Author Topic: 'Liverpool FC: A Difficult Decade' or Reasons to be Cheerful - 1, 2, 3.  (Read 13569 times)

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2006 - a lifetime ago in football

With a fifth European Cup won just the season before and the Rafalution seemingly well under way few Liverpool fans would have thought, as Steven Gerrard broke West Ham hearts at Cardiff in 2006, that the next 10 years would bring a sole League Cup for Liverpool.

2001 to 2006 saw the club rake in a plenty of silverware. The Champions League aside, the Reds won 2 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, a UEFA Cup, 2 Community Shields and 2 European Super Cups. Final after final, and the League Cup in 2005 aside, we won them all. Usually in dramatic fashion; a late turnaround, a golden goal, a last minute equalizer, penalties... After the relatively barren 90s it was back to "business as usual" for Liverpool supporters (or for those like myself, born in the 80s, a welcome introduction into what being a Liverpool fan had been like).

There was plenty of cause for optimism that more trophies would follow. A much improved 3rd place in the league in 2006, a European force once more, major silverware in back to back seasons, and a manager connecting with the fans. New owners to bring new impetus, new signings to excite the fans. I remember it well; genuine enthusiasm as to where we could go and how far Rafa could take us.

Today


Fast forward ten years as we try to pick ourselves up from the huge disappointment in Basel. As other posts and threads have pointed out, it hurts. It really hurts. As I reflected on it yesterday I wondered just why it hurt so much? Of course it's painful to lose a final, particularly one where we'd led, under a manager who has already built a rapport with the fans, and a European final at that. Of course in losing the final we miss out on a swift return to the Champions League. With it we lose out on the financial rewards and the exciting European nights (and perhaps the players) that top flight European football brings. In fact after our league finish, we miss out on European football altogether.

I think it's more than all of the above though; it's a final and a defeat that can only really be appreciated when put in context. This isn't meant to be some depressing or pessimistic dirge. I wrote it as a reflection, a look back at 10 difficult years on the pitch for the club and for the fans. A decade of almosts, of nearlys, of false dawns and coming painfully close time and time again. It's not bitter. Not an Evertonian cry of "ifithadnofbeenfer..." But a look back and where we've been, and with it a look forward to where we could go

2007

It began in Athens, as so many things have. Another European Cup final on the back of a phenomenal run. Barcelona beaten in their own back yard, Chelsea conquered at Anfield once more. In 2005 we took on the cream of Europe with Djimi Traore, Igor Biscan, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Josemi, Nunez, Scott Carson, underdogs led by a brilliant manager and driven on by a passionate Kop and an inspirational captain. In 2007 we had the best midfield in the world (and a song about it) to go with a solid defence and strikers scoring goals. We went in arguably as favourites;  but we lost. In Istanbul we had lower expectations and the victory was all the sweeter given how unlikely it seemed at half time. In Athens we felt robbed. A deflection off Inzaghi's arm. A consolation that came too late and a comeback that never quite clicked. We watched and we fumed but... as I remember waking up the next day and remembering the night before, I recall in the days that followed thinking "We'll be back. There will be more chances, more trophies, more great nights." That optimism softened the blow, and so we moved forward. The first setback in what was to be a difficult decade.

2009

Of course 2007-2008 brought with it more heartache and another sense of missed opportunity with our narrow semi-final defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League. But the hurt paled into comparison with the disappointment just one year later when despite winning 10 of our last 11 matches, smashing United 4-1 at Old Trafford and amassing 86 points and the best GD in the league, we fell painfully short of our first title in 20 years. Gerrard and Torres dazzled as Robbie Keane came and went. Goals galore and a solid defence. A huge task but one that seemed ever more possible as we thumped United, crushed Villa, grabbed the points right at the death against Fulham. In the end it was to be too much as Macheda made the only meaningful contribution of his career, a couple of late winners edging United over the line in first place. Again the pain of coming so close, again that renewed optimism that Rafa was taking us forward and that we would surely win the title soon with this team and this manager. But this on top of 2007... the hurt was starting to grow just a little bit more.

Twelve months later and Rafa would be gone, a disappointing league campaign which couldn't be rescued by silverware as we were knocked out in the Europa League semi-finals. Liverpool had been a force under Benitez, a top-four mainstay who had for 5 seasons won or challenged for the biggest trophies to be won in the domestic game. A new dawn for Liverpool, but one that seemed abruptly cut short, as a malaise set in at the club that in my opinion we've never quite shaken off.

