Keegan's Corner
Wey it's just as well am not a doctor - cause a cannot keep me finger on the pulse. 4 days after Liverpool were crowned champions - av decided to bring you this blog.
If only George Caulkin didn't beat me to it, in his wonderful article "30 Years - Are you Taking The Piss?"...
As George so often does, he hits the nail on the heed here.
As an on-looker from a fellow Northern powerhouse, it appears that even in the best of times for a Liverpool fan, the so-called "self-pity-city" has had its "we're so hard done by" mantra, mouthed by some of those in the mainstream media.
30 years of hurt! Give owa man yi bell-ends.
It's this self-entitlement that makes them one of the reasons why they're hated. The whole dressing up from the media that the atmosphere in the Kop from the Anfield faithful is the product of an undying loyalty to a club. Yet they, like every other club nowadays sit in silence until they're 1-0 up. Difference being, in my 30 years of existence, they, more-often-than-not are 1-0 (or more) up.
It's alreet for Liverpool fans to demand trophies - even when they're shite. It's alreet for Man United to be protesting the Glazers 'cause they won shite all for a few years, but when Newcastle want rid of an odious owner, the air of delusion is truly descended. I cannot help but feel we're becoming a generation of brain-dead fucking morons, in all honesty. We're all guilty of it to some extent. What the media tell us is what's right. Hadaway and shite man. What I tell you is reet, reet. 👌😇😅
So when people tell you of their 30 years of hurt, you tell that to Bolton Wanderers who hung on by a thread, the mackems who lost the opportunity to continue on their late surge to the playoff spots, before COVID took its grip, Aston Villa who've spent a fortune and are still likely to plummet through the Premier League trap door and as George (Caulkin) correctly states a 9th most successive English club who hasn't won anything domestically since 1955.
Of course, it is all relevant and proportionate...but howay man, get some perspective.
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| image courtesy of thisisanfield.com |
If only George Caulkin didn't beat me to it, in his wonderful article "30 Years - Are you Taking The Piss?"...
As George so often does, he hits the nail on the heed here.
As an on-looker from a fellow Northern powerhouse, it appears that even in the best of times for a Liverpool fan, the so-called "self-pity-city" has had its "we're so hard done by" mantra, mouthed by some of those in the mainstream media.
30 years of hurt! Give owa man yi bell-ends.
It's this self-entitlement that makes them one of the reasons why they're hated. The whole dressing up from the media that the atmosphere in the Kop from the Anfield faithful is the product of an undying loyalty to a club. Yet they, like every other club nowadays sit in silence until they're 1-0 up. Difference being, in my 30 years of existence, they, more-often-than-not are 1-0 (or more) up.
It's alreet for Liverpool fans to demand trophies - even when they're shite. It's alreet for Man United to be protesting the Glazers 'cause they won shite all for a few years, but when Newcastle want rid of an odious owner, the air of delusion is truly descended. I cannot help but feel we're becoming a generation of brain-dead fucking morons, in all honesty. We're all guilty of it to some extent. What the media tell us is what's right. Hadaway and shite man. What I tell you is reet, reet. 👌😇😅
So when people tell you of their 30 years of hurt, you tell that to Bolton Wanderers who hung on by a thread, the mackems who lost the opportunity to continue on their late surge to the playoff spots, before COVID took its grip, Aston Villa who've spent a fortune and are still likely to plummet through the Premier League trap door and as George (Caulkin) correctly states a 9th most successive English club who hasn't won anything domestically since 1955.
Of course, it is all relevant and proportionate...but howay man, get some perspective.
It does make me wonder though, is it this mentality that makes them serial champions? I mean - most Mancs I've experienced have a chip on their shoulder too. This whole, "nobody likes us but so what? We're the best." type of arrogance. Scousers are different (in my experience) - they're a lot more open and warm. However, this almost 'victimised' notion creates a siege mentality - perhaps that's why they're champions?
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| image courtesy of slow-journalism.com |
I so often hear "I hate Liverpool", "I hate Man United" and if I'm honest, there are times that I do too, but what's important is that we understand our own reasoning why. I hate these clubs (at times) because of their glory. Born and raised in Newcastle in a period where we've won 0 significant trophies - this is not our era. 30 years of hurt for this Newcastle fan, but even that cannot be considered for those who follow the likes of Bury.
