the scenes that greeted you and your new team-mates when you arrived in Hong Kong International Airport must have had an impression upon you. There were thousands of adoring Asian fans to greet the team, and the scenes were repeated everywhere you went on that short Far East tour. Believe me Fernando, this sort of worldwide appeal is reserved for special clubs. Liverpool, Barcelona and (dare I say) Manchester United.
Chelsea, for all their recent spending power simply do not compare.
The memories from that first season will live long in our hearts as I trust they will in yours. The magical first goal at Anfield when you accepted Stevie’s pass and running half the length of the Main Stand, you cut in, twisted past two Chelsea defenders with a burst of pace and eased the ball into the far corner with expert precision.
The love affair was consummated.
More magical memories are etched in the mind. A couple in a drubbing of Derby, a hat-trick against a Reading team that tried in vain to kick you out of the game, consecutive home trebles against Boro and West Ham, magical solo goals at Derby and Marseille and a fabulous feint against the hapless Geordies.
On top of that there was the wonderful goal in the San Siro, sealing one of the greatest nights in Liverpool’s illustrious history.
And the goals and memories have gone on and on. Old Trafford in 2009, the annihilation of Real Madrid both witnessed the Torres celebration and the familiar smile.
This was a team of great potential , registering wins at Chelsea, the Camp Nou, the Bernabou, Old Trafford. On their day this team could beat anyone.
Yet all the while there was a cancer in the club. A cancer at the very top.
The owners had lied. They had no doubt lied to you, and they had lied to us.
There was to be no investment. There would only be spiralling debts. The chance for making the final step to glory was lost. The moment had passed.
Don’t forget though Fernando that the fans put a lot of effort into removing the culprits. We marched. We stayed behind. But all the while we supported the team. Results became inconsistent but we supported the team. We supported you when you were injured. We supported you when the media started to question you.
The owners have been replaced of course and now FSG are at the helm. I understand that you are frustrated by the speed of progress. However we have previously witnessed false promises and a repeat would have been met with distrust. I firmly believe that John Henry and TomWerner’s approach is the correct one. They are taking time to assess things before making decisions, but they will make the right decisions. Their track record in North American sports tells us this.
We have signed Luis Suarez, a quality player who will light up the Premier league. There is no better keeper than Pepe. Stevie G, Raul and Lucas form a formidable midfield. We will reinforce the squad, using the money that would formerly have been swallowed up by interest payments.
If you see the grass as greener at Chelsea, then make the move. It isn’t though. Not by a long chalk.
You will not get the support at away games that you have become accustomed to. They are not as patient as us. (They booed Drogba, for goodness sake). There is no comparison in the atmosphere at special nights.
Liverpool is a family club. Chelsea are not, they are a rich man's plaything.
At times this season, you have cast a lonely furrow at the top of our attack. Under Hodgson the team was not set up to get the best out of you. We could see that. We understood. We wanted our Torres back. For that reason, above all others, Roy had to go.
Now we have Kenny. Now we finally have our club back. The lads who made ‘The King and The Kid’ flag which has been on the Kop recently did not spend their hard-earned money just because they wanted to be on the television. I’ll bet they did that for their belief in Dalglish and their belief in you. You represent the heartbeat of this club, and that is why we are hurting.
Once again, if you must go then there is nothing we can do, except wish you all the best.
We realise that it is not fair to expect players to share our attachment to the football clubs we support. I am a Liverpool Football club supporter. It occupies an irrationally high proportion of my time and my thoughts. I know it’s probably a bit sad, but that’s the way I am. I will support LFC whoever the owners are. I will support LFC whoever is manager. I will support them wherever our home ground is, whoever the board of directors are, whatever kit we wear, whatever league we are in, and of course, whoever the current players are.
The one constant is the connection between the fan and the club. Everything else is a variable.
The lads who made that flag will be sad this weekend. The kids with Torres posters on their wall will not understand. The older kids with Torres proudly emblazoned on their backs will be sad too. I am bl**dy sad for God’s sake.
But I am also damn proud that I saw your hundred goals for Liverpool Football Club. I thank you sincerely for all the joy you have given me and my fellow Koppites. Thanks too for all the hours you put in on the training ground and in fighting back from injury.
Thanks for that fabulous photo when you had your hands on the World cup but you remembered us and draped a Liverpool scarf around your neck. In a small way we felt part of that moment too.
Great memories. Proud memories. How about making some more? Give it a thought...
My line up vs Oldham My line up vs Oldham
Reina
Flanagan Carra Agger Robinson
Hendo Spearing Gerrard Bellamy
Kuyt Carroll
Subs : Doni Kelly Enrique Downing Adam Maxi Coates
Starting with the back four I dont think flanagan has played since exeter back in august and the same for Robinson I think they would both be capable with this match considering theyv played against arsenal in April last season . with the partnership of Agger and Skertl forming there hasnt been room for carra because whats the point in getting rid of something that works ? with two youngsters put into the line up I think Carra would be the best to organise them , I considered putting Coates in the other cb position instead of agger put I decided that 3 youngsters in the back 4 might be pushing it so he would most likely have to make do with an appearnace from the bench .
Midfield
Henderson and Spearing are both good young , english players and either havent done to bad for the squad bear in mind that both of them have had to fill in the Lucas role in the past month or so , people may say that Henderson hasnt done much but he has actually created some brilliant chances and some of them have ended up as goals ( guess who set up suarez's header for the 2nd goal against stoke in the cup ?) Gerrard has yet to make his first start for the team after his second return from injury and after playing 3 games from off the bench I think he should be ready now , Bellamy has been brilliant since returning to the club and he has given it his all , I think that both Gerrard and Bellamy should have started against city and the team got a real lift when they came on but it was short lived with that so called ' penalty ' , but Im sure kenny has his reasons .
