Author Topic: The Younger Fans- Finding It Hard to Take (Read 15171 times)

LSURED20 · « **Reply #40 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:52:46 AM »

Quote from: redforlife on February 1, 2011, 07:43:07 AM

Up until last week i'd have argued with anyone that Torres got us as much as Gerrard and Carragher, and Reina's right up there as well.

Everything he said, the way he conducted himself, he knew what the club meant, and what he meant to the club. Or so we all thought.

The events of the last few days have angered me, bemused me, left me speechless. I just want to know why?

I have felt like this before though, when Rafa left, and also when Owen went to Newcastle instead of holding out for us, proving once and for all England meant much more to him.

I'll admit to being completely bitter right now too, I hope Torres never scores another goal or wins a trophy for the rest of his career, his comments last night saw to that.

well put. I don't wish injury on him, but just hope he never ever returns to his best form. Death by mediocrity, a fitting sentence for fucking us over.

rocco · « **Reply #41 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:53:42 AM »

My 6 year old son is devastated theres no making him understand why etc making it a lot worse for myself to accept it.First thing this morning he was into my room
"Thier burning Torres's stuff"

TimHocks · « **Reply #42 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:53:46 AM »

I'm not such a young one. I think I'd have found this harder to take if we hadn't been through the whole H&G thing, then the Hodgson thing. Pretty used to the intense emotional trauma of being an LFC fan now

Our club was torn apart by civil war and cancer. It created a lot of damage, but everything, including FT leaving, is all part of the healing.

SportBilly · « **Reply #43 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:55:05 AM »

Quote from: shravan.satya on February 1, 2011, 07:36:39 AM

A question for the older fans.

Were you hurt just as much when Keegan left to Hamburg? Were you confident that Kenny would turn out to be a better player than Keegan? Was Keegan valued just as much as FT back then?

I was 7 but I was devastated (in fact it made me decide that Hambug was my 'second team' lol). Then my Dad took me to my first ever Anfield game and it was Kenny's debut. I won't say I forgot about KK 'cos I didn't but seeing Kenny definitely softened the blow until I ended up deciding I liked him more.

Damn, now I'm feeling all nostalgic and wishing I was little again!

Mucho-Xabi · « **Reply #44 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:57:29 AM »

I was gutted when Paul Walsh left.

The Repeated Meme · « **Reply #45 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:57:29 AM »

Quote from: shravan.satya on February 1, 2011, 07:36:39 AM

A question for the older fans.

Were you hurt just as much when Keegan left to Hamburg? Were you confident that Kenny would turn out to be a better player than Keegan? Was Keegan valued just as much as FT back then?

Personally I was devastated. It wasn't helped by my gramps fuming about the "bloody Germans" as if the transfer was the last act of WW2.

However, like now, I had complete trust in our manager. When Bob Paisley signed someone, you took notice, and knew it was going to be fine. I've tried to use some of these experiences to console my nephew (and haven't mentioned the war once).

reddd10 · « **Reply #46 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:57:39 AM »

I am a youger fan and completely and utterly idolised Fernando Torres. So much that you try and blank out the bad things and see them as good. This really hit me hard when it first came about, and I couldn't bring myself to watch him with that Chelsea shirt last night. I'm older than a 'kid', but its their worst nightmare to see their heroes turn into someone you never thought they were.

Rafa_La · « **Reply #47 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:59:17 AM »

Very different ball game then. None of this t'internet malarkey.

JWAlonso · « **Reply #48 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:02:13 AM »

I was around 12 years old when Owen left, I was guttered. Maybe because I never full understood what LFC meant.

Now Torres leaving, am not that guttered. Just pissed off the way he left, and the lies he had spouted over recent months. We treated him as a king, but thats modern footballers for you. It will be hard to see Torres in a Chelsea shirt, and scoring goals, but we have now got Carroll and Suarez now. Can't wait to see them in action.

Mad Men · « **Reply #49 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:09:38 AM »

Times are very different from what it used to be in the 70s and 80s. Loyalty is only as good as the person's word and agreements are there to be broken. It's all about money and football agents and who can benefit financially from a massive transfer.

When Rush left, most of us were shocked/upset BUT we understood why he wanted to go. Italy was THE football league everyone envied and was the top league to play in alongside the likes of Platini and so forth.

