I feel duty bound to write this.
I hoped my last piece would be the end. The article I could retire on after a European Cup win.
The movie didn’t go the way I hoped, or expected.
I’ve not long woken up and wandered into Twitter. It’s an incredible scene and completely predictable. I saw Evertonians liking my tweets yesterday, keeping them to one side in case we got beaten. In case my confidence and hubris was misplaced.
They’re happy today. The supporters of all the other teams are happy today. They can have it.
But imagine that. Imagine if you’re happiness depended on someone else’s misery.
I know you’re sad. I’m sad as well. I said before the game that we’d destroy them if we turned up, but we didn’t. Not really. Not any of us. There’s a question mark over so many things — not least my own record at finals and whether I should just stop going to them.
But what are we in this for? Success? Victory? Trophies?
I’m in this for the last three days.
I’m in this for dancing in airports and singing in train stations.
I’m in this for fun, laughter and pure, unadulterated joy. I’m in this for meeting you, saying hello and having a drink in some far foreign land together, disbelieving that this can all be real.
They can never take that away from me, from us.
We still had an absolute ball. We still went to a European Cup final.
It won’t be remembered though. Not like Istanbul. Like it or not, but we all only remember the winners. First is first and second is nowhere. We finished nowhere, make no mistake. We were destroyed by the masters. By the ultimate warriors. There was a moment around the 60th minute when I knew it was all over, but I didn’t want to let on to anyone near me.
Sergio Ramos just sat on the floor.
In the middle of a European Cup final he just sat on the floor and looked at the referee. It was like peak Steven Gerrard on speed.
That’s why they’ve won three European Cups on the run.
They won because their first substitute is a lad who can score an overhead kick in a European Cup final, and our two subs are lads who haven’t run for months.
We can’t afford to lose one of the best players in the world after 20 minutes. They’ve got about 20 of them.
We said going into the game that we needed to score four to win. We said that if we turned up as the best version of ourselves we’d beat them.
We didn’t do either.
So, what now? What are your choices?
Be very clear, what you do next is a choice.
Whether you laugh or cry is up to you, nobody else. Whether people taking the piss out of you for being confident of a win and enjoying yourself upsets you or makes you laugh is up to you.
I haven’t got time to reply to everyone individually on Twitter who’s taking the piss out of me, I’d be there for a year. Today they get to laugh. They get to call me whatever they want and to enjoy themselves.
But what they don’t realise is that I’m still laughing. I’m still away on a holiday with my best mates getting drunk and singing while they’re sitting at home reading this. Their lives are spent watching us have fun and being bitter about it. I feel bad for them all. I feel sorry for everyone whose lives are built around the failure of others.
That’s not us. We’re in it for us to win and to enjoy every second along the way.
We’ll come back, bigger and better than ever having had this experience.
They’ll revel in it for a few days, but deep down they know. Deep down they realise this team got to a European Cup final with 11 players. Imagine what it would be like if our first sub was Gareth Bale.
They know that Naby Keita joins us in the summer and makes us better. They know that, regardless of losing this game, this is just the start.
It amazes me how many people are revelling in this as though it’s the end of the story.
It’s not.
This is the Empire Strikes Back. This is the middle of the trilogy. This is the part where the world crushes your soul to make sure that when you come back you savour every second.
Winning is always better when you’ve tasted defeat. Unbeaten boxers are great, but they’re not my favourites. My favourites are all of the people who’ve had to pick themselves up from the floor when they didn’t think they had it in them. The fighters who refuse to submit.
You have a choice now. Pick yourself up and face the world or don’t. It’s up to you. All I can tell you is that I’m picking myself up. Im going for a drink with my best mates and talking about all the laughs we’ve had along the way. I’m walking down the street with my shoulders back and my head held high, proud of Jürgen Klopp and the team he’s created. Proud of the football we’ve played, the goals we’ve scored and the games we’ve won. Proud of you, proud of me and proud of the Mighty Reds.
We lost a game of football, I got that wrong. I said we’d win and we didn’t. But I wouldn’t change a second of it. It makes me laugh that people don’t think I know what I’m doing when I post super confident messages on the internet. As if they don’t realise that I know I’m exposing myself for whenever we lose, when I know that we all lose sooner or later. Failure is guaranteed at some point.
I’ll never change. I would do it all again and I will do it all again. I will keep putting myself on the line. I will keep risking defeat in the knowledge that one day, one glorious day, it will all be worth it. I will keep battling, never quitting, never giving in. Never allowing the world to keep me on my knees. Always getting up one more time, and helping those around me to stand up with me.
I talked in my pre-match piece about being winners. The bit I didn’t say was that the best winners know how to lose. They know how to pick themselves up off the floor, congratulate the victors and keep moving forward.
We’ll keep moving forward. Together. A team united in defeat. A family making sure everyone is ok. Safe in the knowledge that our day will come. Failure can’t beat persistence. We will win. Sooner or later.
Smile today. Remember the goals, the celebrations and the songs. Remember how glorious this has been. Remind yourself that this is just another step on the journey. There isn’t an end. There are only moments. Stepping stones on the road.