Strike
Carroll seemed abit isolated v city and kuyt hasnt got to play in strike for along time I think that the pair should both get their chance in strike , besides , with suarez's 8 match ban who else should play ? sometimes Carrolls performances havnet been up to scratch and others he was unlucky and couldnt done more 9 late on v blackburn and mancity at home for example )
An Open Letter to Luis Suarez An Open Letter to Luis Suarez
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’
Late last January (2011) I was compelled to write an open letter to Fernando Torres as he packed his bags and headed for Chelsea. As we all now know Fernando went through with his move and took his chances in West London. At the same time you were in the midst of agreeing your transfer to Liverpool, and it wasn’t too long before the Kop had forgotten their former number 9 and were singing the praises of their new hero.
We all delighted in your effervescence as you danced through the Manchester United defence, and your audacity as you smashed the ball home from a ridiculous angle at the Stadium of Light.
For almost every kid in the red half of Liverpool there was only one name that they wanted on their Liverpool shirt. Luis Suarez. We just couldn’t get enough.
Then after the home fixture with Man United in October we saw Alex Ferguson up to his tricks again. A year earlier he had singled out Torres as a ‘diver’.Now Torres had gone, he had a new danger man in his sights. “Suarez was diving all over the place” he said. He spoke and the press lapped it up, as usual. Operation Smear Suarez had begun.
However worse was to follow.
So much has been written about the Evra accusations that i do not intend going over it again. Except to say that I, like many, many other Liverpool fans, players and manager, publicly declared our support for your version of events. The FA report was greeted with incredulity and merely stiffened our support.
We felt that justice had not been seen to be done. Your good name was sullied.
In light of this we have all suffered. I have been called a racist so many times on twitter that I can’t care to remember, merely for supporting your case. Our fans have been vilified by opposition supporters and the media. Kenny Dalglish has been pilloried.
Now we have the unbelievable reaction over a handshake.
“He should have shook hands, then we could have moved on” they said.
Again, we all have our views on that farce. Why were the FA reluctant to cancel the ritual? If it was deemed like no other occasion, why then did the referee order the reversal of normal protocol whereby the home team walk down the away team’s line? Did Evra really show intention to shake hands?
These questions are, of course, incidental now. The furore blew up as expected.
“He must apologise. LFC must apologise. Dalglish must apologise” they said again “Then we can move on”
Finally an acceptance at FSG and Liverpool FC that sometimes you are in a fight that you cannot win, hit home and in order to protect the image of the club and it’s sponsors a series of apologies were issued.
Now we can move on? Not a chance.
Manchester United have not apologised for the disgraceful comments of a manager who has the audacity to demand the immediate end of your LFC career, in contradiction to his rehabilitation of Cantona, Keane, Giggs, Rooney, Ferdinand and of course Peter Schmeichel after eachof them brought disgrace to Man United for various misdemeanours.
Neither has any apology been forthcoming for Evra’s antics in trying to gain entry to the Liverpool dressing room at the interval, or for his inflammatory antics in attempting to foster a reaction from you at the whistle.
So we are where we are.
You may feel that your love affair with Liverpool FC and its fans has been damaged. Not so.
This week we will get back to the real business of football. The Kop will sing your name Luis. We have all been through the mill to varying degrees, and the best way out is for us ALL to mount a major charm offensive.
You are the player the press love to hate right now. Liverpool FC and it fans are also targets. We must smile our way out of this. The apologies were the right way to start, no matter how they were brought about.
We fans must now rediscover our reputation as the friendliest, most knowledgeable fans in the game. That starts here. Kenny Dalglish is going to have to embrace the media, with a grin. You, my friend, will have to play with a smile on your face.
It has been clear since your return that there is NO doubt that your team-mates are fully behind you. The way Pepe, Danny Agger, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson had your back was great to see. The team spirit is unquestionable. That is a great foundation.
Soon, the focus of the media will find another target. Meanwhile, forget any thoughts that you are no longer wanted at Liverpool Football Club. In two weeks time we will hopefully celebrating a Carling Cup win at Wembley. The great stadium is a fantastic place for everyone involved with Liverpool FC to show the football world that we are truly a special football club.
“At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky...”
Dear Mr. Henry Dear Mr. Henry
I wrote this open letter to Stephen Hester, CEO of Royal Bank of Scotland, in August 2010.
Dear Mr. Hester,
Grobbelaar; Harkness, Hysen, Tanner, Burrows; McManaman, Molby, McMahon, Walters; Rush, Saunders
These names will mean nothing to you. In fact, these names, collectively, will probably mean nothing to most Liverpool supporters.
To me, it’s that biting October wind. It’s the moment the door is knocked upon and your granddad stands there. It’s a hat, cap, badge or a scarf as you walk down Walton Breck Road and catch sight of what will come to define you as both a football fan and a person.
Port Vale, Rumbelows Cup third round, 29 October 1991. My first match at Anfield. It wouldn’t be the last.
I studied Dickens and Shakespeare at great depth in university, but my memory can hardly differentiate between Macbeth and Magwitch. The midfield of McManaman, Molby and McMahon is a different story.
I remember seeing the ball hit the net from Rush’s header and hearing the sparse Kop roar. I will never forget the touch of my granddad’s hug as we scored as the smell of celebratory cigarettes filled the night air. My first taste of Liverpool Football Club.
Ask any Liverpool fan about their first experience and they’ll be similarly encyclopaedic, because that’s what supporting this football club is about. A mosaic of memories in your mind displayed every time you see your team play.
This football club has the most impressive mosaic of all. That famous Anfield roar on a European night originates from the voices of the thousands who have gone before us. Inter Milan, St. Etienne, Auxerre, Roma, Olympiakos, Juventus, Chelsea. Layer upon layer of the club's history being created by us, the fans.
Football is the purest form of escapism. For 90 minutes, it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, married or single. For 90 minutes, it doesn't matter if you're a lawyer, a librarian or a landscape architect. You get lost in the experience of innocence.
Part of you drifts back to that night against Port Vale, or that league match against Norwich; that time when all that mattered in the world was who started up front.
That innocence has been ruined by snakes who slithered into our garden and offered David Moores the fruit of his labours three-and-a-half years ago. Moores devoured, and now Liverpool supporters have to suffer for his sin.
Now, it feels like we have to be chartered accountants to understand the football club. We’re sending letters to your bank using words and terms it’s not our job to fully comprehend. When my grandfather took me to that Port Vale game in 1991, he was taking me to watch a football match, not a business venture.