But in today's world, as much as we want to believe what players say and it comes from the heart and is a genuine and sincere statement, most players are told what to say and how to say things by their agents.

This was a prime example of someone who forgot what it meant to play football and what it meant to be loyal. He did it to Atlético who he blamed for a lack of ambition, did it to us and will probably do it to Chelsea at some point in time.

yorkykopite · « **Reply #50 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:11:06 AM »

Quote from: shravan.satya on February 1, 2011, 07:36:39 AM

A question for the older fans.

Were you hurt just as much when Keegan left to Hamburg? Were you confident that Kenny would turn out to be a better player than Keegan? Was Keegan valued just as much as FT back then?

Keegan meant everything to me. When you're young you do tend to invest the lot into your favourite player and perhaps lack the cynical protective edge that develops later. I was 15 when he left for Hamburg and consequently had spent a good third of my life idolising the man. And idolise him I did. I celebrated with him when he succeeded and suffered with him when he failed. The identification was so complete that when I scored for the school team I'd often shout 'Keegan, One-Nil' in a David Coleman voice.

Of course Kevin gave Liverpool 12 months notice that he wanted to leave. But in some ways that made it harder. It was heart-breaking for a 15 year-old to stand on the Kop and hear older, more disenchanted heads shout abuse at Keegan week-in, week-out. I don't know if people will remember, but he was perceived not to be trying very hard in his last season and this, coupled with his desire to leave, did alter the fans' relationship with the player.

But then we - and I - did experience the ultimate carthasis of Rome when Kevin demonstrated to European football that he was its most feared forward. That performance was the most glorious parting gift ever bestowed in football. I was reconciled to him leaving after that. We didn't know it, of course, but the sequel was to be greater still. Keegan, it turned out, wasn't the most feared forward in European football after all. That title belonged to Kenny Dalglish. The realisation - blissfully - dawned very quickly. By the end of August 1977 I think most people on the Kop knew that we'd upgraded.

That helped the healing process, for sure. But it's amazing how quickly you get over the disappointment. When we all next saw Keegan he was wearing the light blue of FC Hamburg and his team were shipping six goals at Anfield. I remember feeling only one thing that night - and that was disappointment we didn't score seven.

JoeD · « **Reply #51 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:33:27 AM »

I don’t think anyone expects any 8 y-o supporters to understand the mechanics of the transfer window/system. They will all be devastated for a while.

But for 15/16+, supporters It does toughen you up and give you a sensible perspective in respect to what to expect from your club’s players (see the Rooney saga).

Rooney has no sentiment or attachment to Manchester; he is a Liverpool man through and through (in a city sense).
We already saw how he shafted Everton at such a young age (along with his advisors). The tone was set for his style of behaviour when the chips were down, (if you can call finishing 2nd in the PL by a single point, out in the CL @ the QF stage on away goals – “struggling”.)

After his outlandish demands and sky high contract demands, this latest saga from Rooney did not come much of a surprise to me or some others.

I guess the FT affair hurts because of the strong worded one liners that FT used to come out with every so often (via his autobiography/interviews/sound bites from agents or advisors). I should know, because WR did the same.

One man is important at any one club – the Manager. Or it should be.

In your case KK (for the time being anyway).

stevied · « **Reply #52 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:35:05 AM »

I have just been informed by my partners 9 year old that he cant sleep in the Torres room, i have to take a half day get some paint, strip the posters take all the Torres stuff down and redecorate thanks a lot El Nino twat

SportBilly · « **Reply #53 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:40:59 AM »

Quote from: stevied on February 1, 2011, 08:35:05 AM

I have just been informed by my partners 9 year old that he cant sleep in the Torres room, i have to take a half day get some paint, strip the posters take all the Torres stuff down and redecorate thanks a lot El Nino twat

Make sure tomorrow to just paint it up as 'The Liverpool Room', complete with This Is Anfield plaque on the door

Neil D · « **Reply #54 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:43:34 AM »

Quote from: Matt8pie on February 1, 2011, 07:28:50 AM

It's better that his hair has been brown this season. I remember the younger Torres...fresh faced, blonde, shy and deadly. This Torres gave his heart and soul for the club and is the one I'll remember fondly. Something changed him in the summer and has given him a whole new identity. Being lazy, berating referees, sulking...the list goes on. The Fernando Torres of old will never show his head again and I'll miss the blonde El Nino we had, but we were kidding ourselves that that Torres was coming back for us. Selfishness on the pitch, not passing when he should be and going missing for large portions of games had become synonymous with Fernando Torres and we were all clinging onto that blonde Torres that was never coming back.

