ALBERTO Aquilani hadn’t played a game for Liverpool when a banner in his name was unfurled on the Kop for the first time. It displayed the Italian’s shirt number in Roman numerals next to an emphatic message telling of a hero rising, as if the new signing was a prophet sent by the gods to commit only good.
Aquilani — a £20million signing from Roma in August 2009 — was also photoshopped in full gladiator regalia. He would be Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Merseyside Legions, and loyal servant to the true emperor, Rafael Benitez.
Some match-goers at Anfield had decided that the Rome-born playmaker was already worthy of the kind of gesture not afforded to his predecessor, Xabi Alonso, at any point during his stay at the club despite being a Champions League winner.
By then, Benitez’s judgement was considered so sound that it did not matter that the midfielder was already injured when he joined Liverpool. Night would follow day and Liverpool would thrive.
I thought of this introduction on Sunday evening when I checked out Liverpool’s official online store. Barely 48 hours had passed since Jürgen Klopp’s unveiling as Liverpool’s manager and already merchandise marking the event was available; event being the relevant word here.
That “The Normal One” t-shirts embossed with a set of steel-rimmed glasses and baseball cap, as well as the other special stock, suddenly became available to purchase, might suggest that it is quite easy to design and distribute such material very quickly or, in fact, some people at Liverpool knew for a while that Klopp was coming.
The negative hysteria that Brendan Rodgers spoke about a week before his sacking as Liverpool’s manager pales compared to the affirmative madness surrounding Klopp’s arrival.
My window cleaner, for example, had told me on his previous visit that he placed a bet on Liverpool to be relegated under Rodgers. He then boasted to me on Monday morning that Klopp’s appointment had inspired him to wager £30 on Liverpool winning the league under Klopp.
The odds were 40-1.
I have written in this column before about football being an extreme place and although society prefers to think oppositely, it is a reflection of the way people are.
Since the weekend, it is has been noticeable on social media that two groups of people exist when it comes to opinions on Klopp. There are those who think he might be the best thing that has happened to Liverpool in its recent history and those who are wary — warning that we have been here before, especially with players who have failed to deliver.
Football is passionate so I suppose it is bound to happen. Yet the middle ground appears to have sunken and few are recognising that there is major difference between being excited and optimistic and dizzy and deluded.
Maybe that’s because football has lost its ability to enjoy the moment without getting carried away. Maybe it’s because Liverpool have been unsuccessful for so long. Maybe it has been forgotten that ambitions are not the same as expectations. One is healthy and the other, not so.
It is true that careers have been flattened in the pursuit of the impossible before a natural development has even been allowed to begin.
Yet while football used to be an escape from the realities of life, it has now become an extension of the problems. How is it possible to enjoy a narrow window of Kloppomania when you’ve got Tottenham away next weekend and the new manager will have little time to enforce his methods?
What about in six, 12 or 18 months’ time: where will Liverpool be then? There is so much football, as Mitchell and Webb joke, that it keeps on coming.
Players talk tediously about focusing on the present but maybe that’s the way to be. Maybe they’ve got it right. Otherwise you’ll drive yourself crazy or, at best, just become very unhappy indeed.
I might be wrong, but I can envisage Liverpool losing at Tottenham and struggling for results in Klopp’s first month in charge as he comes to terms with the challenge he faces — which is considerable.
He will soon realise that Liverpool has lots of problems that need fixing: the goalkeeper that does not have the personality to shrug off mistakes, the absence of a decent left back and certainly a centre half; how will he deal with a hotchpotch of a midfield that Rodgers has left behind? And where are the fast wingers? Jordon Ibe is the only one and he will need to rediscover his confidence.
There are problems elsewhere as well: the influence of the transfer committee, which needs to be put in its place for Liverpool to flourish. The discourse over the last few weeks on the topic has become boring, mainly because the thrust of the argument — whatever side you happen to take — is generally misled.
You are either in favour of statistics or against them when, really, the discussions should be focusing on the personalities involved and competency levels.
For what it’s worth, I believe that statistics can help any football club. Yet they should form the basis of an opinion rather than be the conclusion. Statistics are black and white and football is a sport where shades of grey are immeasurable. Emotion can be a defining influence and it cannot really be quantified in human activity by data. If you think otherwise, you are probably a computer.
It was encouraging to hear that Klopp will have “the first and the last word” on transfers on Friday. Listening to him talk and watching his forceful manner, I imagined the same rule will apply to most of the issues that exist at Liverpool.