All of our actions and efforts to remove Hicks & Gillett are necessary evils. Just because we do it doesn’t mean we enjoy it. It will make us stronger and it will bring the fans of this football club together once more, but I look forward to the day we can all stand united over our support for a new left-back, as opposed to disdain for leveraged buyouts.
I don’t know what to believe, but I know the fact that this sort of business is our business is the most lamentable part of it all – Shankly’s holy trinity of manager, players and supporters is not sacred anymore.
Perhaps there should be intentions from those in power to do something with Liverpool Football Club that hasn’t happened from the moment David Moores accepted Hicks and Gillett’s bid.
Act with the best interests of the club, and its supporters, in mind - give us our football club back.
I wrote this letter to John W. Henry this evening as the one-year anniversary of Fenway Sports Group approaches.
Dear Mr. Henry,
Reina; Jose Enrique, Carragher, Skrtel, Kelly; Downing, Lucas, Adam, Kuyt; Suarez, Carroll
These names will mean everything to you. In fact, these names, collectively, will mean everything to most Liverpool supporters.
It was the team that disposed of Everton in the Merseyside derby so callously, so superbly.
It was the team that possessed and displayed every important attribute – mental and physical - ensuring the man advantage from Rodwell’s red card was fully appreciated.
It was a team that had proven quality on the bench in Craig Bellamy and Steven Gerrard, as well as exciting young prospects such as Sebastian Coates, John Flanagan and Jordan Henderson.
But most importantly, it was a team. It was Kenny’s team. It was our team.
When I wrote the letter to Mr. Hester, it was our lowest ebb. I didn’t write that as a journalist, nor necessarily as a Liverpool supporter. I wrote it as someone who watched something he loved slowly die. I wrote it as a desperate plea for a stay of execution; a final attempt to stop the plug from being pulled on a 119-year-old institution.
I know my words alone did nothing. I doubt you even read them. But you read our words. Thousands of letters, e-mails, phone calls; thousands of people trying their best to educate others about the state of our football club. The individual words may not have been processed, but the collective vitriol was. My letter was just a mere cinder flying from the raging fire heading towards Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? It does if there’s tens of thousands of them, all at once, falling together, screaming to save their club.
When you, Mr. Werner and the rest of Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool last October, you saved that club.
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that.
People, rightfully, will focus on your transfer activity.
You brought in Luis Suarez, a player whom we just can’t get enough of; a player who we just can’t believe how little we paid for us. You brought in Andy Carroll, a player who – hopefully – Suarez will partner for years to come.
You brought in Jose Enrique, Jordan Henderson, Sebastian Coates, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Craig Bellamy. You respectfully relinquished those who no longer wished to play for the club and those who no longer possessed the talent to do so.
You allowed Kenny Dalglish to return to his rightful home; to have the chance to finish what he started over two decades ago.
But more important than any of this is, you ensured this happened at Liverpool Football Club. You ensured that there still was, and forever will be, a Liverpool Football Club.
You ensured I will forever be proud of a lot of our support.
I’ve always maintained that Liverpool Football Club will always exist as long as it has its supporters. During the final hours of Hicks and Gillett’s reign, this was proven true.
What started as 200 people in The Sandon pub on Walton Breck Road making a few grumbles of discontent turned into thousands acting with the club’s best interests at heart – all because those who were at the top of the hierarchy weren’t doing so.
The actions of Spirit of Shankly and other supporter groups – and to be a part of that while you were battling for the club – made me proud to be a Liverpool supporter again. It made me believe in those I stand next to on the Kop once more.
I remember touching down after the Champions League final defeat in Athens and feeling a five-minute vibrate in my pocket; those who were home had text me in the vague, misguided hope my phone would work beyond Dover.
Liverpool had lost a European Cup final 2-1, but more unsettling than that were the comments of Rafa Benitez after the full-time whistle. He was doing what was best for the club; it was at that point that the realisation set in – those above him weren’t doing so. I don’t think it’s been the same ever since.
Not until you emerged from that courtroom in London and assured us the club was in good hands once again. In just three years, 119 years of history could have been erased due to arrogance and greed. The only epic swindle was that they were allowed to do it for so long.
Thank you for being true to your word. You’ve been nothing but respectful to the culture of this football club, and consequently, the traditions of its supporters.
There's a vital link between the players and the fans, between the city and the football club. They work with each other and help each other.
The football club would not have 18 league titles or five European Cups if it wasn't for the city or the fans. The city wouldn't be what it is now if it wasn't for the football club.
In your first game, I left Goodison Park after watching personnel not good enough for Liverpool Football Club embarrass themselves and the football club. I knew you had a massive task ahead to rebuild the club from the debris of Tom Hicks, George Gillett and others.
Leaving this year, the personnel – and feeling – could not have been different. It shows that the club, even in 12 months, is heading in the right direction.
Thank you for Luis Suarez. Thank you for Kenny Dalglish. Thank you, Mr. Henry, for ensuring we will hear that famous Anfield roar on a European night yet again; thank you for allowing that mosaic in my mind to keep expanding.
Thank you for reminding me why we all wanted to support Liverpool Football Club to begin with; why those supporters who fought for the club would have made Shankly proud.
But most of all, thank you for giving us our football club back; for making sure remembering that game against Port Vale, my first taste of Liverpool Football Club, didn't forever taste of tears as I remembered a club that was no more.
KENNY ISNT GOOD ENOUGH KENNY ISNT GOOD ENOUGH
First, I thank everybody that has replied to my yesterday blog '' WE NEED A NEW COACH''. However, i find it hard to relent to some peaple that have nothing else to write other than saying u muppet, idiot, go join Manchs etc etc. Apalently, these peaple think they are in Love with King Kenny, the players, and Liverpool alot more than others and there fore find it hard to let go of anyone whether that person is a performer or not. Its soo sad to think like that because that low key attitude doesnt take us any where. Am in my 30's and have supported liverpool since my childhood. My loyality to this club is unquestionable because I have no any other club I support. Its Liverpool and only Liverpool. when I say We need another coach i say it from the bottom of my heart. I want to see goals coming in, i want to see Liverpool winning, i want to see trophies without any excuses. We have every thing it takes and so my ambition isnt far fetched. We wont trophies in the past when we didnt have half the Talent we have today. Kenny isnt good enough and must go.My reasons are these.