Ha ha I just thought that watching Sky, looks like a different bloke to the one we adored and in many ways he is

Neil D · « **Reply #55 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:45:44 AM »

Quote from: yorkykopite on February 1, 2011, 08:11:06 AM

Keegan meant everything to me. When you're young you do tend to invest the lot into your favourite player and perhaps lack the cynical protective edge that develops later. I was 15 when he left for Hamburg and consequently had spent a good third of my life idolising the man. And idolise him I did. I celebrated with him when he succeeded and suffered with him when he failed. The identification was so complete that when I scored for the school team I'd often shout 'Keegan, One-Nil' in a David Coleman voice.

Of course Kevin gave Liverpool 12 months notice that he wanted to leave. But in some ways that made it harder. It was heart-breaking for a 15 year-old to stand on the Kop and hear older, more disenchanted heads shout abuse at Keegan week-in, week-out. I don't know if people will remember, but he was perceived not to be trying very hard in his last season and this, coupled with his desire to leave, did alter the fans' relationship with the player.

But then we - and I - did experience the ultimate carthasis of Rome when Kevin demonstrated to European football that he was its most feared forward. That performance was the most glorious parting gift ever bestowed in football. I was reconciled to him leaving after that. We didn't know it, of course, but the sequel was to be greater still. Keegan, it turned out, wasn't the most feared forward in European football after all. That title belonged to Kenny Dalglish. The realisation - blissfully - dawned very quickly. By the end of August 1977 I think most people on the Kop knew that we'd upgraded.

That helped the healing process, for sure. But it's amazing how quickly you get over the disappointment. When we all next saw Keegan he was wearing the light blue of FC Hamburg and his team were shipping six goals at Anfield. I remember feeling only one thing that night - and that was disappointment we didn't score seven.

Should be stickied that post. Let's hope Suarez can make us feel the same.

abs-ibs · « **Reply #56 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:46:28 AM »

I don't know if I am missing something but I'm pretty sure Fowler was forced out the club by a bog eyed frenchman. What Torres has done is more akin to what owen and macca did. Yet we all knew they wanted out a while b4 they left so, either way the betrayal of Torres is still unfortunately worse and more painful because of the sneaky underhanded way it happened but hey onwards and upwards.

If I am definately wrong about Fowler being forced out by houllier, pls give me the true details, coz from what I saw was a man ostrocised to the point of needin to get out for his own health. Not him just thinkin oh bugger it im off. You could also see how much this club meant to robbie on his return. He was crying, he was that happy. Do you think macca or owen would feel that way if they were forced out n then came back? Would Torres feel that way were he ever to return to Atletico? I doubt it v much.

This is why I think ppl should not put the Torres thing in the same bracket as Fowler's transfer exit.

ChaChaMooMoo · « **Reply #57 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:46:59 AM »

Quote from: fowler9_god on February 1, 2011, 03:49:02 AM

A single player won't win you trophies. We needed this. We got far too dependent on him.

Could never agree more.

sat · « **Reply #58 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:50:45 AM »

Quote from: shravan.satya on February 1, 2011, 07:36:39 AM

A question for the older fans.

Were you hurt just as much when Keegan left to Hamburg? Were you confident that Kenny would turn out to be a better player than Keegan? Was Keegan valued just as much as FT back then?

Absolutely gutted that day just could not believe, similiar to last week in that it was a real shock. I had obviously heard of KK before he came to us but want sure whether he could replace Keegan, the rest is history...

gatcliffe · « **Reply #59 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:03:58 AM »

Quote from: sat on February 1, 2011, 08:50:45 AM

Absolutely gutted that day just could not believe, similiar to last week in that it was a real shock. I had obviously heard of KK before he came to us but want sure whether he could replace Keegan, the rest is history...

Keegan gave us plenty of notice he was leaving at start of season did he not ?

Davvo7 · « **Reply #60 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:08:15 AM »

Great post Yorky, (as ever mate) I also remember the heartbreak of Keegan moving on, and part of me never forgave him. I still get goosebumps when I watch the old film of him and Tosh, but he asked to leave and that's why he will always be somebody I will be nothing more than indifferent about. Don't waste energy and effort hating, pointless, simply ignore him and focus on our new player, players who have chosen to come here and get behind them.

