Never Give Up

We all still remember the second leg semi-final against Barcelona FC at Anfield. It has been written into folklore as the biggest European night that Europe, let alone Anfield has ever seen. That night before the match, with Mo Salah, watching from the stands, he wore a shirt that said "never give up" and while the task seemed ominous, the team never gave up. Needed 4 goals and a clean sheet to go through, they achieved the impossible and did it. A match which both legs would be worthy of a final in itself but it setup Liverpool FC to win their 6th European title and then went on to conquer the world. Tonight, the task is very similar and while the team has every chance to turn over Madrid as they have done in the past, the task at hand is different and lacking one very special thing, the crowd. 

It was pretty evident since the restart of the league last year, Anfield without a crowd doesn't hold no fear to opponents. Liverpool are coming off their first win at home after 6 straight defeats, something that was practically unfathomable last year before Covid. While this Real Madrid team might not be of the same caliber that dismantled Liverpool in the Final of 2018, they are still worthy opponents, waiting to strike when we are most vulnerable as shown in the first leg. We didn't play all that badly, sure the first half was dire but the mistakes that led to the goals were school boy to say the least. When we did up the tempo in the second half, we had them on the ropes, so there is enough in our team to do the impossible again. 

While Anfield lacks their 12th man, the stadium is full of history and under the lights, it has its own charm. We need the players to pick their heads up tonight, look at where they are playing, who they are playing for. Channel their inner self to prove to the world, the fans and more importantly, themselves that they can accomplish the impossible. With Klopp there, I don't think it will be difficult to achieve this, Madrid will no doubt have this in mind but the team need to realise that they have the backing off not only the fans in Liverpool tonight but around the world and we will be watching every second hoping for the best, and hope that they NEVER GIVE UP. 

incREDible

I sit here, still battling to find the words to express what we witnessed last night. Don't get me wrong, even though we were 3-0 down, there was still belief that we could do it. Every Liverpool fan had that feeling of hope and belief but to see it unfold was just magical. Anfield on a European night is a stadium like no other, we've heard the tales of the past, we witnessed for ourselves some of these incredible victories, Olympiakos in 2004, Chelsea in 2005, Dortmund 2016 but last nights win against Barcelona tops them all. The passion, the commitment, the fire and desire each and every player showed is just testament to that performance. When Jurgen took over four years ago, critics were out against him, criticizing his high intensity training regime, his rash and wild football style, last night we saw it bare fruit, in fact this whole season we saw what Jurgen envisaged for this team. 

On Monday night, after Vincent Kompany struck and incredible goal, handing Manchester City a slender one goal win over Leicester, it sank the hearts of all Liverpool supporters as we knew that virtually wrapped up the league for them and with a mountain to climb on Tuesday night, our teams displays this season would have no trophies to show for but Jurgen and the team had other plans for us. I'm a big critic of Divock Origi, while he might be a squad player for me he never seemed to fit into the Liverpool team that Klopp has built, I've been giving him stick every time he came on for us this season, but today I eat my humble pie. He scored two important goals for us last night, the first one was crucial, an early one that kick started the come back momentum, and the last one which was the key to sending us to Madrid in June. His play all round last night was magnificent, fighting for the long balls, pressing and keeping the ball up the pitch when it was needed, Klopp trusted him and he repaid him. 

In a game like that, you cannot pin point individuals, as that was a proper team effort but a word to our captain, Jordan Henderson, the one many fans wanted to see go for most of the season, last night proved why he still wears that armband. From the first goal, till the final whistle, he was there marshaling his troops, fighting for the ball, urging the team forward, never letting anyone drop their heads, that is what a captain does and that is why he will always be our captain. Even when his night looked over after he banged his knee, he came back on to fight till the end. He wanted to be there, fighting through the pain making sure his team gets over that line and they did. 