When I compare coaches or Managers, I dont want to compare King Kenny with Roy Hogson like people do. We are supposed to have the best coach because we are a top club. I take Hogson as an accident that ever happened to Liverpool. So tell me why I should compare Kenny with the worsed?? I want and love the coach of my club to be in the class of Bill Shankly,Fergies, Mourinhos, Capello and so on. People find it easy to compare Kenny with Hogson but i take that as lack of Ambition. I even find it hard to put him next Benitez a man that crippled our youth project but again he brought us the biggest trouphy in just a year at Anifield. My be thats the reason people extend him down further to the class of Hogson. So he isnt a class coach. He is just better than Hogson.
Another reason is that every body in our squad including Carrol, Henderson and Adam have talent enough to beat Fulham, stoke, Bburn, wigan and any other team above us on the table. What they lack is the organisational skill and attitude that is ofcourse impated in by the coach. This is what is lacking at Liverpool and I dont see it coming from the current coach. Some may argue that Kenny was an excellent player for us but so was Barnes, Hypia, G.cisse, Robbie fowler etc. So should we pick any of these as our coach because they won us trophies as players?? Do they make a cut?? If any of them did, should we get stuck with him even when he is underperforming??.
Being a Liverpool coach is a hard job and thats the reason i cant apply for it. There fore if anyone is in there, they should perfom as expected without leaving some fans feeling they could have as well perfomed better. And truth is some fans feel they could draft a better line up or buy better players than Kenny. He should go early and remain in our good books than leaving us when everyone is tired of him. Lets all campain for Morinho to come in. He seems to like premier league. This is the best time to tap him otherwise if we delay, he will succed Fergy. I support Kenny to win the next match though. I will cheer him if he wins.
Just stop it! Just stop it!
Seriously, a year an a half ago, FSG were our great saviours and rid us of the Hicks and Gillett monster that had so engulf our precious club. Now they are just like them? Only after money? Give me a break, FSG have poured a hell of a lot of money into this club and anyone who bags them out as money grabbing glory mongers is an idiot. We all love Kenny and he was, is and always will be an LFC legend, but if was any other manager with his record, no one would say a word. Results, particularly at Anfield, were just unacceptable and somethings had to be changed. Heck we only gave the now England manager 6 months. Are you serious? Roy had a win percentage of almost 42% where Kenny's was 47%. Granted is was a little better but not exactly setting the world on fire huh? You really need to get over yourself. Who do you support? Kenny or the club? No one person is bigger than LFC and that includes managers, players nor fans. Liverpool was up and running before we were born and will be still going long after we have died. Get behind the club and support them, like I am always told to do, but now that is too hard right? Get a grip.
YNWA
Just cant understand Kenny ..! Just cant understand Kenny ..!
aquilani is set to leave anfield . Not Good :x
i think king wants a full British squad .. wtf ???
Lucas's New Contract Proves He Lucas's New Contract Proves He's The Real Deal
HAD anyone suggested just two years ago that Lucas Leiva would win the respect of the Liverpool supporters at the same time that Fernando Torres would go from hero to zero in their eyes then they would have been whisked off to the nearest establishment for the clinically insane.
Torres: - the then darling of the Kop, an individual who in the words of his admirers at the time “just gets us, an icon and an idol; Lucas – derided, ridiculed, viewed by many as an unfit wearer of the Liver Bird upon his chest. Their standing amongst the overwhelming majority of supporters could hardly have been more contrasting, the only thing harder than finding someone with a bad word to say about Torres was coming across someone with a good word to say about Lucas.
No-one could have foreseen the sea change in attitudes that has occurred since, not even the most vivid of imaginations could have come up with a scenario in which Lucas would have his name chanted by the Liverpool fans while Torres would be booed but this is exactly what happened at Stamford Bridge back in February. Talk about trading places.
More than enough has been written and said to account for Torres’s fall from grace in the eyes of those who once adored him. The less well known story is the one with the feel good factor, the tale of a player who found himself on the canvas, battered and almost beaten into submission, who dragged himself up off the floor through sheer force of will and went on to reach his own personal ambitions, confounding his critics in the process.
If that all sounds melodramatic and a bit too Hollywood then I apologise but when a footballer is booed onto the pitch by a section of his own fans but still manages to come back and convince them of his worth then there is undoubtedly a fairytale element to his story.
The new long term contract that Lucas signed earlier this week proved many things. It proved that he is valued by Liverpool Football Club. It proved that Kenny Dalglish, as he has stated on several occasions, rates him highly as a player. It proved that the club is ready and willing to reward those who show commitment and who demonstrate their quality and development. But perhaps most importantly, it proved that careers can be turned around no matter how unlikely it may seem.
That Lucas has managed to do this is testament to both his talent and his determination. Football is littered with individuals who point to a lack of love from the fans as the reason for their failure, it is a well worn excuse that becomes less convincing with each and every hearing. “The supporters never gave me a chance,” they claim, conveniently forgetting that in the overwhelming majority of cases all supporters want from managers and players is for them to provide good football, do that and the chances of being left out in the cold diminish almost altogether.
Lucas could have hidden behind that kind of excuse. He could have packed his bags and headed back to his native Brazil or to one of the clutch of European clubs who would have readily offered him a safe haven at the merest hint that he was willing to give up his battle to win over the hearts and minds of the Anfield faithful. After being booed onto the pitch he could have said “enough is enough” and used such an audible lack of faith as a just cause for quitting.
He didn’t. He chose to stay and fight in an attempt to prove to himself that he deserved to be a Liverpool player and to convince those who had so publicly doubted him that he was worthy of their support. At times, it looked like the battle would be too much for him and there were occasions when Lucas’s morale hit rock bottom. But even at his lowest, he still found it within him to carry on plugging away, both for the club and himself and through this fight he found his own salvation.