I learned about our heritage as a club, like a great many on here I would imagine, by talking to older heads on the Kop. These lads watched us in the 2nd Division (as it was) and talked about Mr Shankly arriving. The main thing I learned from them, cliched or not I don't care, but NOBODY is bigger than Liverpool Football Club. This is something that hopefully some people can take from this. The club gained a very special manager, a very special man, and he instilled a sense of 'team' and whilst there might have been talented individuals elsewhere, we were a team. We support a very special CLUB, not individual players. I genuinely don't want to sound arsey and an 'old arse', although it's hard to fight the ravages of time! I know how hard it is to make the little ones understand, but like SportBilly said, get their rooms re-painted and get the Anfield Rd L4 signpost and the 'This is Anfield' sign up. If they want shirts, then get a number but put their own name on there - give them hopes and asperations about playing for the club themselves. This is the only way we can recapture what we had.

The cult of celebrity is everywhere, but we need to try and rise above that and remember that players come and go, try not to get too attached, appreciate their well paid contribution but always put the club first. I think selling him will send out a strong message that we won't take that crap any more. Like the Boss said, he is only interested in players who want to to play for LFC, if you don't "Jog on!" We now have a chance to rebuild, and I think the 2 signings we have made make us a very different prospect - and that is positive. Will we miss him, maybe, but hopefully not. He showed his true colours and we should be glad we have seen through him, his comments today have sealed his place in my thinking.

The things we can take from this is that we now can see that FSG are really serious about bringing success back to Anfield, they have put their money up and sent out a message to the rest of the world. They are prepared to back our manager and look to strengthen whenever possible - the summer should be interesting. We have a manager who understands; he understands the club, the supporters and the city. Trust and back him.

spinaltapped · « **Reply #61 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:09:07 AM »

I'm only 21 myself and started getting into football only three or so years ago and I'm actually doing quite nicely.

I have never been one for extreme idol worship (I grew up Lutheran first off). I've always admired players who make the team play better, but I've never obsessed over anyone. I realize that Torres and I came into the club around the same time, but when my passion kept growing (this August I spent 6/7/8 hours a day on sports sites and RAWK (as a lurker) following all the transfer drama) his seemed to be stalling. And I knew that no player was bigger than the club from everything I read and watched from the "golden ages".

So this isn't as big of a deal to me as it is to most. I think the timing absolutely sucks and I'll not forgive him for that, but to lose someone who cared and loved the club would be more of a loss in my eyes. He didn't and he left and we moved on, so ta for the time given and the goals, but piss off. It's time for a new era of our club led by one of the greatest managers of all time, and NOTHING will dampen my spirits.

I only wish I can see his face as we climb higher and higher as Chelsea's plateau starts falling and they're left with their plastic flags and non-existent history to hold onto.

Sylveh · « **Reply #62 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:16:43 AM »

Quote from: stevied on February 1, 2011, 08:35:05 AM

I have just been informed by my partners 9 year old that he cant sleep in the Torres room, i have to take a half day get some paint, strip the posters take all the Torres stuff down and redecorate thanks a lot El Nino twat

Thats rough mate

Captain Wolf Biscuit · « **Reply #63 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:18:24 AM »

I'm most gutted I think, because in my mind he had come to represent the modern Liverpool FC. Anywhere in the world you tell someone you're a Liverpool fan and the first name they'd have said in the last year or 2 is Torres. I also thought he'd taken to the Liverpool way and for me personally, he represented Liverpool far more than Carragher or even Gerrard.

I thought he was a little bit geeky, I liked that he was fairly shy and quiet. Whereas I imagine if Gerrard and Carra weren't professional footballers they'd be stereotypical football fans, probably in the pub slagging off Lucas, I imagined Torres would be a bit more reflective and that he'd be on RAWK discussing the latest films he's watched, the newest RPG on the Playstation or what lens to buy for his new camera.

I know that's stupid, but I always thought he was a player for fans like me and he was one of the (still many) reasons I was proud to be a Liverpool fan at the moment. I always thought when people think Liverpool they'd think of the classiness of Fernando Torres.