2012

Hodgson's ill-fated spell was swiftly curtailed and we were given Kenny. His beaming smile, effortless class and his undoubted and profound connection with the fans brought positivity back to Anfield in spades. In 2012 we won our first trophy since 2006 (and indeed to date our only trophy) and although our league campaign had faltered, the FA Cup looked like affording us an opportunity to get back on the horse, to pick up where we'd left off and to continue the renaissance of the club that Rafa's departure had dimmed. Chelsea of all opponents; LFC fans could think of little sweeter than Kenny beating the plastics at Wembley to deliver major silverware. Which made the hurt all the more when it didn't happen, again compounded by a sense of what could have been after Carroll's header was clawed off the line, almost rescuing us from a pretty poor display. We'd missed out in a CL in 2007, a title in 2009, and now an FA Cup in 2012. To compound it, Kenny left in the summer. Could the cup have saved him? Perhaps not, but his departure and the sense of what might have been made things worse. 7 years since Stevie G lifted the Cup. Several missed chances.

2014

Possibly the most painful of all? I don't know. I still struggle to discuss this season, which is all the more depressing how many wonderful memories it gave us. Phenomenal football, supreme Suarez, goals goals goals. Swiping United aside imperiously, Coutinho's late winner against City. A belief. "Poetry in Motion". One of the most improbably runs since... well, since our form in the run-in in 2009. And still, and again, not enough. Runners-up. In itself and given the years that preceded it, a real achievement, but one that I just couldn't appreciate, all the more so as we limped out of the CL we'd worked so hard and so magnificently to qualify for the following year. What should have been a platform for growth turned into a basis for frustration. Luis left, Brendan wobbled, LFC floundered. Two semi-final defeats in 2015, and not long later the end of Rodgers. Another false dawn, and a frustrated despondency in some sections of the fans, as expectations were brought high then slammed down again.

2016

And so we find ourselves in 2016. 5 managers, one League Cup and multiple missed opportunities later. But things are turning around, we feel. The League Cup final defeat is a frustration but... ah well, only the League Cup. And we played most of the final with Kolo and Lucas, and still took City all the way to penalties! A poor league performance, but this was a bizarre season; Leicester champions and both Chelsea and United finishing outside the top 4. But in Europe, we brought back those memories. United beaten, Dortmund disposed of in spectacular style, Villareal shown the passion of Anfield under the floodlights. And we started to believe again, to hope again. And so to lose in the way we did, at the time we did, in the manner that we did, just as hopes were starting to rise? After a decade of almosts, of missed opportunities, to feel that another might have slipped through our fingers. Frustration growing exponentially as we start to wonder... when will we win a major trophy again? Why do these finals, these league battles keep going against us?

So of course it hurts. It really hurts. Liverpool's last decade to me is a story, on the pitch at least, of one step forward followed by two steps back. Of false dawns and what-could-have-beens. One or two is painful, but this many, over a decade...

A difficult decade

It would be easy to look at the last 10 years of Liverpool with eyes downcast:

We've lost two managers who in their times made special connections with the fans, both of whom left under a cloud, wondering what could have been...

 

We've seen heroes rise and fall...

 

Local legends call time on their LFC careers...

 

And other adopted favourites move on...


And seen chances and glory narrowly slip us by.


BUT...

Justice

10 years is a long time to endure, but 27 years is much longer. As our team continued their hunt for silverware, to put Liverpool back on its "perch", the fans of this club won the most significant victory in their history. Much has been written and will continue to be written about the Justice Campaign and this year's verdicts, and neither am I the person to do so, nor is this the place to write more. But every lost final, every bitter defeat, is nothing as to what the families and the survivors endured. A difficult decade on the pitch for sure but one that off it has seen unbelievable, unprecedented and unexpected victories in court rooms across the country.


Victory

Court room victories have not been limited to the Justice Campaign. It's easy to forget how close the club came to financial ruin in 2010. But the fans protested, Standards Corrupted, and a huge legal struggle saw them removed. The club survived where others haven't.


Endurance

And despite it all, despite every loss and every setback, every frustration and every false dawn, we won't go away. We keep coming back, over and over again. Every time we fall down, despondent, we get back up again. Sometimes clumsily, sometimes slowly, but despite the best hopes of our rivals we just won't go away. And in 10 difficult, predominantly trophyless years, we have entertained, dazzled, delighted and enthralled...