The fact that Lucas never hid when things got really bad is acknowledged even by his fiercest critics. It would have been easy to let others dominate possession while he just lurked in the shadows, afraid of getting heavily involved for fear of making a mistake that would make things even worse. But from one game to the next, you could see Liverpool’s number 21 demanding the ball from his centre backs, making tackles that others might shy away from because a foul could be conceded and generally being conspicuous. If his visibility was heartening then his refusal to shy away from a situation that could so easily have consumed him speaks volumes for his character.
There will still be debates about Lucas’s ability and about his status as a first team regular – and so there should. That is an occupational hazard for all but the most exceptional of footballers and it is the right of every fan to venture their own opinion about each and every player’s value.
But the days of Lucas having to fight for the right to prove that he was worthy of being a Liverpool player are long gone and the qualities that lie behind the dramatic turnaround in his career are the very same ones that should be associated with every servant of one of Europe’s most successful clubs. His next challenge is to prove that he is capable of improving still further but having already faced adversity down he will not be intimidated by that task.
Hindsight, Liverpool and our f Hindsight, Liverpool and our future.
It is an absolutely wonderful thing is it not? We are going through our brightest patch of the season, not only on the pitch, but as a club on the whole. The positivity we see is infectious and at times, exhilarating. This positivity is spreading through the whole fan base, coursing through the players and there is now a real belief that we can challenge; and maybe, just maybe, teams will start to fear us again.
The King is right. When the club and everyone associated with the club, including the fans, pull in the same direction, there will only be one result, the direction we are pulling for. Sometimes, I feel, in this current green patch, what we feel is almost like stuff made for dreams. It is some romance. Think about it.
Hindsight, as brilliant as it may be, may make you wonder about what could have happened had something been done differently and one of the things thrown up into the air is whether Kenny should have been installed as manager at the beginning of this season. But how often does hindsight help you solve a problem unless it is a recurring event?
What we are seeing right now, the momentum, the love, the fantasy, the way everything has been pieced together, is only something this wonderfully historic club has been able to build up to. We went through our darkest times in recent years, many promises were broken and at times, the fans were left wondering what was becoming of their beloved club. I've been there and I'm sure many of you have been. But let me bring you back to that question when I said, think about it. The timing of everything has been wonderful and how often have we mentioned the woeful timing of a player who recently departed us?
Had Kenny come in prior, he would have worked under the previous owners. I'm not saying that it would not have been a similar outcome as we are seeing now. We just wouldn't know. But to me, everything just seems that much sweeter the way it has panned out. Sure, we have not won a trophy, we have not won a league championship just yet and under the King, we have just 4 wins out of a possible 6 games so far. But the large disparity in change that we see at LFC now, again, is almost night and day. From a state of utter despair, we look almost euphoric at times now.
Our new owners swooped in at a time when the value of LFC was at a down low and depending on how you look at it, it was a real swindle of epic proportions. We are a great club with true tradition and a global fan base. It was the best deal that the then NESV, now FSG, could have gotten. They took us out of the hands of wretched owners whose time here best be forgotten and slowly, the cogs started turning.
We had Roy who really perhaps, was here at the wrong time and we went through some truly horrific performances on the field and fault should be shared by everyone. But when it all seemed to work against us, yet again, we had the King installed into the hot seat. There were questions over his legendary status should he not succeed with the club, but again, think about it. If he had taken the club earlier on, it would have been under different pressures and personally, there was more chance of it failing then. Now, the timing of the King's return, there really was nothing much to lose. He believed and he knew, he would answer the call to LFC. It was a match made in heaven. I believe that he will bring back the good times to LFC and he already has. It made the motivation and the mood change that much more to have a club legend that many respected to be back at the helm. It really wouldn't have been that sweet had it happened earlier. At least, that is what I believe.
Heck, we could be 6 losses out of 6 matches, but how's hindsight helpful there? We live in the here and now; and that's the real point. We focus on what we can change, what we can do and that is why we look towards the future. LFC is going through a transition, but it some ways, it looks as if we are going back to our grass roots. We look like we are trying to instill that old boot room mentality and to keep things within the club. We are going back to our glory days, a time when there was more respect, integrity and in the words of the King and even our new owners, "no one player is bigger than the club".
Things at the moment, couldn't be better at this club. We have owners who now understand the fans, who are willing to learn and understand a model of success that the fans believe in, and who look as if they would do anything to bring success back to this club.
As a club, we never really did things the easy way. Just think of the two recent trophies we won, the FA Cup and the Champions League. We took it to the absolute brink. We don't know easy. We do it hard. We are LFC, we are built and associated to a working class city and that is how it is, we fight to achieve and achieve we will. I may never have grown up in the glory days. I was born in 1984 and I never really followed LFC more closely than in the last 5 years. Prior to which I just watched and followed the team. I won't go into what drew me to LFC, but suffice to say, it was the club, its tradition and its fans.
So often of late we have bemoaned the timing of a particular players departure, but perhaps, it was just meant to be. It could have and I put it across, that it galvanised the team even more than ever. It was all in the timing. It is easy to look back now and say this, but that is the way it is. You look back, take the positives and move on. I digress.
Make no mistake. Hindsight is wonderful at times, but when it bears no good to the future, it is better left behind and concentration on the here and now will be a more fruitful event. Kenny has turned our club a whole 180 degrees, we are all in it together now. Times may get hard, but we know, we know we have what it takes to achieve, we just have to believe. Our club needs us, as its fans, as its 12th man, to be with it through thick and thin and right now, we are the future of LFC. Turn back the clocks and I would have it no other way. I've learnt to accept the cards that life has dealt me and I think LFC right now, is headed in the right direction. The stars are slowly aligning and I truly believe that we are not far from greatness again. I may be wrong, but I don't think I am wrong in thinking that we have a chance to make it back to the top. We do. We just need to take it.
Our future is in our hands, the clubs. The many phrases I've taken away of late are: "no player is bigger than the club", "keep the faith" and "you'll never walk alone". I hope and pray, one day, I can come back to look at this and say, this, this truly was the club's turning point. I believe in this club and my love and affection for LFC is right up there. I'm proud. I'm proud to be a fan of the best club in world football and to be amongst all of you as fans of this historic club. And long may it continue.