Eventually, that should prove to be for the best. It is not unreasonable to think that Liverpool might win something with Klopp in charge.
So maybe it’s time to lighten up a bit.
LISTEN: Free Podcast – Jurgen Klopp
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda-Photo.Com & PA Images
I think you need to relax a bit and calm down. You write as if Klopp is going to play exactly as did Rodgers. Just sit down, play some soothing music and let Klopp simply get on with the job.
Nobody , and I mean nobody , yet knows what system and players he will use. Talk about press pressure !
I agree with this. I myself am in the ‘lets not get carried away’ camp. There is still a big job to do here and I too can see us getting turned over on Saturday.
That’s not to say that I am not behind the appointment, far from it. For the first time in a long time I am actually thinking that this manager can win us the league. I didn’t even feel that way under Rafa, simply because, for me anyway, he prioritised success in Europe too much.
I just think it is going to take time. I think its going to be a bumpy road for the first few months with a mixed bag of results. I feel that we will only start to see Klopp’s methods really come to the fore from January/February time onwards. I fancy us to put a great run together then, the type of run Arsenal put together every season to snatch 4th!
I just hope the fans are patient, although with the Twitter keyboard warriors these days I suppose that is never going to happen!
I think they will be. Titles, a CL final and an outsize personality buy you time.
Everything you say about the game Saturday and the matches coming up are entirely true. Am I certain of a result on Saturday? By no means. Am I optimistic? Do I believe that by walking into that dressing room that he can coax an Arsenal first half performance out of that side? Yes, I’m a little optimistic on that front.
Does that mean I believe that Klopp is the Messiah? No. It’s that I don’t believe that this team is that awful. That it doesn’t have good performances within it. Am I more optimistic about a Spurs result than I was 9 days ago? Yes. Not by a large margin for the reasons you state, but I am more optimistic.
That’s the other issue at play here. Optimism versus confidence. Am I confident? Eh, I am confident things will get better. I’m optimistic that will start happening soon and that the new coach bump effect translates into some 50/50 match-ups going 80/20 in our favor. We just hired the most interesting man in the world!
But bigger still and I think Matchett nailed this. Why stop dreaming? Why have realistic dreams? Who other than Arsenal fans sing, “We’re gonna fourth!”? With math on our side and the gods against, I was deluded in 13/14. Couldn’t have been higher on that optimism. It was crushing, but that euphoria is why you buy the ticket. Parade or no parade. It’s the ride.
ye must be dreading the day Liverpool are successful again on this site. miserable cunts would have nothing to write about.
class :-)))))) miserable shits!
There’s a difference between being miserable and bring patient or realistic. Divvy!
*being
Jees lighten up fellah! We should celebrate Klopps arrival and we should hope for a good set of results. Your section re football becoming an extension of life’s problems is spot on but we were previously at the mercy of a man, who I and many supported, but who was simply out of his depth. As for the unfurling of banners for well; no-marks. This has been a disease at LFC since the days of the ‘spice-boyz’; players that, because they had signed for LFC, believed that they had made it, were elite when in reality they had actually won and went on to win SFA!
We already know for sure one thing Klopp won’t be doing that Rodgers had to.
Learn how to get to Champions League finals
And that’s all I need to know!
maybe, but Klopp needs to get us into the damn thing first.
You should read Gareth’s piece on the 12th October.
To quote Gareth “Fuck it all. Because we are different. Jurgen Klopp is bringing Liverpool’s ‘fuck you’ back”. Embrace the madness.
Fuck me if you can’t get excited about Liverpool persuading Kloppo to take the reins then what is the fucking point of watching the game?
One bellend even writes ‘I am no way Optimistic’ like being optimistic is a fucking bad thing.
Fucking sad really and the first time i have read a tabloid piece on here.
Lot of long winded replies here. Mr. Hughes in saying this “Maybe it’s because Liverpool have been unsuccessful for so long.” (see the piece for context) reminds me of two words – nail and head! Spot on! And I feel qualified to say that as a Red since pre-Shanks days. Back in the day :)
Spot on as usual Si, excellent read.
I always want Liverpool to win, even when the Manager was well past his expiration date. However, Klopp doesn’t have a magic wand, and getting the players up to speed on his tactics will take time. We have some tricky games on the horizon, all I want to see on Saturday is a group of players who look to play positive and with some real heart, any attacking edge will be much appreciated. As we grow over the next four – six fixtures we’ll get more fluid in the system, then it is all about consistency and locking in the best XI.