Now he's gone. And he's gone to Chelsea, the club that probably more than any other are the antithesis of what I imagined Torres to be about. Classless and with a fanbase as fickle as a homeless prostitute on crack.

I was off travelling for a bit last year and in Peru I met this guy who was a big Chelsea fan. He was slagging off Liverpool and Benitez, as they do and after my arguments he said "Chelsea and Liverpool fans have such different views on things."
I agreed and said, "To be honest I just can't stand what your football club stands for."
His response was to laugh and say, "What do you mean?! What my football club stands for?! It's just a fucking football club."
"My point exactly." I replied.

Liverpool FC is more than a football club. To be a real fan of it you have to adhere to a set of standards and you have to take the morals and beliefs that are so engrained in the club to be your own. You have to have class.

Chelsea FC give out plastic flags for their unimaginative, unwitty, classless fans.

There is only one of those clubs I'd ever want to be a part of, no matter what the short term chances of winning trophies is. I genuinely thought Torres was the same, I genuinely thought he got it, I genuinely thought he loved the club.

I won't mind for long, because while Torres has written himself out of the future of this great club and made himself nothing but a footnote in its incredible history, I'm still a part of it and I always will be. For that alone I'm definitely the lucky one and I feel sorry for Torres.

rickythered · « **Reply #64 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:18:25 AM »

We didn't need him Istanbul did we?

xerxes1 · « **Reply #65 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:20:23 AM »

Most of us start our support for the Club as a nipper, so the hero worship by the young of our stars is understandable, and the way it should be.

As you get older it does change, yet still the likes of Torres come to symbolise hope, hope of glory and success, they carry our dreams on their shoulders.

Any rational analysis of Torres' actions leaves him pretty much blameless. We have had the good fortune to have one of the Worlds best strikers, a WC and EC winner, in our team - yet have won nothing.He endured the debacle of G&H and Rafas final full year, and has had three managers in seven months, with the prospect of a fourth within 12.The last time we won the league he was six.

Much of this angst is not about Torres, it is about where we fit into the order of things.As a club we are experts at looking back - Suarez and Carroll are about the future. They won't win us the CL, but next year they might help us to challenge for a top four spot.

Robo707 · « **Reply #66 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:21:22 AM »

I think it's great that we got 50 million.

Torres, a week after saying 'i love the city and I love the fans' has well and truly stitched us up here. Something doesn't sit with me in the deal and 3 days before the window closes you hand in transfer request after telling the fans he loves the fans.....if you did you wouldn't act a spoilt brat over the whole thing. He's had his head turned and I'm sick he's going to Chelsea but hey ho, nothing we can do about it now - it'll be interesting if he can play to the left of Drogba.....Torres is amazing as a lone striker so it may take a while to adapt his game in a new team. I'm sick but getting 50 million after the season he's had so far and the moaning he's done then I'll take that and to blow the majority of it on Carroll, well I think it had to be done, and I feel as many others have said - this is the new direction Liverpool FC need.

At the end of the day Torres is not bigger than the club, but wow he gave us some amount of bounces and some amount of great goals - but he lied to us, and that's something I can't actually forgive. We loved him (it even hurt that I had to take down my signed Torres canvas from our games room last night), we stood by him, we defended him day in day out........he pissed on all of that.

Good luck to him, as I say he's given me some good times. I do hope that he wins nothing with Chelsea however so he can think to himself.......I made a mistake.

There is something not sitting right with me in the whole thing, why 3 days before the window closes. We all know something has gone on (call it paranoia) - but even with all the lies he's had told to him by the club, you don't say one minute I love the city / love the fans then hand in a transfer request to give 2 fingers to a club you love - it doesn't make sense, but anyways that's just my opinion.

Tapping up? Possibly, but it happens in football.

rickythered · « **Reply #67 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:26:08 AM »

Quote from: Captain Wolf Biscuit on February 1, 2011, 09:18:24 AM

I'm most gutted I think, because in my mind he had come to represent the modern Liverpool FC. Anywhere in the world you tell someone you're a Liverpool fan and the first name they'd have said in the last year or 2 is Torres. I also thought he'd taken to the Liverpool way and for me personally, he represented Liverpool far more than Carragher or even Gerrard.