Emotions were at an all time high when that final whistle blew, the team standing in arms in front of the Kop will bring a tear to any supporters eyes. They were all in it together, the fans played just a big of a role as the team did last night. Their voices unsettled that Barcelona team and even with two former Liverpool players, they could do nothing. Praises after the game coming in from stars of the game, Csec Fabregas being one of them and ex managers of the game, Arsene Wenger and one that left me speechless was an interview with Jose Mourinho, his admiration of Klopp shows that he does appreciate good football when he sees it and isn't always a pompous arrogant jackass. The Barca players head home shook after what happened to them last night, but there's a lesson for everyone from this, something that we Liverpool fans always knew, never, ever write Liverpool off in Europe. 

You'll Never Walk Alone

The Fickle Few

It's always a case of not all but a few who are the rotten ones in a bunch, but this few is growing larger and larger.  Being a supporter of a football club isn't easy, especially now in the business end of the season. Liverpool find themselves in a strong position both in the league and Champions League, with the distraction of the FA Cup not there, it gives Jurgen and the team time to concentrate and really make this final push to the end of the season one that will bare some reward. At the moment, it's City in the driving seat for the league, while we do occupy top spot, they have a game in hand and if that translates into a win for them, it would change things immediately. It's not the first time Liverpool have been in this position, it's harsh but back in April 2014, we were strong contenders for the league title and we had a home game against Chelsea that weekend, it was the same game of "the slip" and while many put that down as the deciding factor in us falling short that season, I still say it was not. I could list over ten reasons why but that will just be dwelling in what could have been while we now can chat of what could happen. 

Which is why the team, more than ever needs every ounce of support from their fans, whether you're at the ground or at home watching them play. But while we are winning games and getting results, I've found a number of fans, especially online being highly critical of players and in other words, talking a lot of shit. This needs to be cut out, if you don't know what you're saying, don't say it at all. I've seen our captain, Jordan Henderson catch a lot of flack for merely just being on the starting line up. These fickle few want other players to start every game, like they have not heard of player management and fatigue. Also if the manager deems it good enough for a player to start, you go with it, if in the case like last week against Southampton, things are not working out, the manager and his coaching staff will change things to try and gain an advantage. After Jordan and James were brought on at St Mary's, the entire team dynamic changed, Jordan was playing in his preferred forward position, made life difficult for the opposition when they had the ball. Many cheered Salah's goal that broke the tie but not many realise that it was Henderson's header, that make the break happen in the first place. 

Then his goal, to seal the deal was the icing on the cake, you could see the emotion in him after he netted, what it meant for him, what it meant for the team and more importantly what it meant for the fans. The players go out there every week and give it there all, for the fans and this is how the fans return the favour? By slagging them at every opportunity online? Facebook groups, Twitter, comments on the clubs Instagram pictures?! When I see these comments I feel embarrassed being grouped with supporters like these. Those who only have negative comments, who see Salah missing one opportunity and want him subbed, those who see Jordan pass the ball back on more than one occasion and feel he isn't good enough, those who criticize Bobby for not scoring in more than one game, it's like they just started watching football recently and haven't a clue how this game works or how our team play. It's one of my biggest fears that we get glory hunting fans that only support the team because we're winning, the type of fans became synonymous with Manchester United, Chelsea and Man City. 

We don't need that crap at our club, we want fans that devote their passion of support to the team, those give of positive energy and not negative bile at every disappointment we see. Our club have achieved a points total that would be worth of winning the league 5 seasons ago, but yet here we are with still 5 games to and the league undecided. While Liverpool have the supposed "easier run in", every game from now on will be a final for the team and judging from the past few games, nothing is going to be handed to us. This weekend, we face Chelsea again, a battered giant, a team that started the season strong but found themselves coming up short after the turn of the year but the same team that provided a massive stumble in our challenge back in 2014. Some of their star players are looking to move away in the new season so they'll be here to perform till the end of the season. We already saw Hazard steal the show on Monday night and you can bet your bottom dollar he'll be ready to go again on Sunday. 