I appreciate we have every right and need to be wary, but wouldn’t you prefer it this way? The club shop ruthlessly producing Klopp shirts is a bit too quick for me personally, but unlike Aquilani, Klopp isn’t some unheard of hopeful. He’s got pedigree. Pedigree that does get, and has got people excited.
Wouldn’t you prefer everyone to be buzzing, claiming, hoping he’s gonna do it?
Klopp being appointed has been (as pointed out in a previous post) an adrenaline shot to the arm of the fans. Things with Rodgers got incredibly lethargic and borderline miserable by the end of his reign. This positive energy that’s going around the club has lifted the fans, and surely this has the potential to have a knock on effect to lift the players on the pitch?
(Almost) ‘Anyone can Beat Anyone’ in this League. That is not because it is a high standard. It is because it is a low standard, and the EPL may have a CL place withdrawn because of it.
So Klopp should have it in him to qualify above Man U this year. If he wants to target the first year this way. Klopp says the only ‘target’ he has been set, however, is to play a recognisable way.
Wow. If being a football fan means that you cannot get slightly carried away at the first glimpse of light at the end of a tunnel, I’m out.
Yes, Klopp hasn’t done anything for Liverpool yet, but he wants us – the fans – to believe he will. So that’s what I’ll do thanks.
Talk about completely wringing the joy out of the prospect of something great being around the corner. Stay away from maternity wards please – new born children haven’t added to anything yet either.
Klopp has achieved a massive thing at Liverpool already. The universal buzz in the city is an achievement in itself. The passion extinguished by Rodgers personality has been re-ignited by Klopps passion and desire. It’s like reflection.
Our fans are so extreme. All Simon is saying is we probably aren’t going to see miracles overnight. It’s great that the fans have finally gotten over their long hangover, and if we win at White Hart Lane it will be brilliant. But there are actual PEOPLE involved, and people always take time to adapt to a change in leadership. Every player (except for one who we already know for sure Jürgen wants) will be a bit keen to prove he’s worthy of a starting position. Others may be anxious they won’t be able to keep up with his training methods. Others will be talking to their agents to see how they can work the system to stay on wages as long as they can or angle for a good transfer deal.
Our squad has obviously felt pressured over the past several months, and that has translated to mistakes on the pitch, to not playing with abandon and fluidity. The change of manager and training coaches is likely to add to that pressure initially, not diminish it. Be excited and happy that we will likely again at some point see some fast-paced exciting football, but even caterpillars take time to change into butterflies. Be excited and hopeful; support the club with your whole heart, mind, and soul, but temper your own expectations — we’ve likely still got a bumpy road ahead for a while.
At last we have the world class leader we should have had three years back. If you don’t feel motivated by this man then you need to be shown the door
Interesting article. Fascinating reading the comments too. I found them quite ironic. I think I may have said in a comment on here last week that psychologists could learn loads from studying the behaviour of Liverpool fans. They’re the most bizarre I’ve ever come across. There’s always something to be divided over. I love the new one, those who are letting their emotions run away with them v those who aren’t letting them run away enough. That’s pretty impressive even by our standards although, yeah we keep winning every game but we’re still conceding too many takes some beating.
It’s gonna be a tough start for Klopp but I’m ok with it. In some ways I dread us winning at Spurs or they’ll be T-shirts in the shop with 19 on before the Kazan game. For me personally, I think my head tells me the middle ground but my heart leads me to the extreme, and polarised views. It’s a constant battle between my head telling my heart to just calm down a bit. It’s funny but, last week I was thinking it’s amazing how we’re all united under the same cause yet we’ve managed to fall out over levels of positivity. Brilliant.
I found myself getting angry last night when I saw Tony Evans tweet. He tweeted he was waiting to see how things go before he wet his panties, haha. I think what annoyed me was I couldn’t shake a vision I got of him on a podium in nothing but a pair of panties looking down on us all. Clean panties, mind and in fairness, from afar, I’ve really warmed to him and his opinions on Twitter.
In this particular case I’ve completely lost the battle for the middle ground but I didn’t want my head to win this one. I needed this lift where the reds are concerned and I live for the present, so why not. Although my heart is telling me everything at the club is gonna be fixed and we’re gonna win everything, my head is telling me this could be as joyous as it gets under Klopp and my head has a better track record than my heart when it comes down to it. It’s not gonna be as plain sailing towards the league as people think but I’ll cross that bridge if we get to it. In the absence of any silverware I want to celebrate this as long as I can.
The only takeaway I got from Tony Evans’ Tweet last night was “Omigosh! Tony Evans actually wears panties!”
