but for Chelsea?
In the play A Man For All Seasons, Thomas More says to Richard who abandons his principles in return for the title The Duke of Wales,: "Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world... but for Wales?"
and it reminded me of how many of us feel about Torres.
There have been many analogies describing the betrayal and hurt perpetrated by someone that we took as our own. Perhaps the most common and best ones have been to compare the affair to the end of an affair when a girl who you thought loved you and promised her very soul, turned round and ran off with the flash crass twat down the road who had the new XR3i and white socks. (an old car young'uns..).
There is a photo on here showing a mass of Chelsea fans showing the wanker sign to Torres, coupled sweetly with the note that Torres had said how respectful they'd been to him during his time in England.
The hypocrisy is startling.
Yet, and here's the level headed bit: He wanted to go and we'd be foolish to keep an unhappy player here. He hadn't played as if he was on fire, more the slight breeze cutting across New Brighton on a summer's day than El Nino, the force of nature, and perhaps if we're really honest we were wearing those rose-red tinted spectacles that desperately clung to something that was ours whilst the club seemed to collapse around us. We wanted to believe in Torres, Carra, Stevie, those things that were untouched by Hicks n Gilette, by the Purslow snake, and the persistent shite that fell down on us as if chucked from the Upper Anny Rd on a mancfan. (Chortle). Finally his wife had been promised a top nursery place for their kid by a Mr J. Terry of London, (actually that bit was made up).
So maybe, just maybe we didn't see the real Torres, unhappy, unsettled and wantaway. We saw the man we wanted to.
And what was he going to say to us when he left? Nothing. You can't. What was he going to say to his new club, of course he's going to over praise them, and say how excited he is to play for a top club. Well sorry to say but Chelsea are a top club when it comes to recent trophies and recent positions. Andy Carroll doubtless will be saying how its great to move to us... (oops, no he hasn't, he's just spent the first two days telling everyone how he was kicked out by money grabbing fatboy Ashley).
Except, except... (the level bit is over)... Any player who tattoos his skin with our name, who has an entire stand singing and dancing his song, and is universally feted by those fans, must realise that he's not going to a top club. He's going somewhere else. Where the money's better. But... as the Abba song goes, Can you hear the plastic flags Fernando?
And this is where we have to remember one thing. We fans live in a totally, and I mean totally different universe to anyone remotely connected to the world of football. Players like Carragher, Gerrard to a degree and even yes the recently retired Gary Neville are the exception. Ferguson shows about as much loyalty to his players as Simon Cowell does to the X-Factor winner the week after Christmas. Do you think his hypocrisy over Rooney would’ve even started if it had been, say, Jung-Si Park? Players and managers, agents and backroom men and owners all fundamentally understand its a business.
We on the other hand live in a world where its a moral crime to change teams. We scratch our heads at some of us being even reasonable about some teams’ performances, never mind leaving a club.
We are a sentimental bunch of fans, and that’s saying something in a sport where all fans are sentimental about their club and all we have left is sentiment and an empty wallet. We go every week to get our fix of happiness from goals and ‘pledged’ support from players kissing the sponsored badge.
But all that said, its not entirely true... Kenny may have managed elsewhere, but really honestly, truly, he’s a red. A RED. A Liverpool man. And a true proper been there done it and scored twice Liverpool hero. Not Owen, or Torres, above even Robbie, a real legend.
Its our own fault for daring to believe we could let someone else into that hallowed pantheon of Liverpool heroes, we dared to believe. And then he abandons us for the pay cheque and plastic flag n fan. But he won’t care, because as we’ve found out, he has no understanding of what he’s left, and what’s he gone to. I don’t doubt there are real Chelsea fans out there. But when it comes to real history, to an understanding and realising and loving that genuine organic living breathing link between fan and player, can you hear anything Fernando? No I didn’t think so.
So don’t be surprised that we’re hurt, and pissed off and hiding our emotional embarrassment at how much you meant to us behind the shield of hate. Don’t be surprised if we don’t agree with the paid pundits and players who can’t understand the notion of feeling, of loyalty, of playing for a club. Don’t be surprised if we turn our backs on you Torres.
It was your right and choice to go. Its our right to hold our heads up high and say Fernando who? When you played for us, you were brilliant. Your manner of leaving and ill advised comments since, have severely bittered and soured that memory. You have sold your soul for the rouble and a no home made banners, just corporate tat.
I’ll leave you with this slight change of a Churchill insult: But come tomorrow Fernando, we’ll still be Liverpool and you’ll be just another player.
Enough already.