There isn’t a destination, all we can do is make sure we enjoy the adventure. Wherever you are now, choose to enjoy what we’ve had. Choose to focus on the positives.
I know it’s hard, that’s part of the game. If it wasn’t hard it wouldn’t be worth playing.
But just remember that this isn’t the end.
This is just the beginning.
For more reaction to the Champions League final, The Anfield Wrap’s trip to Kiev, regular transfer specials throughout the summer, and interviews with special guests, SUBSCRIBE to TAW Player…
— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) 26 May 2018
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Nice article, Copey!
Truth is, there are no guarantees for success, for trophies. You can only make it more likely by making the right decisions on and off the pitch. But it still doesnt guarantee the team will win a final or a League. Especially with Liverpool who dont possess the riches of other clubs around us and therefore need to be more creative in our problem-solving.
If you take out last night, then this season was pretty great to follow the Reds. It’s about the moments, about the journey. If you only care about the destination, then you will not be happy in the here and now.
Up the moment-creating Reds!
Great piece Paul, who cares about rival supporters, seriously? I care about the Reds. They’ve brought me ridiculous joy this year and I feel like we’re just getting better. Since the turn of the year we’ve been immense.
To be honest, the only person who’s got under my skin even a little, is Didi Hamman, he could not wait to stick the knife in to Klopp last night. Without allowing for the courtesy of actual context, he related how “Klopp” only “scraped” top 4, and how we were thoroughly outplayed by Real. Liam Brady (never a great advocate for the Reds usually) even had to step in and remind him that Mane hit the post at 2-1, and that for a period between the second and third, we actually turned the screw and they found it difficult to get out.
Not sure why his ‘analysis’ annoyed me so much, I think it’s because he (Didi) never has a good word to say about the boss. I’ve heard it said that he was after a job when Klopp was first appointed. Not sure if that’s true but there’s definitely something fishy there (and I’m not talking about Baldrick’s apple crumble).
Anyway, thanks again. Onwards, I’m genuinely excited for next season after the transformation of the side since Virgil arrived. Also, Dejan Lovren was as brilliant last night as he was on the Salah/ Lovren ‘coffee mates’ short segment.
Up the Reds, always.
Paul. If I am the first to respond to your piece, then it is a privilege. I have followed you on TAW over the past week or so and listened to you on five live. You’ve been inspirational in your belief and passion for the Reds and you’ve made me smile so much. The article this evening is a real lift so thanks. The reds are just beginning again and it’s lads like you who will bring the continued journey to life through TAW. I have followed the Reds for 45 years now and I’ve witnessed so much. Last night was unfortunate but I know, through my memories and experiences, that the reds are coming up the hill….. You know how the rest of the song goes. Well in lad!
Great article Paul, and the first of yours i have read. I’m not (unfortunately) a season ticket holder, but was luckily enough to be at Anfield for both the City and Roma CL home games. What an experience!!! Especially for a North London Red. Been going to Anfield since 92. I would like to add to your article with my own experience as i think it sums up us as true fans. I am writing this 24 hours after our defeat to Real Madrid. Currently on a family holiday in Corfu. So there i was in a busy bar in a small town watching the game with another 50 odd LFC fans. A lad sat in front of me with his mum, dad, uncle and aunty. At 80 mins he starts crying. 100% certain we have lost. Hes around 10 or 11 years old. He continues to cry until the final whistle. His thoughts are the same as my own. At full time i just want to leave and get back to my hotel. But as a true red i cant just let this lad continue to cry. I tap him on the shoulder and finally he turns around. I say to him “dont worry mate we will be back, we wont (like other teams) fold and dissolve into obscurity and onto the crap heap. We are LIVERPOOL and this is what we do. We get into finals, and we break records. So dont cry anymore. Brush yourself off, pick yourself up and go again” I then gave him €10 note and said to him “this is a gift from one LFC Fan to another. Tomorrow go and treat yourself. Make yourself happy. Buy that Liverpool beach towel that your mum said you saw earlier”. Finally the crying stopped and his smile (that i had seen before the game started) returned. His dad said that was a really kind gesture. I simply said we are LIVERPOOL fans and thats what we do. We win together, we lose together. Once again great article. Keep it up. YNWA.
A great story! That is what our family is all about and do you know what – no other club has this!! We are Liverpool!! Great article too Copey! Just about sums it all up!
It’s up to you as an individual to decide whether this is the end, or the beginning or somewhere in between. I know where I am and I’m happy to be with this glorious band of men leading the way.
Great article. I thought to myself before the match that — too often — the message before these kinds of games is “It’s now or never” but with this Liverpool team and with Klopp the message was simply “It’s now!”. The “never” part of the message doesn’t apply because it feels like we are just at the start of a process and a journey. Thanks for your wonderful writing in the week leading up to the final and then this. Excellent work.