Ha, I think a lot of people took that away. As long as he doesn’t do an Enrique and post a picture of himself on Twitter wearing them then each to their own, haha
My eyes!!!! My eyes!!!! LOL!
You ginger killjoy…..
Blitzkrieg Klopp!!!!!!!
Simon, weren’t you the one who declared FSG won’t sign Klopp because they have been warned of his style? After we found out that FSG had actually approached him in 2010 and 2012, you quickly did a U-turn. Seriously, your irrational hatred of FSG is getting boring. You’ve lost your objectivity, and everything you write has a sense of anger in it. Some reflection is due.
Hi Ted. While FSG may have fancied Klopp at various stages in the past without ever moving for him, when Rodgers’ sacking was suggested in the summer, they were advised against Klopp. It explains why Rodgers was sacked only two weeks ago. They realised they were listening to the wrong people. I’d suggest reading around your assumptions and maybe even follow what I’ve written on these pages in the last few months. Thanks for reading.
Si, were the same (wrong) people who advised them against even talking to Benitez upon realizing that Hodgson was crap?
Could you give us any further hints as who the people who advised FSG against Klopp were?
My impression is they were advised against him for some as-yet undisclosed reason — perhaps that there were people eager to see Jüergen seriously considered for the Bayern job if Pep didn’t renew his contract. Then, that got sorted when it became clear Pep was going nowhere anytime soon, and FSG either (1) realized they had a real opportunity before them to actually get Jürgen; OR (2) they decided the potential reward was greater than whatever risk had been presented to them; OR (3) a combination of (1) and (2). Contrary to what some people think, FSG are not fools; they are very experienced and professional in top-level management matters.
Or maybe Klopp did indeed want a few months off before considering a new job?
I don’t understand why it is such a bad thing to get excited about Klopp or any new quality signing for the club. Wake the fuck up and stop taking everything so seriously.
People who can’t get excited about this appointment must find supporting Liverpool a sad unfulfilling struggle and need to ask themselves what is the point of being a Liverpool fan?
No decent left-back?
The lack of love for Moreno is getting a bit tiresome. Last season he was a young player in a new country who never knew from one week to the next whether he would be lining up alongside Sakho or Lovren or even Kolo, in a back 3/5 or a back four. He’s been told he’s a fullback, a wingback, a left-sided midfielder or a winger. I doubt he has played the same role in the same formation more than a couple of times in succession.
He’s been pushed from pillar to post and punished when he – quite naturally in my opinion – found it all a bit difficult to keep up with.
He’s better than Clyne going forward and could easily, given some consistency of role, formation and selection of his defensive colleagues, be his equal defensively.
Time to use some of this new found enthusiasm for the club and the team to give the kid a break.
I was interested to read Lucas Leiva’s comments on LiverpoolFC. If Jurgen embraces Liverpool as much as Lucas has (if ever there was an honorary Scouser Lucas is your man) we’ll be okay,
My view is that you have completely misread what the hysteria and FUN that has been mentioned is all about. I don’t expect LFC to win every game. I don’t expect LFC to finish in the top 4. What has ignited my passion and the passion of many supporters is the positive attitude that Klopp will undoubtedly bring to the club. Your mistake is that you associate happiness with winning and the two things don’t have to be intrinsically linked.
For example:
1. The atmosphere at Anfield will be better and fans are united behind the appointment. Anfield rocking makes a MASSIVE difference.
2. We will attack
3. He will demand we run around a lot.
4. He/we will be honest
I was a Rodgers sympathist, but these key things have been lacking from the performances of the ‘holy trinity’ for a long time now.
I assume that many people, like me, are happy tonthebloint of delirium because it should be FUN again – win, lose or draw.
My view is this article has gone over the head of a lot of people. Maybe re-read it.
Thank you, Robin.
Just tired of all the negativity surrounding aquilani’s ill fated time at the club. I think writers on this site are over depressed or over excited, there is no common ground and no neutrality of emotion. No patience.
why slate aquilani? did you not see how good he was , when he played? i agree with the ill fated injury , but then once he was loaned he was fit for 3 seasons raking up nearly 100 appearances for next 3 seasons. Imho , selling him to fiorentina when BR first came along was a huge dumbass mistake, but BR made many of those anyway. Aquilani in his first season at fiorentina – 25apps , 7 goals from a playmaking position. Qualifying for UCL as well. couldnt you see that he was a genuinely , class player just hampered by an injury at liverpool and never looked back again. that was shit treatment according to me. the guy excelled in milan and juventus. I think he would have been exactly the kind of playmaker that would have fit klopp’s system , but right now all we have to show in that position is allen/can…see what we are left with?