I thought he was a little bit geeky, I liked that he was fairly shy and quiet. Whereas I imagine if Gerrard and Carra weren't professional footballers they'd be stereotypical football fans, probably in the pub slagging off Lucas, I imagined Torres would be a bit more reflective and that he'd be on RAWK discussing the latest films he's watched, the newest RPG on the Playstation or what lens to buy for his new camera.

I know that's stupid, but I always thought he was a player for fans like me and he was one of the (still many) reasons I was proud to be a Liverpool fan at the moment. I always thought when people think Liverpool they'd think of the classiness of Fernando Torres.

Now he's gone. And he's gone to Chelsea, the club that probably more than any other are the antithesis of what I imagined Torres to be about. Classless and with a fanbase as fickle as a homeless prostitute on crack.

I was off travelling for a bit last year and in Peru I met this guy who was a big Chelsea fan. He was slagging off Liverpool and Benitez, as they do and after my arguments he said "Chelsea and Liverpool fans have such different views on things."
I agreed and said, "To be honest I just can't stand what your football club stands for."
His response was to laugh and say, "What do you mean?! What my football club stands for?! It's just a fucking football club."
"My point exactly." I replied.

Liverpool FC is more than a football club. To be a real fan of it you have to adhere to a set of standards and you have to take the morals and beliefs that are so engrained in the club to be your own. You have to have class.

Chelsea FC give out plastic flags for their unimaginative, unwitty, classless fans.

There is only one of those clubs I'd ever want to be a part of, no matter what the short term chances of winning trophies is. I genuinely thought Torres was the same, I genuinely thought he got it, I genuinely thought he loved the club.

I won't mind for long, because while Torres has written himself out of the future of this great club and made himself nothing but a footnote in its incredible history, I'm still a part of it and I always will be. For that alone I'm definitely the lucky one and I feel sorry for Torres.

Fantastic post, summed up exactly my feelings and probably most of the fans about this whole sorry episode.

Wingman · « **Reply #68 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:28:12 AM »

As a young lad I remember thinking "How will we survive without our captain? (Souness)".

A couple of years later I pondered "Who will score the goals when Rushie goes to Juventus?"

At my age at the time those transfers seemed like impending doom, but they weren't. We found an alternative and we carried on.

So, who's going to score the majority of our goals now?

Stand up Mr Suarez and Mr Carroll.

Dave_Rob7 · « **Reply #69 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:29:45 AM »

is the huge pic of "Him" gone from the kop end? does anybody know?

AMP · « **Reply #70 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:35:54 AM »

When KK left I was sad but wished him luck due to fact he help us win major trophies and wanted to test himself in another league. The day King Kenny hung up the boots was the most deversating because I wondered how could the club replace such a genius, nut it did with Kenny bringing in Peter Beardsley and John Barnes. So hopefully King Kenny has worked the same magic in Suarez and Carroll.

Lucas21Dawson · « **Reply #71 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:38:14 AM »

Im 22 and like most of fans, older and younger i have become hurt by the way he has gone about it.
If there was one foreign player (bar Reina) that i thought had so much love and respect it would have been Torres...how wrong was I?
I was obsessed with the man, a lot of pals gave me stick. But i thought, he was one of us.
I dont think i could ever 'love', 'idolise' another player again.
I knew he would leave eventually but thought he had the decency to move abroad.
But now i have to remove a few of the framed pictures of him (sad i know) and move on.
I for one did not support Torres FC, but he was one of main parts of Liverpool FC. That said i think we will be better off without him.

jaffod · « **Reply #72 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:46:22 AM »

I'm 46 so I suppose I qualify as an older fan. I can honestly say that in 40 years of following the game I have never been as shocked as I have been over the last 3/4 days. The behaviour of that fucking scum bastard has left me devastated.
I saw Keegan leave to fulfil his ambitions but at least he gave us good notice and was honest. Souness more or less admitted he went for the money. Rush implies he was sold against his will. McManaman sulked and left after being touted to Barcelona so to an extent he could be forgiven. Owen let us down badly. Alonso went after falling out with the manager. Mascherano was the first one I ever felt real anger towards because I felt he treated the club with contempt after we had rescued his career.
But ****** has taken things to a whole new level. Believe me it's not just the younger fans who have been left gobsmacked and heartbroken by this utter prick. And I say that as someone who never really indulged in the 'love-in' that was apparent on these boards.
I'm going to try and make these my last words on that c*nt because he's not worth my time. But I'll be watching him closely and willing him to fail miserably. He is our 'Rooney' and will be as welcome in this city as Gary Glitter in a Wacky Warehouse.
To any younger fans struggling to comprehend what's just happened - bear in mind this is as bad as it will get, no-one could possibly disrespect our club as much as that miserable twat has. A hidden cancer has been eradicated and good health will soon be restored.

stockdam · « **Reply #73 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:48:05 AM »

Quote from: shravan.satya on February 1, 2011, 07:36:39 AM

A question for the older fans.

