THE LEAGUE
HERE we are again, says PAUL COPE. After the disastrous end to last season, the calls for the manager’s head, castigation of the players and downright fury at the owners and the behind the scenes management of the club, we’re back within days of another new season and all that brings with it.
I have to be honest, at this stage of pre-season I didn’t expect to be anywhere near as optimistic as I am. I thought we would have another frustrating summer which would be carried out with the backdrop of internet fume and continuing calls for everything to change. In fairness to FSG, I think they took the right approach to dealing with the fallout at the end of last season. By adopting a completely silent approach to the entire summer they allowed the raging fires that were burning everywhere at the end of the season to simmer down naturally until they became soft embers. They decided that talk is empty, and knew that they had to walk the walk or things would be disastrous going into 2015/2016.
By spending money in a way which is almost universally approved by supporters, and by doing deals swiftly and without too much fuss, they’ve managed to bring back that tingle of optimism amongst a fan base that was beginning to divide in the way that it did at the end of the Houllier and Benitez eras. They walked the walk rather than trying to talk their way out of the backlash, which I for one applaud.
So, what happens next?
I think even those of us who are fans of Brendan Rodgers accept and agree that if things don’t come together this season his time will be up. He has been supported fully in the transfer market with both the money spent and the players he wanted to sign, and he has the backroom staff which, by all accounts, he selected. There’s unlikely to be much debate this season as to whether Brendan or the much maligned transfer committee signed these lads. It seems to be universally accepted that they are all Rodgers’ Recruits and the committee did his bidding this summer, which as far as I am concerned is the way it should be.
Rodgers knows, as do FSG, that the downside to getting his own way so emphatically in the transfer market is that it’s all now on him. If it goes wrong, his head will roll. In fairness to the man with the most difficult job in football, I think he wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘Back me and I’ll show you what I can do’. Self confidence is an essential skill in his position, and those who criticise him for it should think about the level of self confidence displayed by the greats over the years. I know what you’ll say “but he’s never won anything!!”. And I’ll say, “he hasn’t won anything yet”.
This is a big season for everyone: for us as a club, for him as a manager and for FSG as owners. I actually think it’s on a knife edge. We could start the season really well and could gather momentum into the new year, or things could start to unravel quickly, with the majority of the fan base still looking for any excuse to demand the manager be sacked because he’s had his teeth done, left his wife or rents a house from Gerrard. My view is that all of those things are completely irrelevant. Very few other leaders of men are expected to do anything other than be judged on the jobs they do, and it should be no different for Rodgers. I’ve written before on my view of the ‘supporters’ last season. I think it’s time for everyone to put that year behind us, and lock it away in a box marked “massive hangover from the 2013/2014 party”.
Now is the time (figuratively speaking, obviously!) to pick up your weapons, mount your horses and get ready to go into battle for the Reds. They need your support and, whether you like the manager or not, that shouldn’t detract from you screaming your support of Hendo and his Henchmen from the rooftops, lifting their spirits and making them soar.
If the season starts badly, we all need to keep our heads and keep supporting.
Rodgers has bought aggression and goals this summer. The lads will be ready to scrap and fight come 4pm on Sunday, and they will deserve a rabid red army behind them forcing them forward, hunting every ball, never giving the opposition a second. When the Stoke players leave the pitch at 6pm, I want them to feel like they’ve just been physically battered all over their own patch. I want them to text their mates at other clubs saying that ‘these red lads mean business this year you know, you won’t fancy playing these red lads’. I want word to spread that we’ve had our hangover cure concoction and it’s worked. We’ve had a sleep, taken a Benteke and a Firmino and got Milner to sort us a full English breakfast. Clyne got us another pint and now we’re absolutely flying. I want the word to spread that when these red lads come to town you’d better board up your windows and lock up your daughters, because they’re mad, they’re brilliant and they’re fucking handsome.
Hendo’s Handsome Henchmen storming the country and winning the league.
Can you see it? Can you picture it? Hendo at St George’s Hall with millions of reds around him, holding aloft the Premier League trophy. Emaculate Emre in his shades holding a beer. Ibe and Markovic doing a little dance they planned for this moment. Everyone laughing and singing, dancing and drinking. Everyone saying we needed that bad season to teach us all that you can’t have the glory without going through the pain. The years of anguish banished to history and the victory being so much sweeter for the agonising wait being so, so long.
Can you picture it? Close your eyes and think about it. If you’re not from Liverpool, visualise selling all your stuff to buy a flight to be a part of that piss up. Think about wearing your scarf on the journey and bumping into other resplendent reds in their scarves, having a drink on the plane and getting everyone to sing a song about Jordan Henderson and how much Brendan loves him, until you arrive in Liverpool and see the swarms of people in red. A party that lasts for ever, that you never want to leave. They’ll make movies about it.