The team say a number of times, they're here to do their job not for themselves, not for the club but for us, the fans. The least we can do is show them support and not be a bunch of fickle idiots on the internet by moaning and groaning at any chance or slating players. Lets back them, as this is the time, more than ever they need us. 

What Went Wrong?

Normally when it comes to big matches, I tend to get really nervous and often expect the worst but for most of last week I was relaxed. I was actually excited and ready to enjoy the Champions League final. Liverpool were going into the game as underdogs, having just gotten back into the Champions League after a lengthy absence and making it to the final, overcoming some tough opponents, it was nerve wrecking but also a joy to watch if you were a fan of the game. Liverpool were rampant in attack and while their defence was as shaky as someone with Parkinsons disease they somehow managed to get through to the final. 

It felt right, Liverpool are England's "European Team", with them having won 5 trophies and having appeared in 7 finals before this. Jurgen Klopp joked a press conference prior to the game that if you had to Google "European Nights" most of the results would be of Anfield, and he was not wrong!  The atmosphere at Anfield during Champions League games is unrivaled, ask any opposition player who stepped out onto the pitch to play and they will all tell you the same thing, it unsettles their nerves, it mesmerizes the away fans and it powers the team to achieve the impossible. 

As you can imagine, tickets for the game were hot property, having been offered one myself but unable to get a visa in time is a story for another time. I, like many were convinced Liverpool were going to bring home their 6th European Trophy, it would be the perfect way to cap off an interesting season. After selling what could be arguably our best creative midfielder halfway through the season, many expected us to fall but with our dynamic front three, they just kept going, especially our new signing Mohammed Salah. After picking up almost every individual award imaginable, it was all set for him to shine on the continents biggest football spectacle. 

The thousands of the red army descended to the Olimpiyskiy National Stadium in Kiev, strong in voice, strong in confidence. They believed we could do it, they believed we had what it took and with Klopp at the helm, it seemed inevitable that glory would be ours come the end of the 90. It was bullish to be so confident, after all, our opponents were vying for their 3rd trophy in 3 years, their coach, a former player of the club, a masterful tactician as he was a player. But none of that scared us, we had our own army, our own tactician. The game started, with Liverpool controlling much of the possession, a good solid 25-30 minutes of Gegenpress, the famed Klopp's style of high pressing, fast passing football. Liverpool creating a few chances, and should have been more clinical but there was no rush, there was still plenty of time on the clock. 

Now, in football, there is an element of physicality but to an extent. Laws are there from preventing players getting injured badly and potentially suffering career ending injuries. Having watched Real Madrid in previous matches, there are elements to their game which don't really sit well with many, a few players like to bring in this physicality that is borderline illegal, one of those players is their captain Sergio Ramos. I don't need to list examples, just go search on YouTube, there's plenty of videos showing his dirty ways, but surely in a final, with millions watching, he wouldn't dare attempt to pull off something like this? but he did. After 30 minutes, where Liverpool were definitely the team on the ascendancy, Ramos got hold of Salah's arm while he was on the ball and proceeding to yank the winger down, locking his arm underneath his and falling on top of him. It shocked many to see the Egyptian lying on the pitch in pain, not now, not in the final. For people who question the actions by Ramos, even the European Judo Union came out and said that what he demonstrated was "Waki-gatame" which is a technique that isn't allowed in their sport because of the damage it could do. 

