HE doesn’t give a shit does he, old Kloppo?
There he is going nuts on the touchline against Sunderland; first berating one moaning, negative dickhead, then offering the whole of the Main Stand out.
After the game, my Dad — who loved Jürgen Klopp much earlier than I did — intimated that Klopp needs to be a bit careful. He reminded me, and stated correctly that the Main Stand, and indeed Anfield, is full of old men who feel the cold of a winter’s day. It is absolutely not a bouncing Teutonic hotbed of sinewy lads with their tops off.
We hear regularly this manager is the perfect fit for Liverpool and in many footballing ways he is, but the requirement for him to coach, cajole and rouse our home crowd goes way beyond the job description.
Klopp should be at Crystal Palace really; conducting their little mob of black-clad ultras. Instead, he’s director of an old people’s home, which stands on the footprint of the shrine which once rocked to a St Etienne beat.
The good news is that Klopp is winning this laborious, necessary struggle.
Our manager isn’t just winning football matches but winning a tussle of minds with our ageing, innately conservative, fearful home crowd.
Mercifully we have the master conductor. He’s nearly 50 (I know this because we were born exactly a month apart in 1967) but he breathes the fire of a young man. Thankfully Jürgen Klopp is athletic, hairy, angry and insane, and he’s just what we need.
Not so much the perfect fit as just what the doctor ordered; a sustaining medicine that keeps us old guys compos mentis for one last league title.
Imagine Roy Hodgson doing that what Klopp did last week. Not only would his peculiar form be contorted into the weirdest of shapes but his arm would probably come off, fly over the truss and end up in Dog Shit Alley.
There is a serious point to all this.
Klopp isn’t shouting at everyone because he wants to finish top four. This is all about winning the league. The fact he can’t say so publicly is an indictment of our timid mentality. Some of the old stagers won’t admit it; some of the new breed just can’t see it. And sadly, loads inside Anfield for a home league game don’t even feel it.
In my bit of The Kop, and no doubt in your seat or front room, Divock Origi’s winning goal last Saturday was celebrated like a cup final winner. Yes, greeted with the same relief felt when you find your cash-card but with unbridled ecstasy too. How annoying then to see on Match of the Day the lower reaches of the Kop, to a man wearing brown leather driving gloves, offer just polite applause.
Get on board, knobheads — or let the kids in.
The type of football Liverpool have played at Anfield this season would have had crowds from years gone by shouting about it from the rooftops.
“We’re gonna win the League.”
“We shall not be moved.”
“Ole, Ole, Ole, We are the Champions.”
They rained down from the Kop in anticipation of the next title. It was all part of the process, to give players belief, months and months before red ribbons adorned the trophy.
To air such songs now would bring shouts of “don’t jinx it” from those conditioned by years of waiting. The fear is that we’ll end up looking stupid; but that’s no way to embrace a title challenge.
When Klopp had his mad moment last week it was more of a wake-up call than a bollocking. He’s telling us we’re in with a massive shout and what’s needed is a massive shout – from the crowd.
Quiet hushed conservatism brings only anxiety that transmits to the pitch. Most of us are too fat to take our tops off but the least we can do is bring some energy to override the angst. Klopp has well and truly got our number and he’s calling us out – again. It’s a year on from his feeling “alone” moment against Crystal Palace and he senses that not much has changed.
If we’re going to win this title we all need to be on the same page and that means mirroring the zest, the brio and the balls this gang of young lads are bringing to the actual footy.
“I believe in atmosphere, I think it’s a big, big part of the game, part of the joy. Atmosphere is more than a detail…it makes everything easier.”
What doesn’t make it easier is holding back, dreading the worst, not wanting to look foolish and generally being a miserable old twat. We may or may not win this league but let’s not die wondering. It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Fight the fear with passion; embrace the tension and feed off it.
The players can keep their calm, and are ably demonstrating so through their patient, precise probing and an 11-match unbeaten run, but it’s alright for us to lose in the stands our shit. We should be kicking every ball and, for us, it doesn’t matter if we slice the odd one into the Kemlyn.
Injuries are mounting, games are getting harder, and goals will perhaps be in shorter supply. This is exactly the time when a team needs its fans; when the symbiotic relationship leans more on one partner than the other.
It’s colder, darker and the threat of points dropped seems more acute than during the heady days of summer and autumn. These are actually the periods when titles are won; when strength is drawn from adversity, everyone pulls together and we grind things out. I know because I’ve seen it countless times before from great Liverpool teams, and some that at times were distinctly average. In 1983/4, when we ended up with a treble in Rome, we were for the most part, fucking crap.
As we enter Advent, that we’re not winning by four, five and six every week isn’t to signify hopes about to be dashed or that “one of those days” is in the offing. From the mood of the crowd, that was nearly the case last week and Klopp was right to act in a manner that says “I’m just not having this — and neither are you”.
In Jürgen’s head, it is time to circle the wagons until we get dizzy. Or, at least until Philippe Coutinho is fit again.
