Anyway, re. my post above, I'm not saying we should expect to win the title, it wouldn't be wise anyway. I'm simply trying to say that we need to give ourselves a little bit more respect and a chance as we deffo are giving United. Do that and we will put ourselves in a very favourable position. Focus on the good we have going for us- ferociously guard that good and like a jealous lover, slay any competitor(like United's positives instilling doubt) that rears its ugly head. In my heart, I know this will affect the team. A lot of us know this. Put it to the test and invest your time and energy in building this positive effect. It WILL affect the team.
A lot of success begins in the mind. You need to believe you are the best and then go out and ensure that you are. Someone said something like that once. Someone who couldn't give a fcuk about the opposition- whoever they may be- and the great ones- the great fans before us- believed him. He didn't win as regularly as we did later on, but fcuk it, we believed him anyway. He dressed us up in all-red and put up a sign that read- THIS IS ANFIELD. Even though we were the new kids on the block and we didn't have that much respect yet. We believed him anyway because we were united behind him- eyes fixed on a common goal. We saw the power our hearts desires had over the fortunes of our team and we believed him.
Like many, I work for a multi-national corporation that was recently(2 years ago) taken over by a telecommunications giant. Up until our take-over, we were barely breaking even after having been in debt for quite a few years- the result of fawlty leadership, wayward and without direction. The vision was there as were the goals, the 6-monthly senior management meetings as well as the yearly junior management meetings, of which I was a part.
Within the first 6 months, our new CEO- an unassuming, mildly mannered guy- organised a mass management summit. During this summit, we were officially given authority- however small; but it made us feel that we had a little control, we felt a bit more important. HR- previously a fringe dept.- were extravagantly expanded into a ridiculously large department to cater for the vast majority of staff and we were united behind a common vision, clearly defined and achievable short-term and long-term goals and salaries adjusted. When we came back, we were unstoppable- on fire and ready to go. Before that, we were merely "there". Putting in as much effort as was required to keep our jobs and getting paid just enough to have us hold onto it. Within the first financial year, our profits rised 200% and in each of our operations, we more than matched the huge entities, we call our competitors.
What changed?
We didn't have massive investment- in fact, our budget grew 15%. It was the fact that after the take-over, we sensed a real change, a new, very possible, future and we decided to invest everything we felt necessary into it. Time, energy, thinking and some money into A COMMON GOAL, pursued by one man, united behind him. All this optimism bled into the employees and even a 5% rise in productivity employees, would've massivley boosted the outcome.
We need to do the same here and now. Forget about United, forget about Chelsea, forget about Everton, forget about draws etc...(even if they do happen, so what- onwards!) and don't fret. We need to get back to the 60's again- fix our eyes on the prize, united behind our leader, refusing to acknowledge our rivals strength in a more favourable light than ours and "bigging-up" ours; and according to Shanks, we would have started with success. Forget our 18 titles, let them rot. Remember our lessons learned as they are of more value.
Fcuknose said we ain't have no bottle! Don't prove him right, I warn you! Let's not regret that some of us supported while others were merely "there". Let's inspire the lads to give them a fight and let us as supporters give their supporters more than a fight. Let them roll-over on their backs and spread their legs and when we're finished, let 'em beg more some rear-action!
Let Shankly live again!