What do you think about this foul during the #UCLFinal between #RMALIV? https://t.co/zGhEHchtDw pic.twitter.com/SAprXfttKD

— European Judo Union (@europeanjudo) May 28, 2018

Damage it did, after coming back on, trying to fight away the pain, Salah eventually collapsed again and had to be replaced by Adam Lallana, who himself just returned from a lengthy injury. The team was in shock, so were the fans, we were not prepared for a game without Salah. They made it to half time with the scores leveled and after the break, Real started to show  they were in the game too, but then Ramos popped up again, charging a corner, coming no where near the ball, the Madrid captain then made contact with his elbow to the head of Liverpool's keeper Loris Karius. In front of the officials, yet again nothing was done. It didn't stop there for Ramos, he later in the game theatrically dived, when Mane was nearing him, clenching his face as to say he was hit in the face. Mane received a yellow card. I'm aware people will do whatever it takes to win a final but being a cheat and a fraud? That never sat well with me, if the person was punished for his actions as per the rules of the game, then maybe, example Luis Suarez handball in the 2010 World Cup against Ghana, he was sent off and Ghana got the chance to get their goal. 

I could honestly go on about Ramos and his barbaric ways to unsettle the opposition but it would look like I'm playing the blame game. There is no doubt Salah's substitution changed momentum in the game, but two costly errors from Liverpool's keeper Loris Karius would be the main talking point from the game. The first, a total brain fart throwing the ball so close to a charging Benzema who's deflection ended in the back of the net. There was a glimmer of hope when Mane leveled the scores for Liverpool but when Zidane threw on Gareth Bale, no one was prepared for what was to come. A remarkable overhead kick which left everyone rooted to their position, just standing and watching it go into the net, it left us numb. The third, another howler by Karius, attempting to palm down a long range effort from Bale but rather went through his hands, into the goal. It was all over then, there was nothing more we could do. The team was deflated, out of ideas and basically threw in the towel. It was not meant to be, Real secured their 13th Champions League, Zidane's 3rd on the trot as manager. Comments from some of his key players after the game sort of dampened their victory as speculation over the futures of Ronaldo and Bale hung in the balance. 

While Madrid's win will be the the one written in history, Liverpool's emphatic run will be one to be remembered. They managed to beat the number of goals scored in the competition with Sadio Mane's strike in the final being number 47 for the team, surpassing the record previously held by Barcelona of 45 in the 1999/2000 season. While its taken Liverpool 11 years to reach the final of the Champions League, it might not be all that difficult for them to do it again, with them already bolstering the team ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. Having already secured Champions League football for next season by finishing 4th in the English League, adding players such as Naby Kieta and Fabinho will only do wonders for the Merseyside team. There are talks of potential other signings, but I think for now what we all want to see is a new keeper being brought in. 

My Captain

This post was a long time coming, its dedicated to all of those who said he was no good, the ones who said he doesn't have what it takes, he doesn't have the mentality, he doesn't have the passion, the desire, the stomach to lead such a big club, echoed in history such as Liverpool. This is for those who said Jordan Henderson wouldn't cut it, well, I'm here to tell you to go and look at him now.

When Steven Gerrard left Liverpool, it was more than just a player leaving, he was the club because for so long he was at the forefront of everything, in defeat and in victory he was there. When we were down, he lifted us up, he was the heart beat that gave the team life. He was formidable in attack, partnered well with many superstars who joined the club, he was the one constant we became used to and when he left, he left a huge void that many felt that could not be filled. Hence when the arm band was passed down onto young Jordan Henderson, many felt he wasn't the right man for the job. After Stevie, could there be anyone that would have been right? No!

There was a divide, some who trusted the decision by Brendan Rodgers and those who slated it. He was just 24 years at the time, only been at the club for about 4 years, not even from the parts, how could he be captain of one of the greatest football clubs of the world? Well, I was part of the divide that welcomed him, there was just something about him that I liked. He gained my respect as a player as he challenged for a place in a hotly contested midfield since he got to the club in 2011 to instill himself as a regular in the starting 11 and he gained my respect as a person, when he was pictured in the crowd of Sunderland supporters, at Wembley in 2014, watching his boyhood club Sunderland, take on Manchester City in the Capital One Cup. That is passion and love for you, opting not to sit in a corporate box, or the FA allocated seats, but being there as a fan.