Green with envy - should we sit and stew, or should we simply watch and learn? I mean the amount of stewing I've seen over the last few days is almost as tedious as those Irish, American, African and Asian folk hash-tagging YNWA. which frankly, is to be expected. People like them cause they're good, just as we don't cause they usually beat us (these days).
I think people are kidding themselves though if they think the Geordies wouldn't be out partying during COVID if Newcastle won the league, mind. As always people, perspective...
Liverpool of the late 'teens and now early 20's have won the following:
1 Premier League Title
1 Champions League
1 UEFA Super Cup and
1 FIFA Club World Cup
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| image courtesy of dw.com |
All under Jurgen Klopp - A likeable manager with a good sense of what makes a football club, a great football club. Perhaps because he is German, and in Germany there is a profound sense of community spirit for their respective sides? A football club that has positioned itself at the heart of it's people - both current and potentially new owners of Newcastle United should take heed, for, for all the wealth you can summon, there is no greater power than the combination of love and unity.
Liverpool provides a fantastic example of this, as the football club has arguably been aided in the years that followed the catastrophe that was witnessed and experienced at Hillsborough. That newspaper and the absolute drivel they published has aided them. That injustice that has hung over not just the football club, but the good people of Liverpool for 31 years, has aided them. An unpopular view perhaps, that certainly won't soothe the pains of those loving mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters of those whom were lost that day. No football fan should not return home from a football game. Yet, that same injustice, passion and love is just part of the engine that has helped Liverpool steam past all in their path in the last 2-3 years. A unity that extends beyond the football club and even local rivalry. That isn't to say they were entirely blameless that day though...
Interestingly, what Klopp has built at Liverpool, at first-team-squad-level, is a side that equates to more than the sum of its parts. Just looking at their regular starters, how many of them would you say are the "best" in their respective positions, even just in the Premier League?
Let's start with the Goalkeeper - Alisson. De Gea, Schmeichel and Loris would all probably give him a run for his money. Maybe even Dubravka as a biased Newcastle fan. Yet goals conceded would say otherwise.
Admittedly, there probably isn't a better RB in the league and Alexander-Arnold, and likewise you could comfortably argue that for Robertson at LB. Van Dijk being undoubtedly the best centre half in the country. So that's 3. Perhaps this solid and versatile foundation at the back is the true explanation of The Reds' glory?
Then in midfield you have likes of Milner, Wijnaldum and Henderson. When you think of the best central midfielders in the country, are these the names you consider? Keita and Kanté are probably fairly evenly matched, but Manchester City alone have De Bruyne, Mahrez and David Silva, who are all better creative midfielders than those mentioned and the likes of Fabinho, Lallana and Oxlade-Chamberlain - all at Liverpool.
Up top, I think it'd be difficult to discount Mané and Salah. Bringing the total to 5 from 11. Vardy and Ings both have more goals to date than these two, but do they bring more to the all-round game play? Probably not.
As always, this is all up for debate.
However, what is hard to debate is whether the style of football played at Liverpool is a joy to behold. A high press, with an unrivalled intensity, which pays testament to the clubs coaching staff, dietitians and physios. An ethos and mentality that is communicated well and bought into throughout the club, from the bottom to the top. Of course - funds are fundamental as they are in any walk of life, and Liverpool have drawn upon these to enable what has been achieve. However, in today's world of football it is refreshing to see that a (recently) historically successful club has drawn from it's well-managed, maintained foundations, to create a cohesive and coordinated collective. A blend of young and old, of defence and attack with those bought in and home grown. The blend that has been achieved is undoubtedly the finest in club football, worldwide at present.
That is, of course, until the Saudi's buy The Mighty Magpies.💪
Finally
Next year will be our year. As always...😏
So, as Joe Wilson mentioned in his song 'Keep your feet still Geordie hinny'
"Divvint drive me bonnie dreams away"
That's as profound as it gets this time oot.
Ciao for now...😉
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