We now have a club where everything seems to be aligned. Is there anything else missing? Perhaps, but if there isn't. It is our time. We are coming back. We are LFC. There is no easy way for us.
FSG: Go Home! FSG: Go Home!
However FSG made their money, it certainly wasn't in the field of football. Their "proven" track record of monumental failures they continue to appoint at LFC becomes ever more staggeringly obvious, by the day.
Proven liars, proven lack of investment depsite claims of profitablility, proven lack of knowedge of the game, proven meddlers by appointing "Cash Flow" Comolli to be their stooge and most incompetent negotiator on transfers, proven liars - ok I said that last point twice, but it's worth reiterating, I feel.
I am sick and tired of mediocrity being dressed up with the need for changes to "take time". NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
We must have the largest collection of international players who are underperforming, out of any top flight team in the world right now, and THAT is definitely down to the manager. Gerrard has been all at sorts this season, despite the fact he has no injuries we know of; we play for draws and the manager claims he's happy with the result; we look tactically naiive against European minnows; the team consistently fails to support the only striker we have, when going forward; we do not inspire fear in the opposition - even at Anfield; we seem happy to let mediocre owners come in and tells us lie after lie, etc, etc.
AND...TO TOP IT ALL...Brendan Rodgers says in an interview with Robbie Savage, for the BBC's Football Focus, that "sometimes you have to drop a bit before you go forward"!!!!!!!!!!!! Am I the only one who wants to punch this man severely in that fat Steve Bruce of a head of his, until my knuckles bleed, for that kind of attitude?
Steve Clarke has turned a West Brom side around in a short period of time. Kenny, when he came in inspired a 6th place finish from 12th, in only a few months, and but for the jinx of woodwork would have had a higher position than 8th last year. We were playing attractive, pass and move football again, under Kenny and while we did have bad games we would also have ones where we battered opponents. Of course, Kenny's was an unfinished project but FSG are so $%^&*(& arrogant that they seem to feel "they know best". All I can say to this parental attitude is that I feel like we're the children of a parent that should be on Trisha for abusing said children with their ignorant posturing.
Why this summer will make Suar Why this summer will make Suarez smile
BONG. Boom, snap, whistle, crackle, shut; and with that, the transfer window – with all of Sky’s pomp and circumstance - closed.
The ringmaster Jim White, now somehow the main attraction, proclaimed names as his time drew near. “Wright-Phillips! Arteta! Bellamy!” he croaked akin to a dying swan’s final song before finally, mercifully, ceasing the incessant bellowing.
11 o’clock had passed. The final deals were struck. Charlie Adam had his face superimposed onto fireworks. A job well done by all.
Well, almost.
Five minutes after the superficial countdown clock stopped, ten minutes after Craig Bellamy had sealed a return to his boyhood club, Raul Meireles followed in his fellow Iberian’s footsteps and left for Stamford Bridge.
Meireles was always a player who divided opinion; true to form, his departure did likewise.
Some chose to see Meireles’ move as smart, understandable and best for both player and Liverpool Football Club; others felt it constituted a transfer window spoiled, a player whose economy of possession and long-range shooting would be sorely missed.
Whatever the judgment on Meireles, his last-minute departure should not be dwelt upon. Kenny Dalglish won’t be.
I wrote in February about why Liverpool’s winner at Stamford Bridge was the perfect goal; ironically, it was scored by Raul Merieles. But the sentiment still stands.
Liverpool’s squad has been streamlined. Raul Meireles’ departure became the 18th of 19th since Fenway Sports Group took charge – few of them were involuntary.
In their place, not only players who want to play for Liverpool, but crucially, players who are good enough to play for Liverpool; players good enough to achieve the standards dictated by the club’s history and set by Kenny Dalglish.
With respect to their predecessors, the improvement this summer’s seven signings bring to the squad is immeasurable. Each signing adds something different, something better, to the squad.
It might be hard to quantify, but it’s not hard to notice already with just four competitive fixtures played.
Jose Enrique’s speed, distribution and intelligence have been craved for years. The midfield duo of Adam and Henderson provide passing and movement in abundance, while Downing provided a glimpse of his capabilities with his solo effort against Sunderland. It’s enough to leave supporters salivating for more - especially given Sebastian Coates and Craig Bellamy are yet to feature.
But while the Kop’s knowledge on the 6 foot 6 Uruguayan centre-back is limited to his impressive showings at the Copa America, they know all about Craig Bellamy.
Quick, tenacious and relentless, Bellamy impressed during his first tenure at Anfield cut short by circumstance. Most impressive from Bellamy, however, is his voracious desire to play for Liverpool again – something which can also be said of Coates rejecting Atletico Madrid, or even reserve goalkeeper Doni, willing to become Pepe Reina’s understudy.
On the pitch, Henderson and Adam’s celebrations after their goals against Bolton Wanderers epitomised their dedication to the club.
If the Liverpool hierarchy wanted to bring in players who give everything to the club - both in talent and dedication – then this transfer window can be deemed one of their biggest successes.
The bar has been set high. No player, surely, can exude the arête and ardour of Luis Suarez.
Against Bolton, much like the entirety of his eight-month Liverpool career, Suarez was sensational, spectacular, sparkling, splendid, salient. Superlatives, nor alliteration, do him justice.
I’ve likened his playing style before to watching the Minotaur perform Swan Lake, floating with grace before driving with pugnacity, tenacity, skill and strength; not so. Unlike the Minotaur, Suarez would have weaved through the Labyrinth in his trademark style, slain Theseus and become King of Athens.
Instead, he must make do with being the quintessence of King Kenny’s Liverpool, playing with an amalgamation of delight and disdain upon his face.
The delight came after the majestic ball he played with the outside of his right foot to Stewart Downing. Such are the frivolities of certain statistics, Suarez won’t be accredited with the assist. He should be. The ball may have touched Downing, Jaaskelainen, Kuyt and Henderson before the goal, but it was conjured purely from Luis Suarez’s ingenuity.