Yes, he was not born and raised in Liverpool, but he's English and that counts massively now in the league. He was given a raw deal under the Rodgers reign and this came to show as it was exposed recently how Rodgers told Jordan that the door was open for him to leave, which left the captain devastated and even said he was in tears later that evening. While he was at a top level, he always had age on his side and I'm glad he chose not to take that option and continued to push with the club. I didn't think much of Rodgers, especially since he had a hand and forcing Gerrard out, still a few years from him calling it time on his career. I think Stevie could have managed another season or two with us. The good thing was during that time, Gerrard helped mold Hendo into the player he is today. 

Since taking over as captain, he didn't have it easy, as I said many doubted him, it was tough but he knuckled down and kept at his job. People don't seem to take notice of the hard graft he puts in because he's not always on the score sheets or not making that telling run down the line or tricking the defenders, he's in the middle, keeping things tidy. Making sure the front players get supplied and the defence doesn't get any unwanted surprises. He's the sweeper, the guy doing the dirty work and never was this more prolific than the opening 20 minutes at Anfield during the first semi-final against Roma. The opponents tried to beat us at our own game, hard pressing, fast pace and all out attack. This did catch us off guard, especially the youngsters, but you could hear Jordan commands his troops, yelling at Robbo and Trent, making sure things were tight in the center with him and Milly. It was because of him we overcame that storm and went finally could get our game into gear. The rest is history. 

So while many might still ponder his abilities, let me tell you now, that if you are a true supporter, a genuine supporter who watches the games, the players, you will know that Jordan has every right to. Come Saturday night, whether he lifts ol big ears up or not, he will have nothing to prove to the faithful, as we know the quality he has, and the trust the manager has in him. Next season will be interesting though, with new signings coming in to bolster the midfield, it might see the shape of the team change and players sitting out some games, bringing back the old rotation which minimizes the fatigue come the crunch end of the season. The future only looks positive though, with Klopp and owners both happy, the players happy and most importantly, us the fans being happy!

Belief is back

If you're a Liverpool supporter like myself, your nerves are still probably tingling from last nights result against Dortmund in the Europa League. The famed "European Nights at Anfield" were back and even though it wasn't in the continents premier competition, it still provided probably one of the most memorable matches in recent times and will surely go down as one of the greats. Jurgen Klopp's Red Army set their sights on reaching the semi-finals of the competition after securing a 1 all draw in Germany the week before, having the comfort of an away goal, it seemed like the match at Anfield was set to be a tight one for the home team to scruff out a tame result that would see them progress but as history would tell you, Liverpool never do things the easy way and so ensued one of the greatest comebacks seen this decade in Europe. 

Now being a Liverpool supporter of recent, you not sure what team is going to show up on the pitch that day and last night was more of the same. Dortmund came out firing, and after 8 minutes, they put 2 goals past our lackluster defence and they were looking set to progress but there was something about last night, there was this feeling of confidence around, not just at Anfield but in the streets of Liverpool , also with the commemoration of the Hillsborough disaster which occurred today 27 years ago, and the crowds filling the cities streets with red before the game. Origi slotted in a goal shortly after the half time break and it was game on! With our tails up we began to attack again, only for us to be caught out on a counter and Marco Reus slotting in Dortmund's 3rd to silence Anfield once again. 

Now on must occasions I would concede defeat, but I didn't, neither did the crowd and neither did the team and one has got to hail the difference that the German manager has made to the team and the players, instilling them with confidence and making it known that the game isn't over until the final whistle. We saw the heroics that transpired at Carrow Road where Adam Lallana scored a dramatic winner in the last minute of the game so with that, the team kept on going, even though we needed to score 3 more goals to ensure the result in our favour. Coutinho who was struggling for most of the game struck and from then on, you just knew you were about to witness something special. 

