Its been just over a month since the European cup final. I dont know how that could possibly true because the feeling of complete joy which still washes over me every day should have gone by now. This feeling of invincibility has continued to last and continues to make me smile like a psycho in public all the time. Nothing can upset me because I know that if I cast my mind back to a month before, Ill have an immense sense of joy better than any drug. Until at least May 2020, (the emphasis being on at least
) Liverpool fc are the kings of Europe.
This is all new to me. Many on here will have experienced the feeling of winning the European cup but, for me, I wasnt even born in the 70s/80s and even 2005 was way before my first memories of football. Me, and others of my generation, had experienced only misery. Ive seen H&G as owners and Hodgson as manager. Ive seen false dawns and near misses. Ive seen great players move on, only to be replaced by average ones. Ive looked on in envy as my United supporting friends watched them rack up title after title. In other words, I come from a generation of doubters. After all, what was there to believe in?
Looking at the past what great but, in my eyes, it was the closest Id ever get to seeing true glory. That glory wasnt for me as a Liverpool fan. It was for older generations but now, Liverpool were past their prime and the club which was European royalty was so far separated to the one I watched every week that it was hardly even the same club.
That all changed in October 2015. As soon as I saw that Jurgen Klopp was manager of my football club, I knew instantly that we were destined for the top and that the glory days that seemed so distant would become a reality for me. This was the day that I knew we were destined for the top. That was the day that I changed from a doubter to a believer.
Since that day Ive seen my fair share of great moments. The Europa league run of 2016 and the Champions league run of 2018 were incredible and have given me memories that will never fade but the one thing that was missing was a big shiny cup that we could lift above our heads and shout from the rooftops, we are Liverpool and were back.
The European cup finals of 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984 and 2005 are five games which will be forever held up in legend. Over time, they seem to have been given a mythical status and how I imagined them was very different to how it really felt- its 10x better! Ive often imagined these great moments to be very clear. Watching Tommy Smith rise above his marker into the sky and nod the ball in. Seeing the Real Madrid defence part as Alan Kenedy glided through and stuck the ball in the net. Following the ball the whole way before it met Gerrards head and gave us hope when we should be down and out. However, the moment Origi stroked the ball in to the bottom corner it was more of a complete blur. There was a moment when I saw the ball land at his feet and I knew hed score when time stood still for a while but after that, seeing him put it in the net was complete mayhem.
This isnt happening, it cant be! My club are about to be champions of Europe and Ive just witnessed a historic game of football. There was a moment of complete bliss when I realised that my entire life of watching football had led up to this moment where I could see Jordan Henderson lift big ears in Madrid and I knew that it simply doesnt get much better than this. Ill never forget the moment when I first saw that beautiful cup the next day, seeing the shining trophy emerge from the ranks of players (or deities as I call them) as the bus rolled on along Queens drive. That was the time when the Liverpool I knew met the Liverpool of old and could stand next to them as equals. Theyd reached the peak of European football, as 5 red teams had before, and they wont be the last to do it.