The disdain came later; it came on the rare occurrence a shot, pass or piece of skill failed to do as instructed. He left the pitch to a standing ovation, but his smile barely emerged from a cantankerous contortion, entrenched on his face after his failure to score.
But that’s the mentality Suarez possesses, and it’s one that’s precipitating to the rest of the squad.
Even with three goals and three points secured, the team wanted more; the howl of anguish after Ivan Klasnic’s inconsequential consolation told the whole story. This is a squad that will always strive for better. That’s how Kenny Dalglish has built his squad.
It’s not only a squad of good players, but one that’s leaner, meaner and tighter. The players brought in are ones of a similar mentality to players like Suarez, Kuyt, Lucas, Carragher, Gerrard and Reina. Kenny Dalglish, and Fenway, are seeing their plans come to fruition.
Watching the circus of transfer deadline day, there were neither nervous twitches nor strained ears from Liverpool supporters. It’s much more entertaining when you’re not in the lion’s den. Bellamy or not, Liverpool had strengthened sufficiently; the Welshman was merely a wonderful bonus to a splendid summer.
There’s genuine belief that – for the first time in years – those in charge know what they’re doing, and they’re doing so with the best interests of the club at heart.
It’s enough to make Luis Suarez’s infectious smile permanent. Maybe.
An Open Letter to Kenny Dalgli An Open Letter to Kenny Dalglish... From my Wife
Dear Mr./Sir/King Kenny Dalglish
I am writing to you to "fix it for me" to have my husband's heart & undivided attention back please. It's been missing since 8th January 2011, the date you were appointed caretaker manager at LFC. Granted, despite the dodgy tracksuits, you're not Jimmy Saville but I thought I'd give it a shot cause since this date the following changes have taken place;
So Kenny I'm a realist there's probably no chance he's going to change, he's LFC to the core. It appears that at the altar he failed to mention there's another bird I'll be sharing him with for life - the Liver Bird. The only thing I ask is that you don't break his heart, you sign a permanent contract, get knighted and keep doing what you're doing because despite all of the above you've taken 20 years off him already & given me endless weekends away shopping in Liverpool!
Your sincerely
The Wife (@ginabo)
http://ginabowes.posterous.com/dear-mrsirking-kenny-dalglish
In Kenny We Must Trust In Kenny We Must Trust
THERE isn’t a player who is linked with any club these days who isn’t first subjected to a seemingly endless scrutiny on message boards and radio phone-in shows. Amateur scouting has become as much a part of modern football as daft kick-off times and feigning injury and what’s more it is undoubtedly here to stay.
People are now able to watch much more football than ever before thanks to satellite television and internet streams and the popularity of computer games that allow anyone to be the manager, in fantasy world at least, means that supporters can indulge themselves when it comes to assessing the relative merits of a potential transfer target.
In the past week alone the media has linked Liverpool with – among others – Jordan Henderson, Phil Jones, Connor Wickham, Charlie Adam and Sylvain Marveux and all have been subjected to trial by forum. In a way, this is just a technologically fuelled advance on people debating transfer targets verbally in a pub but the one thing that hasn’t changed is that when you have a manager like Kenny Dalglish in charge he should be trusted to know better than anyone else what is best for his team.
Towards the end of last season, Dalglish made a pertinent point which offered both an insight into the type of players Liverpool would be in the market for this summer and the importance of the club being single minded in their pursuit of these targets.
“If people want to see the best players and assets of football club wearing a red shirt, that’s what we want to try and provide,” the Liverpool manager said. “We want to get the highest quality of player in that we can. That’s what position we have been put into, and that’s what we will try to do. Who judges players? Whose opinion is it that matters? It’s the people that go after them. Some others might not think they are the highest quality, but it’s our opinion that matters most.”
That Dalglish is adamant that only the views of himself, Damien Comolli and the club’s scouting department is all that matters when it comes to deciding whether or not a player is good enough for Liverpool should provide a major reassurance to everyone desperate to see the club regain its place among English football’s elite. The moment a manager falls prey to outside influences he ceases to be a manager. In that role, you cannot afford to be swayed by public opinion, this is Liverpool Football Club after all, not Pop Idol.
Anyone wanting to understand how Dalglish will do things this summer could do a lot worse than seek out a book called The Secret Diary Of A Liverpool Scout, a brilliant account of the work of the legendary Geoff Twentyman who worked with Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan. There may be those who believe that modern day scouting is a world apart from how it was done when Twentyman was recruiting some of the best players English football has seen but Dalglish knows better than anyone that the basics remain the same.
He will be looking for the same things that Twentyman sought out, the kind of qualities that served Liverpool so well in the past and which can do so again in the future. If a player can pass and move, has a good temperament and a winning mentality then he has the starting points needed to become a Liverpool player. Of course, there are a multitude of such players currently plying their trade in football so then it comes down to the eye of the person scouting them and, according to those in the game, there are few better than Dalglish at spotting talent.
We have been here before, of course. Go back to 1987 when Dalglish was working on putting together arguably the greatest ever Liverpool side. John Aldridge was the first signed and it might be hard to imagine now but at the time there were plenty who questioned whether an Oxford United player and someone who once played in the Liverpool Sunday League would be good enough for a title challenging team.
The same went for John Barnes who aroused suspicion because he had been inconsistent at Watford and had not attracted bids from any of the top English clubs when Liverpool came in with a £900,000 offer for his services. The capture of Peter Beardsley for a then club record of £1.9 million prompted less doubt with the only real concern being that his signing would inevitably push Dalglish the player ever closer to retirement.
When Ray Houghton and Nigel Spackman, two steady but far from spectacular players with Oxford and Chelsea respectively, were brought in there were those who wondered why Liverpool were not in the market for top stars. Dalglish saw things differently. In his eyes he had bought a quintet of stars and the world just did not know it yet. He was proven right in the most spectacular fashion as Liverpool swept all comers aside and romped to the league title playing some of the best football ever seen in this country.
All that was down to Dalglish’s ability to spot a player and then to mould a team around his new signings and those already at the club. It is an art and he is an artist. That is why when we debate whether or not a transfer target is good enough for Liverpool – as we all do – there is one man who is better placed than any of us to decide that and that man is Kenny Dalglish.