The fight from then on must have felt like an eternity for the Dortmund players as Liverpool were relentless. The all round belief that the team could get 2 more goals were achievable and that's the kind of belief we had 10 years ago with Benitez, Klopp had manged to bring that back and for me that's one of the greatest feelings ever. Knowing that no matter what the scoreline, the team won't give up and do their level best to get a result. As a supporter there's nothing more you can ask for from your team than that. What transpired there-of will be noted in the history of the Europa League as once of the greatest come backs in a knock-out stage but the work isn't done yet. We still have the semi-finals and possibly the finals to come and we going to need a lot more of that belief to get us through. 

Here comes the Klopp

We all knew going into the month of October that Brendan Rodgers days as Liverpool FC manager were numbered but like many, I thought the owners, FSG would give him till the end of the month to prove his worth at the helm of one of English footballs most prestigious clubs. Little did we know that his fate was already sealed come the day of the derby between Merseyside's biggest two teams. Regardless of the result, the time on the Anfield clock was up for Brendan, even though his team put on a fantastic first half and should have went in at half time in the lead thanks to a Danny Ings goal, only for a shoddy clearance by Emre Can, who I feel was played out of position to find its way to Lukaku off Martin Skrtel to which he cooly slotted past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to level the scores before half time. 

Brendan's career at Anfield was a roller coaster of note, whether or not he was fit for the position was questionable but after witnessing the drastic fall of the team after that dramatic season in which we narrowly finished second, it was clearly evident that Rodgers was batting above his weight. In time I suppose he would turn out to be a stellar manager but in today's game, many are not afforded that luxury as results are needed almost immediately. When hearing his closing comments after the decision was made to release him from his duties at the club, you can see that the man is passionate about the game, about the club and understands the values that go along with it. It's with this I wish him nothing but the very best for the future and in time he will become a manager that is ready to take on a role at a big club.

Now with FSG taking the decision to relieve Rodgers of his duties, it would be stupid of them to do so without having a plan in place. Everyone knew that there were two contenders for the position, Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti. Jurgen was always the favourite with rumours doing the rounds that FSG had always been chasing for his signature even prior to Rodgers but he stayed true to Borussia Dortmund and had a magical 4 seasons with them, not so great in the last one which saw him take a sabbatical from the game. He said at the time he will take a year off but with the timing in place, I'm sure there was an approach from FSG which had to be behind closed doors as it would be in breach of their contract with Brendan to lure him back into the game. 

FSG announced that a manger would be in place before the end of the week and they were true to their word. Negotiations took place in Germany with Jurgen and by Wednesday he was on a plane to England. With half of England in a scurry to get pictures of the German on English soil you could sense there was a new buzz not only in Liverpool but in England as a whole. A new life as such that has reignited the flame on the red half of Merseyside and has instilled belief in the supporters again. Jurgen is no miracle worker but it's the first time the club has brought in a manager of such high calibre. Hence one has to commend the owners on securing the signature of such a highly sort after manager with a club that's performing mid table with no Champions League football and no superstar players. 

Jurgen's first presser with the club on Thursday was even more enlightening to the faithful as he gave us a brief view into his vision of the next 3 to 4 years in which he said he is confident we can win the elusive Premiership in that time. Like I said, he is no miracle worker but he is a worker! If one has to look at his playing career in which he called himself an average player and what he did at Dortmund, it speaks for itself. He works hard and expects his players to work as hard, it's like that old saying, hard work pays off in the long run and that's the mentality he will bring to the club. The kind of stuff that motivates players again and in term motivates the fans in the stands. His first game in charge will be against Spurs in London, a tricky game but we've had a good run there. He has quality players at his disposal but we will have to wait and see the strategies he will use with the players and the formation he chooses. 

It's exciting times at the club once again but I urge fans not to expect us to turn things around with immediate effect as it will take some time but not as long as we would think. He is a quality manager, one that's already got the others fearing because they know what knowledge he brings to the team but apart from that, he has and understands the passion that it brings to Liverpool. He has experienced this with Dortmund as it is a very similar setup between the clubs with the fan base also being identical, so he knows how much it means to the people of the city for the club to be doing well. He is a winner and with that winning mentality in place, it's very hard to stop a person. It won't be long when Klopp will be King of the Kop. 