While Klopp is very much the believer, many of his staunchest fans are still doubters. Nigh on 30 years of pain has seen to that. In that sense, Klopp most definitely is not the perfect fit with many of the lucky ones who are privileged to watch this title bid.
But, week-by-week, he is bending us to his will.
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Good points Mike. I don’t get to many games due to expense but went last Saturday for the first time for a league game at 3pm on a Sat for a while. Jumped the train at Formby, and by Crosby it was chocca with people going the game.
I was quite amazed how the demographic of fans going (I know its only a small sample) were basically all over 60 and more of the ‘reserved’ type of person to apply a stereotype to them. No wonder the ground on a normal match day is dead. Maybe having moved people around in the Main Stand has improved it slightly, but it was very easy to see why – these fellas aren’t gonna sing anything ever.
I could not be more in favour of what Klopp did on Saturday. The groaning and murmuring, especially after the Karius goalkick, was ridiculous. I particularly agree with the section above about getting on board or letting in someone else who will.
What is the f*cking point of going to the game in order to sit there and shit your pants at the thought of us not getting a result? We all get nervous and find watching games unbearably tense, but the outward projection of these anxieties DOES effect the players, regardless of those who claim players don’t notice.
These days under Klopp need to be savoured because at present we are brilliant. Some of us might not want to admit it but we’re brilliant and teams are scared of us. I mean who can remember a team, apart from Utd, come to Anfield as timid and scared as Sunderland? That formation! Two lines of 23 is what it felt like at times. It’s been said an awful lot, but in times gone by that was all it took to steal from us.
My season ticket is in the Lower cent and I got a tap on the shoulder from an arl fella who sits behind me asking me to calm down! No wonder the atmosphere is dead when you can’t be animated during the match. Fair enough it’s the lower centenary but the cheeky bastard then had the cheek to start singing and shouting when klopp give the main stand loads! Mad init lads
Is right Mike. Time for the old timers to stand aside and let us ‘local and loud’ youngies in. Appreciate the “I’ve had this same seat for 200 years and can do want I want blah blah” but it’s not helping the team and taking the young out of the game. I think everyone should throw their Season Tickets in and have a draw each year to see who gets them, chances are the majority will get them back anyway but at least it gives us a chance. Instead of Gibbons being the ticket machine giving them out left, right & centre lets see him scratch around for 1 ticket or have to pay £300 for Hospitality (sorry John x)
I get your point to a degree but the main stand and Kemlyn were always full of moaning old fellas even in the olden days so i dont think its fair to just pick on them. It was always the kop and the road end doing all the singing except for the massive games and thats still the case today, just to a lesser degree. Most of the “old gits” in the main stand are the ones who created that brilliant atmosphere back in the day. I think the problem these days is the kop has got too many tourists in it. If you’re carrying a plastic bag full of “merchandise” into the match you’re there to witness the occasion, not actively take part. If the club made the kop pay on the gate and kept it cheap, more young passionate singers would get in as they would be willing to queue for longer. It worked back in the day so there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work today. When the kop gets going properly the rest of the ground starts to join in and always has done. Obviously seating has also had an affect as there are physically less people in there but if they were all singers it would improve things immeasurably. Having said all that, it can still be brilliant and loud, as the european matches proved last season. I agree that people should start enjoying it more though. We’re a fucking joy to behold at the moment and if you can’t enjoy that then you really need to think about whether you should be there.
Couldn’t agree more! I got on the train at Freshfield, one of the old twats heading for the Main Stand. I haven’t always been thus. I was belting out YNWA when The Silent Knight banged in the derby winner in 1970. I was part of the Kop that created the quintessential atmosphere against St Etienne. I along with a lot of the old twats on that train created what people claim to have been lost today. I moved to the Main Stand when my time on the Kop came to its natural end. That’s how it always was, so don’t blame us because the Club has not replaced us with younger versions as used to happen, but instead chose to court day trippers and those who come to be entertained by the ‘Anfield Experience’. Thomas Cook is more welcome these days than A. Kopite. The only way to regain an element of what I and my contemporaries created is to target youth and local youth at that, but also allow lads to sit (or dare I say it, stand?) together at affordable prices. Don’t blame the Main Stand and the Kemlyn for being what they have always always been. We join in, but it’s the Kop that has the traditional responsibility to begin the process. FSG can do something if they want.
Well said Frankie. It’s always easy to blame the older generation and yes they are not as vocal as they used to be, but it’s the younger ones now who are responsible for the dead atmosphere at times. Some or moat of them have never seen us winning the league and don’t know that feeling. Wait and see when we actually do win it, hopefully this season. The atmosphere the following season will be electric.
Right now though we need the Kop to do its job and get the rest of the stadium to join in.
I think for all home games for the rest of the season we should be out on the streets greeting the players as they arrive like we did for Europa last season.
Build the atmosphere well before kick off.
YNWA old timer.