F**k the ref , F**k the bus an F**k the ref , F**k the bus and finally F**k our luck
F**king horrible game to watch , how the hell are we supposed to play against a team that doesnt want to play , so many people in their box its just rediculous , about 65% possession , 20 F**KING goal attempts but only one f**king goal , why the f**k wont we get a f**king a penalty , bl00dy disgrace that.
Have to wonder though , what in the world was skrtel thinking in that third goal , Benteke just strolled in there without any challenge . And yeh he scored today but bl00dy hell otherwise Gerrard just had no influence on the game , his current form in horrible and he just needs to catch his breath , rest him a game or two for cryin out loud , same goes for Sterling . Now a few question , why wasnt Suso brought on , we needed some new ideas , and why isnt Assaidi even on the bench ??!!
Anyway , its not a bad day in the office , its rather a horrible day in the office , but lets just put it behind and focus on the next 4 games , no less than wins is acceptable if we were ever to achieve a top 5 finish this season , still not too far , 7 point from fourth , alot of games to be played .
Man of the match , Without a shadow of doubt Stewart Downing , hardly touched a ball wrong this evening , an absolutely cracking performance from Stewie , I am sure though Suarez will win the poll on the website , yeh alot of fans just say what the heck lets give it to Suarez , but I know I will be voting for Stewie .
And yeh just a reminder , If you dont support us when we lose or draw , dont support us when we win , we say that alot but honestly some people just dont respnd well so we just have to keep trying . Rodgers said this in August after we lost 3-0 to WBA: "There is a big job to do and we will have more days like this along the way," "That is the reality of it. It is still a work in progress. There will be days along the way that will hurt and it will be difficult for us. It is going to take time." We have to realise it does take time .
In Brendan we trust
YNWA
*and yeh I probably owe you guys an apology for the -not so- foul language up there*
Just a cup team... Just a cup team...
Question: who scored the goal in 2005-06 that secured their team fourth spot in the Premier League?
Give up?
It was Thierry Henry. A hat-trick for Arsenal against Wigan on the final day as Tottenham – food-poisoned Spurs – lost to West Ham.
Now try this one: which player lifted the FA Cup in the same year?
Too easy, I know.
It was Steven Gerrard, after the most engrossing domestic showpiece of the modern era.
The point being that the Champions League may be football's El Dorado, but nobody remembers a triumphant march to fourth spot.
Financially, entry into Europe's premier club competition is important – of course it is. But why do we follow football? Is it to brag about our team's bank balance, or is it to enjoy days like May 13, 2006?
That's why it irks when the media dispatches the tired smear that Liverpool 'are just a cup team'.
Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League every season since Henry's treble, but what has it led to other than healthy finances?
People talk about attracting top players, but a lack of Champions League football did not deter Luis Suarez, Sami Hyypia, Jari Litmanen nor Didi Hamann from a transfer to Anfield.
Arsenal haven't won a single trophy since 2005, and trophies – not coffers – are what football is about.
The league title is the trophy Liverpool fans crave most, and our league form this season has not been as good as any supporter would have liked.
But did anyone really think this – the first full campaign for our manager and owners, seven new signings bedding into the team – would be the year when our too-long wait for the title would end?
And that being so, which is a better consolation prize: fourth spot and entry into the Champions League or, possibly, two cup wins?
Do Arsenal fans remember what they were doing on the night Henry scored his hat-trick? Some might. But I bet you couldn't find a Liverpool supporter without a story to tell about the evening after the Gerrard final.
Days like these are the apex of life in the stands. Days like Saturday: beating your local rivals in a semi-final at Wembley. Days when your match ticket will be preserved in a shoe box under your bed alongside a stub from your first concert and your childhood bank book. Days that ever so slightly change who you are.
Liverpool may be 'just' a cup team right now but which of the 91 other English league sides have had more of these days since the turn of the century?
A treble in 2001, including the drama of a late comeback against Arsenal and a nine-goal European final; a League Cup win over our fiercest rivals in 2003; the aforementioned FA Cup in 2006; a possible FA and League Cup double this season. And, of course, Istanbul: a fifth European Cup, a night some Liverpool fans would describe as the greatest of their life.
Would you swap all this for Arsenal's cache of two league titles and three FA Cups? No Liverpool fan in my office would.
How about Chelsea's collection of three league titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups? This is tougher – but it was still a toss-up for all those colleagues I questioned.
Which leaves Manchester United - whose 12 major trophies since the turn of the century include seven Premier League triumphs - as the only team to have unquestionably given their supporters more joy than Liverpool over the past dozen years.
There isn't a Liverpool fan alive who is happy that United have been the dominant force in English football during this period, but 90 other clubs would surely love to be seen as a cup team as defined by Liverpool since the Millennium.
Just a cup team? Tell that to those who stood in the Westfalenstadion in 2001. Tell that to those who were in Cardiff when Gerrard felt-tipped memories into our minds. Tell that to anyone who spent a month's wages travelling to Istanbul. Tell that to these people and see if they care.
@JimmyRiceWriter
JUST WATCHED BEING LIVERPOOL ? JUST WATCHED BEING LIVERPOOL ?
I have justed watched Being Liverpool on Fox soccer , and I am a little annoyed about the begining of the programme which explained last last season and concentrated on the FA Cup final and our league form last season, and the sacking of Kenny Dalglish.
It never mentioned that we won the League Cup , only that we only won 6 games at home last season and we lost the FA cup Final. I know the league cup is not held in as higher regard as it used to be , but the documentary makers should have mentioned that we won a piece of silverware , because thats what we are all about as far as I remember .
I also have my doubts about some of the things Brendan Rogers said about a couple of players and some other things , that since they recorded that part of the programmme , he may have changed his mind , or maybe had his hand forced ?
I will wait and see what happens in the next 5 weeks of the documentary before I make judgements on people, because I know things can be altered in the cutting room , from what realy happened or was said .
The one funny thing I liked was , the team when in Boston was given a Yoga lesson to try and help with the pressure of being a premiership player , and the look on Carra,s face when they were getting put through this , was priceless.