There’s a book in there Paul ‘The Highs and Highs of Supporting the Reds Home and Away’ (I’ll take a small fee for that)
Seriously though- I went back and read the most recent Call to Arms as soon as I got to work on Sunday. And I wasn’t sad, I wasn’t angry, I was bitterly disappointed but mostly in the manner of defeat as opposed to the defeat itself. Salah, the reds and us just didn’t deserve that ending. But you were SO right, I heard all about my mate bringing his kids home from school and telling them to open the door as he filmed them realising were on their way to the airport. The journeys, The Wrap lads and the ‘kids pods’ the faces throughout the stages have made me proud and tearful all in one. And I tell you what – oh to be a Red coz we are in for a ride!
Thanks Paul, enjoy the summer off but I hope to hear from you when Egypt comes out of the group 2nd and draws Spain! Up the roller coaster Reds
After watching the game once again with a cool head, I am convinced it was sheer bad luck that we lost the match.
– Salah getting injured in the biggest match of the season after a near perfect season without any previous injuries.
– Karius making 2 blunders in a final.
– Bale scoring a 1 in a million goal in a final.
Apart from those incidents, we did well enough to atleast force extra time or win the match overall.
We will improve next season and I’m hoping we get Real Madrid in the next final in Madrid 2019 and Salah scores to win the game. Nothing else would be sweeter than this.
@Mathew Simon
And Mane hitting the post too…
Big fan of the positivity especially during this season, this cup run. You set yourself up for the pay off, the big win, the dream of victory still knowing you could lose but still taking the risk. Ever fallen in love?
All season I’ve been saying it’s like waiting for Father Xmas to come but he may well kick your fucking head in. Well, he kicked my fucking head in. No prezzies. But he’ll come again next year and I’ll be an excited kid again and he might bring prezzies. Up these amazing, exciting men in red and our bearded Santa Klopp.
Love this. Love us.
Nice article. My only Question is how come nothing is made of the elbow on karius. If the ref in the box sees it it’s a red card surely. But this has been buried, only an outlet in Italy and Germany have picked it up. It’s Ramos as well, quite clear that Ramos pulled salah down deliberately
Thanks TAW. You just catch the mood perfectly.
Second is indeed nowhere but it’s a world apart from those nothing seasons of which there have been too many where we are in a battle for 6th place with the likes of West Ham or Everton. That truly is nowhere, the abyss which Klopp has pulled us back from.
Look at Athletico to see a team that has to keep picking itself from being so close. They are relentlessly tough. The world once again knows what Anfield is capable of after City and Roma and we need to carry that into next season to get the players heads up from the first kick off.
Video of Klopp at airport suggests he’s already looking forward to it. Kiev last night was great. More singing in the bars with what wa left of voices. . Madrid fans joining in. Football. What a game.
proud,of lfc ,the fans who went,the that did not,me in thailand watching,letting my season ticket go,i hope the guy who gets it,loves it. but my biggest regreet,is a liverpool ex player,didi hamman slaging lfc off,and liam brady,telling off,you do not bite the hand that feeds you,please invite him on your show,ask him,WHY.AM BACK OVER ON 12 JUNS/17 JULY,WITH MY WIFE,,LOVE TO KNOW WHY,great show,i will be paing my 5 pound month,when i am back home in thailand,am 67 years a red,keep it up boys
We didn’t win, but we could have won and remember that we were the only other team that could have won. Our team, our glorious team that have filled us with joy this season got to the final of the Champions League and they will do again. Our fans sang and danced in Kyiv, no other fans did that. Here’s to next season when we do it again in Madrid!
Thanks for the write up and previous articles Paul. You’ve done a great job keeping us in the know.
I have not forgotten what has happened in the last match. It will take a bit to heal from the manner we lost the game. There’s a lot of work to be done and Jurgen of all people knows this. I really wish he gets the support, that FSG blurted out before the match, to help keep the positive building and momentum.
I really enjoyed this past season and enjoyed most of all with supporters like you even if I never get to see or know you in person. We are Liverpool and that for now is good enough.
It will be another great ride in a couple of months time. And I hope we meet Madrid again.
I wish you and everyone a great summer and look forward to next season.
Cheers!
Paul Cope is a legend. Brilliant writing, both in good and not so good times.
Ill have whatever it is that paul cope is having.. up the optimistic reds
It’s been three days since the final now. I have been replaying what happened through my mind and watching the replays of the game.
We played pretty well overall. I think Bale’s worldie did us in the end. We were still in it at 2-1, but having to deal with losing Salah, but battling on; the manner of their first and then that ridiculously good 2nd goal, the team (and probably most fans) thought this wasn’t going to be our night at that point. Mane hitting the post emphasised that too.
I am IMMENSELY proud of the boys. Others may mock, but really, they’re jealous of the absolute joy we’ve had this season. And more importantly, they’re all shitting themselves at where we’re going with this team. We’re only going to get stronger. And that scares them to death.
So thank you Liverpool. Thank you for the fun, the laughter, the joy. No. 6 will be in our hands sooner rather than later. And maybe league title no. 19.
Love you Liverpool. We’re never gonna stop.
I will never forget looking at the score board whilst standing on the Kop reading Liverpool FC 5 – AS Roma 0 in a European cup semi and just laughing, no one will take that away from me, bring on the next champions league adventure. Up the reds.