Feel the energy storm through your body ready to erupt and get ready to focus it on Stoke at 4pm on Sunday, then let’s take the lead of the away support and do the same to Bournemouth on a Monday night on television and then on every other opponent for another 36 games. Let’s win every fucking one. Let’s demolish the league and make them bow down to the greatest football team in the world. Let’s rebuild the Reds to a bastion of invincibility that at one point only existed in the imagination of one man. Remember that. At one point what has gone before was just in the thoughts of one man. Let’s do that again, but this time lets do it through the thoughts and actions of millions of reds around the world.
We win the league together.
That’s what happens next.
Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
Aaargh…….! ‘Let’s do the whole fucking village.’
“….demand the manager be sacked because he’s had his teeth done, left his wife or rents a house from Gerrard.”
Yes, because results had bothing to do with wanting Rodgers out. Another bullshit strawman argument in yet another bullshit optimistic fluff piece for TAW.
Can’t wait to read the season preview that doesnt spend half the words talking about winning the league, stays grounded in reality and predicts another season of failure and Rodgers to get the sack (ya know, the things that are likely to happen) but I won’t hold my breath.
To read over and over about things that are incredibly unlikely to happen, all positive of course, just highlights an embarrassing lack of balance and balls.
“Can’t wait to read the season preview that doesnt spend half the words talking about winning the league, stays grounded in reality and predicts another season of failure and Rodgers to get the sack”
Padraig, please tell me you have no plans to set foot in Anfield this season.
Seriously, I can understand questioning the manager but you sound like you want him to fail.
I think you missed the point of this article entirely. It wasn’t meant to be grounded. For that you can read Gareth’s article. Oh wait you did. And your response to that (assuming there aren’t 2 miserable Padraigs posting around the same time on this site:
“Under severe pressure by November, sacked between December and June. We win nothing and come 5th at best.
Then those who have proclaimed him to be “boss” over the last three years will pretend they always thought he wasnt up to it.”
You seem more arsed about who is proved right about Rodgers than whether he and LFC succeed? Why?
Let’s imagine you have had a favorite band for a long time and they’re playing their new album on tour. The new songs seem alright but of course they’re totally different live.
Do you get into arguments with your mates before the gig over whether they will put on a good show or a bad one? That way someone can be proved right! Win!
Or do you talk about their greatest hits and how excited you are about the new songs they’ll play? That way you can get excited about the gig and probably enjoy yourself!
Without being able to read Cope’s mind I’d guess the latter is the point of the article. My guess is he’s into enjoying watching or going the game a lot more than worrying about being right. I’d also wager that he thinks that if he goes the game with that attitude in mind then he thinks it might actually have a positive effect on results.
Thing is Padraig there ARE fucktard supporters out there, and I use that word in the loosest term, that actually do criticise Rodgers for his teeth, personal problems, who he rents from, when he goes on holiday etc etc.
There are very valid issues to constructively criticise Rodgers over but you and your ilk simply don’t like the man and no matter what he does you wont like him and so you want him to fail therefore by default the team.
I’m no big Rodgers fan at any stretch of the imagination but you and the rest of the fucktards can go do one!!
If Padraig, and his equally miserable band of naysayers, isn’t enjoying supporting our football club and can’t see his way to a semblance of positivity; there are other sports out there that can be enjoyed without having to support a team. Horse Racing, Darts, and many more. Leave the supporting to us supporters.
Bang on Mike. Find something you enjoy lads please. For your own sake if not our clubs.
Hang on Nevin, what makes you such a ‘big red ‘?
Even if BR becomes LFC’S most successful manager I’ll still think he’s a cunt. It’s the players on the pitch I cheer.
Whereas you and your TAW Fuck Around Gang mates change your mind every week!
#shithouses
Lol
You have to love the people that just criticize the articles…time and time again….
If you strongly disagree………just go an f*** off and visit some other site…..
Just a thought…..
I found this article to be pointless. I don’t really know what it was trying to prove. It came across like a deluded opium addict was sat in front of a computer.
I don’t begrudge these feelings the author is having bur I don’t think it’s healthy either. The reality is we have a better chance of getting more points this year than last. That is not to say we’ll finish higher in the table as all the teams above us look stronger this season.
We as fans should support the club as much as we can. But if a fan thinks the current manager is a detriment to the club then supporting the manager doesn’t equate with supporting the club. In this case and in the mind of this fan, calling for the manager’s head is supporting the club. My point is that support is in the eyes of the beholder and all fans have the common goal of club success. Not manager success or individual player success.