I can’t get a ticket these days and I hadn’t been to Anfield for 10 years – but I managed to borrow a Main Stand season ticket for the Sunderland match. The atmosphere was miles better than 2006 but I was sitting amongst a bunch of sour faced old bastards (and I’m 58). I was pretty much a lone singer joining in with the noisier upstairs and the Kop – so when Klopp turned on the stand I cheered him loudly and stared at the moany old git next to me. When Origi scored the auld fella muttered – it’s not over yet don’t get too excited. If you’re reading this Seat 166 … give us yer season ticket because I’m a more passionate Red than you!
A lot of people seem to think he was just randomly rousing the crowd. He wasn’t.
He was directly bollocking the Moan Stand because Henderson had just placed a shite ball about 20 yards wide into the Kop, and they all let out a huge groan of annoyance.
The ground did become noisier straight away. But there was reasoning behind that outburst. It looked like “get off their backs you dreadful whinging twats”.
Agreed. It did seem a direct response to the ridiculous response to Henderson’s misplaced pass (which actually showed excellent vision, just poor execution).
Imagine how Hendo and other players would feel about such backing from the boss? As long as they keeps trying and give 100%, even if the execution is not perfect, they will always get the full support from Klopp!!! What a boss, who is willing to stand up against the fans (the moaning fans) on behalf of his players.
A nice piece Mike, just a few things on it:
a) I actually let out a groan on the misplaced pass which led to Klopp’s bollocking. Fella next to me was scathing though. Now even though I was frustrated I commented to him you had to at least appreciate his desire and thought to attempt it. I was made up Klopp did it. I was sat the opposite side of the ground and I could tell it was a telling off. No harm being frustrated but just forget about it and carry on supporting.
b) The goal celebration from the crowd on the tele surprised me too, seemed very blasé and muted. It wasn’t,good arl let off that and didn’t quite get captured on tele. Annoyed me that but there yer go.
c) I was sat on an aisle seat, the pair of lads the opposite side were fucking Face Timing their mate for about the first ten minutes of the second half. Absolute disgrace, can’t believe we let wanders like this in the ground. Now don’t get me wrong, if I was at El Clasico tomorrow I’d be taking pictures no doubt. But to face time my mate back home? Sorry but there’s a game of football being played and that’s where my focus lies.
Don’t wanna even get a wool debate going as it’s not even about that. These type of people are not arsed. Sure they’re there and they spend money but they’re not arsed. Get fucking rid of them. I don’t care how much they spend in the shop.
LFC is a business. And our business first and foremost is winning trophies and being successful. Not attracting these helmets who seemingly don’t appreciate how lucky they are to be there, just because they spend afew bob in the club shop.
*let wankers like this. Spell correction for you
The problem is that over the nearly thirty years of waiting for the title to return to Liverpool a proportion of the Anfield faithful have morphed from supporters into judge, jury and executioners. Instead of proclaiming from the stands that we’re going to win they turn up to highlight any possible weakness that means we might not. It’s an insidious cynicism that has spread around Anfield like a disease and on occasion has infected the players. What the critics in the stands don’t seem to realise is that they themselves are part of the self-fulfilling prophecy that prevents Liverpool achieving league success. Their overly-judgemental attitude negatively affects performances on the pitch thus contributing to our failure to win the league – which in turn leads to an overly-judgemental attitude that negatively affects performances on the pitch thus contributing to our failure to win the league, and the cycle goes on and on and on…
EPL is a huge business. This is part of it- cash counts Can’t have your cake and it eat it. I long for the atmosphere but it’s NOT coming back. FACT. Want atmosphere? Take a trip to Argentina
Fuck me, that was right on the money Mike. I’m in me late 60s, live 130 miles from the ground now so it’s streaming games for me. I have deffo noticed a change in my attitude on match day, well more positive and the ‘oh fuck, another corner/deadball’ rituals have gone now. But, as soon as I read that piece, there it was staring me in the kipper. I can still find and wear me ‘imaginary tortoise shell’ that appears during those ‘mad’ moments in a game to be pulled over my head. My own version of the big ‘Ohh here we go again’ from the crowd that got JK offering them out. Watching here online against Leeds, it was Kev Stuart constantly turning into traffic in the middle of the park. Emry Can dawdling on it and being caught and robbed two steps into one of his panzer runs, out comes the shell again. But we have to remember some of the conditioning our crowd has had to put up with since the 80s. Twenty odd years into the ‘desert’ and post Souness our owners go mental and appoint a man who spoke seven languages and not one of those fuckers was ‘the language of Footy’. They have addressed this big-time now, granted, but the crowd still bears the scars. They’ll get there Mike, they are special mate, believe me. I watched those amazing pre-match scenes from afar, the young-guns greet the team with pyro billowing through the air. Talk about emotional, I filled up streaming it, what the fuck some of my contemporaries made of that at the ground, I can only imagine……heart attacks all round mate. Give the arlarses in the stands time, they’ll ditch their shells eventually. But you better get some fuckin defibulators handy mate.