I am not one of the biggest fan of aquilani or something , but the guy was class and was not given an opportunity with dumb roy and tiki taka promoter BR not arsed about him. I hate it when carra says that firmino could be an aquilani or the writers here slate him for being a flop, hello! he would have excelled at liverpool for next 3 years , fully fit. not a single midfielder brought in his place later has provided that spark.
‘Aquilani would have excelled at Liverpool for the next 3 years’!!???
I’ll have some of what you’re smoking mate. He was shite for us – injuries or not.
If ever a player was not up to playing in the PL, it was Aquilani.
Lightweight, slow, ponderous on the ball. May have done ok for Fiorentina where the midfield has all the time in the world but not here.
Sadly, the only impact he had at LFC was hastening the dismissal of Benitez as he was cited as ‘proof’ that Rafa was losing the plot.
Haha Rodgers is now to blame for Aquilani?! Quality banter.
Just noticed that ‘tejas’says ‘selling him to Fiorentina when BR came along’!
Even a staunch anti Rodgers man like myself can’t pin the blame on that one:).
Anyway, Aquiline was shite.
Carry on.
Rodgers had first and last word, too.
First word: I want Sanchez, or at least Bony FFS.
Last word: I guess if I had to choose, I’ll take Balotelli over nothing. Eto’o looking a little decrepit these days.
First word: I want Ashley Williams, or at least Ryan Bertrand FFS.
Last word: How the hell am I supposed to organize a defense if I can’t pick anyone over 25 years old? Did any of you brainiacs notice the 50 GOALS we conceded? Oh screw it, just give me Lovren. If we nearly won the league with Aly effing Cissokho, how bad can it get?
Credit where it’s due – still fighting a battle long after its been lost shows great character.
A few things here:
1. Anyone thinking Williams or Bertrand (or Sigurdson or Dempsey or any of the other mediocre players Rodgers chose to add to the likes of Borini, Lambert and Lovren) would have made a difference in defence needs to have a serious look at themselves.
2. Organizing a defence is possible at Sunday league level, at under 8 level – it does not require Championship/PL standard players. Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk reached the 2015 Europa League final based on organised defence. Without using google can you name me one of their defenders? With the same 4 defenders, do you back Mourinho, Rafa, Ancelotti or Rodgers to organise them? Rodgers failed to organise a defence in over 3 years here. His defensive record at Watford and Reading was a disgrace too. It was average at Swansea. Is Liverpool’s transfer committee to blame for his defensive failings at those clubs too?
3. You are drawing a parallel with the first word/last word of Rodgers and Klopp. This is wrong. Rodgers first word was a players name. He demanded certain players. Jurgen’s first word will be the position he needs filled. That’s what he’s always done. That’s how it’s done on the continent. One was interested in playing politics and increasing his power, the other is used to others doing the transfers and focussing on coaching.
4. “Oh screw it just give me Lovren” – he demanded Lovren and spent £20m on the walking disaster in order to build his defence around him. To try and apportion any blame for Lovren being here at anyone else other than Rodgers is a deliberate deflection from Rodgers’ appalling transfer record.
5. Cissoko played (not that often) in the same team as Suarez. With Cissoko and Suarez Rodgers had a substandard defence. Without Cissoko and Suarez Rodgers had a substandard defence. There’s a common denominator here.
6. If anyone can’t see how outstandingly correct TTC were not to trust Rodgers with spending more money on more flops they need to analyse who he signed and who he tried to sign, then be honest with themselves.
7. It’s great we no longer have to worry about this from now on. FSG have their preferred structure and a head coach who is happy with it.
I disagree. Right now there is no one in CM position in the squad who can loop balls on either flanks or play them direct down the strikers head. find gaps where there were none. Aquilani does exactly that. Klopp has inherited a squad with no genuine gundogan like playmaker who could open up defences.
Not get excited ?? For fuck’s sake..football is a sport..and the whole idea is to get the adrenaline pumping through your system..football ain’t exactly poker..to ponder about all the permutations and combinations..so get in and enjoy the game.. pls don’t be a kill joy..
I’m a city fan and I have been following LFC closely since Klopp landed.. and I can’t wait to see Klopp winning..
Believe in your manager..that’s the one thing he asked..
Klopp; different level. I mean seriously, who the fu*k is going to disagree with him? They may as well made him manager/owner/CEO/Chairman! Or in our words, the BOSS!