#ThanksStevie

While the tears from Saturday have almost dried and the thought of seeing Stevie wear the famous red of Liverpool at Anfield are all but memories now, one can't help but wonder how different life at Liverpool Football Club will be without him. Already the silly season shenanigans have begun with Sterling and his manager causing a media frenzy at the moment but this post isn't about that, it's about Stevie. 

The farewell given to him was nothing short of extraordinary, I've never seen anything like that before in all my years watching the English Premier League. From the short ceremony that was held before the match against Crystal Palace, with the guard of honor formed by both teams to welcome Gerrard onto the pitch for the last time at a ground that was his second home. High fiving the Palace team as he walked out with his 3 daughters was a nice moment and to hear the entire ground in full voice for You'll Never Walk Alone and thereafter singing his song sent a tingling feeling throughout your body. 

The game started off well for LFC and Adam Lallana opened the scoring with a breakaway goal coming of an error by former red Martin Kelly, could have been a late present by the defender for all we know but from there on, it was down hill for the Reds. as Palace struck back to equalise just before half time and there after add 2 more goals to our misery. The team lacked focus and desire, I felt bad it being Gerrard's last home game and it had to be a defeat, for all those years he dug deep to rescue the team, just this one time they couldn't do the same for him. 

In any case, Liverpool went on to lose the game 3-1 but as the final whistle blew it was time for Anfield to say goodbye to its favourite son. Yes, there was Highway, Dalglish, Rush, Barnes and so on but no one can deny that the best from them all was Stevie. In fact the heroes of yesteryear tend to agree with that as well, as Gerrard said once, "I was made for Liverpool and Liverpool was made for me", it was always a perfect fit and his 17 year career bared testament to it. So much so that for the first time ever, no one in the stadium cared about the result of the game that just ended. There was even a banner that read "There best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be".

It's no secret that Liverpool FC conduct themselves in a certain fashion, "the Liverpool way" they call it. One of the main things is there is no player bigger than the club and while I am a firm believer of it, on Saturday things changed. There was someone bigger than the club and as much as he would deny it, Stevie was held in higher regards than the dropped 3 points, people were celebrating as if we had won, but in reality they were celebrating the career of one of the greatest football players of all time. That for me showed respect to a man that gave his all to make the people who support this great club happy. As a mark of respect, every team member came out wearing the new kit with Gerrard on the back which was a nice touch. A gitting tribute to a legend of the game.

Thank you Steven Gerrard, Thank Oh you beauty, Thanks for the memories, till we meet again, You'll Never Walk Alone.

Just let it go

Its been an interesting 24 hours as a Liverpool fan, besides my blog getting 100 views over night ( I thank you) to Mike Jefferies "Dear Mr Hicks" video going viral on youtube. To breaking news on Liverpools official website. All in all, if you're like me, you're nervous, happy & confused at the same time.

Why? well lets see what transpired. Mike Jefferies, a hollywood producer, like many Liverpool FC fans was tired & frustrated at the strangle hold Tom Hicks & George Gillett had on the club. He made his way from Cape Town to Liverpool, getting peoples views & generally asking them to tell Hicks to "fuck off". This video was finally uploaded last night & went viral instantly with reds from all over commenting & supporting this venture.