My personal opinion is that Rodgers is going to have another go whether we like it or not so hopefully he can make miracles happen. I really hope he dies what he has the potential to do as a football manager.
As a man he is simply despicable. I don’t care about his teeth or his housing situation but the family stuff really rubs me the wrong way. Especially after the recent interview in which he stated he missed his own son’s football match because of being upset about stoke while managing yo pick himself up for a bleating award show only days later. These are the things that make him hard to support. But again…he can make all of that ho away if he just gets the results.
Padraig, you are doing this whole supporting thing all wrong. If supporting a football team was all about reality then no one would follow anyone but the Money bags teams. If you cannot get excited by the possibilities that the start of the season brings then why do you bother? Personally I love the TAW lot for their positivity going into the season, its what it should all be about. If you would prefer pissing and moaning then im sure there is a podcast out there for you but thankfully this is not it
Padraig, you are doing this whole supporting thing all wrong. If supporting a football team was all about reality then no one would follow anyone but the Money bags teams. If you cannot get excited by the possibilities that the start of the season brings then why do you bother? Personally I love the TAW lot for their positivity going into the season, its what it should all be about. If you would prefer pissing and moaning then im sure there is a podcast out there for you but thankfully this is not it.
This bunch are almost as handsome as the 2008/09 lot and that was a pretty beautiful team – hopefully they’ll have more luck and attract less mean-spirited media bile.
great article Paul. Shame Padraig neither understood nor appreciated your tone and message.
If this post has taught us all anything, it’s that you should avoid at all costs having a pint with Padraig this season.
Jeeez Louise man, I’d rather support LFC over any other team period, don’t care if they are 1st or 10th, I loved this article! Can’t wait for the weekend, when the Spirit of Whack reawakens on the pitch!! A Liver biiiird upon me cheeeeest!!!!!
Great article, top attitude. If everyone went to the ground in this frame of mind we’d get more points. So yea, lets do that.
If that article can’t get every Red fired up for the new season nothing will! Brilliant read!
Love this article ….
Football is about dreams .. Don’t care which club
Our dream is the best and you know what ..they sometimes come true
This is a nice “call to arms” and I hope more fans really get behind the team, the manager and the dream. It is the essence of being a supporter – not bickering about past failures or what could have been.
Padraig, I know where you’re coming from as you responded to my article too, but I’d urge you to go into this season with a “fresh pair of eyes.” Results were disappointing last season. That’s been acknowledged, but the manager has been getting criticised in some quarters from day one for what I’d consider some very trivial/superficial reasons.
Bottom. line is, Brendan Rodgers is not Kenny. He is not Rafa. I wish they had been given more time too, by the way. But he has been given time and I back him. I hope, with every fabric of my being, that he gets it right.
I can also see a scenario (acknowledged in the article and others) where it goes wrong. We have been there before and, let’s be honest, it could go badly wrong (or “right”, if you’re of a particular disposition) and Rodgers could be P45ed by mid-season.
But I think everyone benefits by going forth “with hope in our hearts” (there’s a good reason that’s in the anthem) as opposed to “everything is going to be shit, and I’ll be back in a few months to gloat about it.” Honestly, it’s better for your well-being to be optimistic than pessimistic, better to have hope than dread and better to be happy than “right.”
We’ll deal with what is, what happens and the repercussions of what happens. We always have. Right now, it’s nice to dream.
Those last three paragraphs Paul? Most beautiful thing I’ve ever read.
Enjoyed that, for a few seconds I was there in the crowd at St George’s Hall, wrecked on joy and lager. It’s a dream – but you have to dream. As for the negative, angry brigade, Dante knew what happened to them. ‘ So stuck there fast in slime, they hum, ‘Mournful we were. Sunlight rejoices the balmy air. We though, within ourselves, nursed sullen fumes. And come to misery in this black ooze.’ Not bad for a big Brazilian stopper.
Fuck it I’m going topless to the Bournemouth game. Got my tickets from a supporters club so not sure where I’m sat yet. If it’s Anfield Road, most of those South East Asian Koppites aren’t going to know what’s hit them!
“Let me tell you a story of a poor boy…… ”
Fucking arggghghhhhhghhhhh! C’mon boys
Hendo’s Handsome Henchmen storming the country and winning the league.
Nice turn of the phrase there. Hendo’s Handsome Henchmen sound like a great name for a band. Just hope it doesn’t turn into the men in the white suits type of a thing but it would be a thing of beauty.