I wasn't around to witness Shankly in action and just now took the time to look at the youtube clips. Heady days when Liverpool was great, an institution where people no doubt during tough times came and forgot their troubles for a couple of hours. The man looked to have the people in the palm of is hand hanging on his every word.
Now I wonder have we moved too far away to ever get to that level of success or even that level of unity between players, manager and fans. Look at us now. We all log in here to jump on the roy/rafa row. Players crib about not playing on twitter, or shake their heads when taken off. Managers trot out the same rubbish in interviews each week. I know it's a different era but the game is still the same in so many ways. We are in turmoil no doubt about it. But its still Liverpool.
Park the owners for a minute. Players and staff should be sat down, told you have all lost touch with what this place is all about. Watch these clips. This club was struggling when Shankly came in too, look what he made of it. But in his finest moments he still emphasised it was all about the people. Well guess what? It still is. So superstar or sub, captain or injured, local or foreign any day you get a jersey you empty yourself on the pitch, for the people. When things aren't going well for you you fight through it, the people will see you trying and they will respond to it. Look at the enthusism in Shankly when he spoke of anfield and the kop. Compare that to the sulking millionaires we see more and more of these days. I understand that people who have spent their lives following the team can't bring themselves to go anymore, but there is a new generation of reds who need something to shout about. Embrace the past. Northampton wouldn't happen. The quest for 19 would be on again and not 19th place in the table.
The owners. Look at what we once were. Look at what you are doing to us. Sell up. This club is not about making a quick buck. When it was in it's pomp the people didn't have a penny but they sacrficed the basics to come and see the team play. Sell up and move on you don't understand. Give the club back to the people, the real custodians of LFC.
Then I looked at the clip of the greatest YNWA ever after the chelsea semi final. It struck me, was this the closest we came in the modern era to going back to the Shankly days. The joy on the players faces, the kop in full voice. The oppossition shellshocked on the pitch yet realising that nights like this are what its all about. This place is steeped in history that Stamford bridge will never see. Mourinho, whatever he said in his interview, applauding the fans as he knew this was a special place. The Spirit of Shankly.
These are worrying times for our club, but looking back on those Shankly clips gives hope. YNWA.