Not even an hour after posting the video, an official statement was published on the Liverpool website, stating "The Board of Directors have received two excellent financial offers to buy the Club that would repay all its long-term debt" -  great news right? but then came this part... "Shortly prior to the meeting, the owners - Tom Hicks and George Gillett - sought to remove Managing Director Christian Purslow and Commercial Director Ian Ayre from the Board, seeking to replace them with Mack Hicks and Lori Kay McCutcheon".  Well to explain what this all means, Hicks & Gillett brought in Christian Purslow to help with the clubs finances & to oversee the general dealings of day to day club dealings, he has Ian Ayre with him to help, both of them sit on the board along with Martin Broughton who was brought in essentially to find buyers for the club. The instructions were clear, find new buyers who best suit the club & make sure no part of the money used to purchased Liverpool Football Club has been "borrowed". So the new owners must have their own money invested into the club, not from a friend, or a bank loan. Obviously they must also prove their worth to the club by giving proposals on how to move forward etc... Now in all of this, they found a bid put in by New England Sports Ventures which is owned by John William Henry who also owns the Red Sox baseball team. Now his bid fit well with the 3 men on the board besides the 2 sour pusses, since they didnt stand a chance to profit from the sale.

Im sorry what? You guys think you deserve a profit for selling our club? You guys put us, the fans & the players through the worse years of this club! As from my other post, lies, false promises, lack of spending & now you think you deserve something for ruining a top 4 side & leaving them at the bottom 3!? Do yourselves a favour and quit while you ahead. They put the 3 men (Ayre, Purslow, Broughton) in charge to oversee the sale, the 3 of them have the majority vote so they voted in favour of this new bid, hence the last ditch attempt by Hicks to remove both Ayre & Purslow & put his son in so they could have the majority back. Luckily the board pushed through the sale & accepted the deal from NESV. All thats left to do is it being approved by the Premier League, which Im sure it will seeing that they just want any new owner to purchase the club with money that belongs to them & not borrowed (just like LFC's terms). Though Hicks & Gillett are going to challenge the boards decision seeing as they want to reject any bid unless they are happy with it. So now a legal process with follow with Hicks & Gillett taking on  Broughton, Purslow & Ayre with regards to their decision to sell. In my honest opinion, H & G dont stand a chance, as the only hole they dug was not for the new stadium, but for themselves with regards to out numbering themselves on the board. So they have no say in the matter of the sale. Hopefully the courts will see what is clear as day light to everyone else & agree that the sale was legit so it can send these 2 money grabbing bastards home for good! 

As for our soon to be new owner John Henry, I did some reading up on him in the morning, ever so brief but from what Ive seen so far, he looks legit. I know with our past owners being American, it does make us more worried that he is one too, but we cant judge a majority on  two arse faces. He took the Red Sox to new heights, with them winning two world series (what ever the fuck that is) since his reign, that feat that was never done before for the club. He also is hands on with the club but leaves the sport to handle itself. I know in my previous post I asked for someone who knew about football, Im not sure how clued up he is about it, but lets hoping if he doesnt he learns fast! I think he will keep Roy onboard as he hasnt had a chance to prove himself. Rafa had teething problems as well albeit not this bad but maybe if the sale goes through the confidence in the ranks will rise & players will start playing again, fans will start singing again & we'll start winning again! But hey thats just me, Im trying to stay positive. As we getting ever so close to getting something we wanted for so long, which is getting rid of those two.

Lastly, I would like to apologise to Martin Broughton & Christian Purslow, I said in my previous post that they were brought in mainly to give us false hope, but it seems they did want what was best in the club. After beeing told by the owners that they were unhappy with the bid, they forced it through in anycase because they know its whats best for the club & to move forward. Now they will find themselves in court to fight for the course. I wish them well & thank them once again for having the balls to stand up to Hicks & Gillett. Yes Im sure they will receive bonuses from the sale, as would any business its part of how things work. What the figure will be, that Im entirely unsure off but what ever the case is, long as our club is in better hands is what counts the most.

Lets hope by the end of this horrific episode that all things in Anfield will come right, it will take time & there isnt a quick fix for something like this but it can only get better as I feel we already seeing the worse of it. Lets hope its the end of the storm & the golden skies come where we can hear the sweet silver songs of lark.

You'll Never Walk Alone