Prečo sa srdce Londýnčana niekedy rozbúcha pre Liverpool, o tom dnes v reči jemu vlastnej napísal náš kamarát William. Čítaníčko – radostička, enjoy!
1994
Before the age of 9 years old, my obsession with football had already started. I lived to play football. I would be at school 30 minutes early to play a quick game with friends before the school bell would ring. The whole lunch break was dominated by the fierce football matches between different classrooms and ages of boys. After school I would run home, change to my sports kit, and then back to school for even more football. It’s fair to say that I was obsessed with the beautiful game. Just one thing was missing… I didn’t support a team.
Living in London, it wasn’t as simple as supporting your local team. There were too many choices. Good choices too. All in a 20 miles radius were teams such as Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Fulham, QPR, and West Ham. However, none of these clubs were the most popular at my school. It seemed every kid in my school supported Manchester United, due to a combination of Alex Ferguson’s monopoly on the premier league, and a child’s fickle loyalty to any team that win trophies.
I was never somebody that conforms to popular trends, and decided that I will be anti-Manchester United. The obvious choice was that I will support Liverpool, as they are United’s bitter rivals. This was a decision that instantly brought rewards. Watching my first ever Liverpool vs. United match, as a Liverpool fan, it was Liverpool who won the match 2-0. The following Monday morning at school, I experienced, for the first time, the pleasure of celebrating the win in the faces of my United supporting friends. I loved it.
God
Although I had labelled myself as a Liverpool fan, the love affair had yet to truly begin. I wasn’t familiar with players’ names, I didn’t watch their matches often, and I had no idea of the great history. Until the day I encountered God. It was Liverpool vs United again. My friends were telling me that United would definitely win because of the highly anticipated return of their hero, Eric Cantona. They probably should have won that day, but for the pure class and genius of one man… Robbie Fowler. With Manchester United already 1 goal ahead, and looking the better team, Robbie Fowler launches a rocket from his canon of a left foot and, at a tight angle, beat Peter Schmeichel at his near post. Shortly after Fowler then muscles Gary Neville off the ball, charges at Schmeichel once more, and has the audacity and technique to lob the ball over the best goalkeeper in the premier league. The final score was 2-2, a good result to come away from Old Trafford with. But I gained something very special, my first childhood hero. I started watching Liverpool every week after that match. Mostly to watch Robbie Fowler scoring regular and spectacular goals. It quickly became clear why he was revered as “God,” at Anfield. I understand it more looking back as an adult. Fowler’s intelligence and movement far exceeds his shooting ability. He was a spectacular player for Liverpool, one I will always remember as my childhood hero.
Macca
I quickly became obsessed with Liverpool, watching every match, talking about them to anybody that would listen, or not listen. Begging my parents every year for the latest home jersey. I began to love players other than Robbie Fowler. John Barnes, Jamie Redknapp and Steve McManaman being other favorites. Steve McManaman in particular. I loved watching Macca running at the opposition. He made defenders run around in circles, chasing shadows. I’ll never forget his goal in the EUFA cup, 1997, against Celtic, when he ran the whole length of the pitch before curling a shot in off the post with his left foot. Watching Mcmanaman play made a big impression on my own football style, I tried to play exactly like Steve, much to the annoyance of my team mates who complained that I never pass the ball. I remember how heartbroken I was when he left Liverpool, to spend the rest of his career sitting on the Real Madrid substitute bench. Although the Liverpool team in the 90’s were far from successful, it is a period of history that I appreciate and remember with much affection and joy. It was also the decade that I first witnessed the best footballer I have ever seen wearing the famous red shirt…
Stevie G
Steven Gerrard’s first season, in the Liverpool first team, already outlined him as a star. Never before had I seen somebody playing with so much passion for his club. A passion that I could relate to. He was the engine, conductor and nucleus of the team. He had everything as a player. I loved his aggression, chasing players down and sliding in, leaving the opposition on the ground feeling as if they’ve been hit by a truck. His long range passing is exceptional, leading to myself spending hours alone on a field, trying to kick balls into an empty bin 50 yards away. Stevie gave myself, and every other Liverpool fan, the unbelievable experience of Istanbul 2005. Without Gerrard, Liverpool would not have been in the final of the Champions League, let alone win the final with a miraculous comeback. However, what I respect most about Steven Gerrard is his loyalty. Stevie joined the Liverpool Academy at 9 years old, and even though he has been offered contracts with teams like Chelsea and Real Madrid, he is still playing for the reds 25 years later. Many Liverpool fans debate who is the best Liverpool player of all time. Is it Steven Gerrard, or Kenny Dalglish…? For me there is no doubt that Stevie G is the best Liverpool player in history, and I feel lucky and appreciative to have witnessed his whole career.
Strikers
Although Liverpool are mostly thought of as a team with technically gifted midfield players, who control games with accurate passing game, I always rate the Liverpool strikers at being the big success story. Players like Ian Rush, Michael Owen, Fernando Morientes, Milan Baros, Djibril Cisse, Stan Collymore, Daniel Sturridge and, of course, Robbie Fowler. Surprisingly, my favorite Liverpool striker is not Fowler, or even the incredibly gifted Luis Suarez. My favorite striker is Fernando Torres. Although only at Liverpool for a short period of time, he made a big impression on me. He terrorized defenders, and his collection of goals was fantastic. I feel privileged to have been at Anfield to see him play twice. In those 2 games he scored 5 goals. Obviously, most would consider Suarez as far superior striker to Torres, but with Suarez comes the exhausting crazy behavior. Suarez is like having a crazy brother that really irritates you, but you still love him and hate it when others criticize him. Torres was a great player, but also a great man. I have a lot of respect for Fernando and, as much as I despise Chelsea, was sad to see him fail to score after he left Anfield.
What’s next?
After last year’s fantastic season, 2014/15 is proving to be a frustrating time for Liverpool. The sale of Suarez, and the long term injury of Sturridge has smashed a dent into the Liverpool confidence. All is not lost as of yet, and one attribute that Liverpool fans are not short of is belief. The Liverpool midfield is still full of quality with Coutinho and Lallana providing creativity, Sterling injecting the team with speed, Henderson and Markovic full of energy, Gerrard and Lucas protecting the defenders. Brendan Rodgers still doesn’t look sure on the best formation and players are his best but I believe he is the right man for the job. It will take time but with Sturridge back from injury in January, and new players arriving in the January transfer window, the prize of Champions league football next season is still very much a possibility.
By William Boardman William (Ian) Boardman, 29, Personal Carer UWE student /University of West/ Bristol