Were you hurt just as much when Keegan left to Hamburg? Were you confident that Kenny would turn out to be a better player than Keegan? Was Keegan valued just as much as FT back then?

To be honest I don't really remember. I think I was stunned and thought we'd never replace him but we did. The most important thing is that I don't remember.........it hurts for a while but somebody else comes along; maybe somebody better and then you quickly forget and realise that the club is moving in the right direction.

G1 Jockey 4(betfair) · « **Reply #74 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:49:15 AM »

Quote from: Mucho-Xabi on February 1, 2011, 07:57:29 AM

I was gutted when Paul Walsh left.

lol so was i

G1 Jockey 4(betfair) · « **Reply #75 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:50:23 AM »

to be fair now im older the only thing that really shook me was when rafa went.

i was in a haze for a few days

redoneusa · « **Reply #76 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:50:29 AM »

Quote from: G1 Jockey 4(betfair) on February 1, 2011, 09:49:15 AM

lol so was i

I was gutted when PFK went on loan to Forest.

rickythered · « **Reply #77 on:** February 1, 2011, 09:51:32 AM »

Once Suarez and Caroll start banging in the goals he will be forgot about, gotta thank him though for going it just bought us the future england number 9 and one of the most highly rated young strikers from the world cup and in europe. Like someone taking your old battered unreliable motor of your hands and giving you two brand new sporty models in exchange for free, happy days.

MushyP15 · « **Reply #78 on:** February 1, 2011, 10:01:58 AM »

I'm not a young fan, but can wholeheartedly agree with many of the sentiments on here. Many of us had a connection with that boy that we thought was stronger than that of your typical modern footballer. It wasn't about money, it wasn't about 'trophy winning' (although we all know what that actually means), it was about the club, its place in history and what that meant to fans locally and around the globe.

The manner of that relationship breaking has left a scar that will take many some time to heal, and that's fair enough. I for one know that everytime I see the kid score, and he will score, I will feel sadness. The anger will slowly diminish, but the sadness I think will remain a lot longer. So be it.

On the positive side however, Rafa's departure left me COMPLETELY hollow, yet Kenny returning has helped heal that. I'm sure in time, Suarez and Carroll, and maybe some of the other players will do the same for me post Torres. And I guess what I'm saying to the young'uns is that you'll feel fine soon, you'll get over it, you AND the club will move on. And if in a little way it brings you closer to Liverpool FC as a whole, and further away from the individuals within it, then that's no bad thing at all.

BabuYagu · « **Reply #79 on:** February 1, 2011, 10:12:09 AM »

Quote from: kacangpool on February 1, 2011, 05:14:43 AM

didn't affect me as much as rafa leaving.

I agree with this. I also think that was the first domino culminating in Torres doing what he did.

I thought about it last night, looking for positives and thought at least it wasn't Man Utd. Because they were sniffing around him for some time. We have strengthened one of their biggest rivals also. I don't think we are ready for a title push, so if Torres joining Chelsea stops Man Utd from winning the league for a couple of season, it would be a blessing in disguise. I fully expect us in 2012/13 to start tearing through the league though. By then Chelsea will have needed to replace 70% of their starting XI. Tall order. Man Utd would be declared bankrupt and Funguson will have retired. FSG will have had a further 4 transfer windows to build a young and hungry team. Suso will be ready for the first team.

So I'm not worried about Torres at all. If Suarez performs anything near to the level he did in holland then he will score an insane amount of goals. Carroll in a better team with better delivery (and with support from the fans he never really got of the Geordies!) could really push on from here. These signings were not about who will win at Stamford Bridge in the coming week.... it's about who will be back at the top of European football for the next 5 years +. We are building for the future. Chelsea are trying to stop a severe decline. I know where I would like to be at right now!