Over.



And over.



And over.



And over.



And over.



Again.


We've had more special days and nights in the last decade than most clubs have had in their existence.

On top of all of that, we have one of the world's best managers. Soon we'll have a bigger Anfield. Talented players. A glorious history and every reason to be optimistic about the future.

Because we keep bouncing back. In Istanbul. At Anfield. Game after game, year after year.

So... a difficult decade? Perhaps. But we've got reasons to be cheerful.

1) Justice.
2) Stability.
3) Endurance.

Here's to the next ten years.

Offline Rush 82

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Thanks for this piece.

Lots to mull over as the season finally comes to an end.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2016, 01:09:14 pm by Rush 82 »

Offline SpionBob

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We go forward with optimism. There is no other club like Liverpool Football Club and I can't wait for the new season to start. First time I said that in years before the end of May.
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Offline Billy The Kid

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Very good post.

I still personally think that the sacking of Rafa Benitez was one of the single biggest mistakes ever made in the history of Liverpool football club. An absolute clusterfuck of a decision that took us half a decade to recover from. Not to mention that it was compounded further by the fact that we appointed Roy Hodgson as his replacement. I know the people running the club at the time wont be remembered as trustworthy custodians, but there were plenty of people in our fan base who wanted him gone. They welcomed the decision. The far away hills seemed greener to some

We went from beating the likes of Leverkusen, Juventus, Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid to celebrating 'famous draws" against teams so obscure that I can't even remember their name. When that didn't work out we turned to Kenny to save us from the brink of catastrophe. I'm not one for getting emotional but seeing Kenny leading the team out at Old Trafford (of all places) had me close to caving in. It was fucking euphoric seeing him back in the dug out

I wanted the fairytale to work out. I think we all did. After all, Mr. Liverpool FC himself was back at the helm. The fan base would have probably burned John Henry at the stake if he hadn't offered Kenny the gig full time. So into the 2011/2012 season we went. We all forgot one thing though. Kenny had been out of management for over a decade. That's quite a long time by anyones standard, and I think it was reflected in our league positioning. The cup runs were great, but I think we all knew that Kenny wasn't really pushing us forward. Suarez aside, none of his signings made much of an impact.

So Kenny had to go. The fairytale didn't work out. So in came Rodgers. 2014 was fucking amazing. It was cruel that we didn't manage to get over the line in the end. But fuck it, that's football. No one is entitled to win anything. Trophies are earned and we just didn't to enough to earn it. Then Suarez said adios and Brendan hit the rocks. Then he had to go. So we got Klopp. The manager that many of us openly admired and a manager who is highly coveted by Europe's biggest clubs.

So into next season we go. Our 26th year in a row where we have no league championship title to defend. Our wait goes on. If there's one silver lining to the cloud of Rafa's sacking its that it at least thought us some harsh lessons about far away hills not being so green. I just hope things don't  end up for Jurgen the way they did for Rafa. Hopefully he'll rack up some serious silverware in the next 10 years.   


When overtaken by defeat, as you may be many times, remember than mans faith in his own ability is tested many times before he is crowned with final victory. Defeats are nothing more than challenges to keep trying.” – Napoleon Hill.

Offline jillcwhomever

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Great opening post, and I think he put his finger on it when he made the point we are only just recovering from our trials from 2009 and the cancers being here. It has taken us this long to sort ourselves out.

On the other hand at least we have won the justice battle, and hopefully soon we will get the full justice it demands.

Hope? I would say so otherwise what's the point in even being  here. But most of all I would say we need to give Klopp the time to do the job. We already lost one great manager by being too impatient this time, let the man do his job to the full, and then hopefully we will be truly back.
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Offline Lady_brandybuck

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Excellent piece JK.

I agree witht he sentiment that we let Rafa go too soon, and if anything I hope the past 5 years has taught us a thing or two about it. Let Klopp decide what he needs to do and support the team. Onwards and upwards next season.
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I think we have two very real reasons for optimism. We have 1) one of the world's unquestioned top managers, a man who fits Liverpool like a glove fits a hand. And we also have 2) a stable, financially strong ownership who have settled in now and that seem to have no hesitation in backing managers with funds.

Liverpool arguably have not had those two elements together at the same time since -- well, when? It's a good foundation.
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Very good post.

I still personally think that the sacking of Rafa Benitez was one of the single biggest mistakes ever made in the history of Liverpool football club. An absolute clusterfuck of a decision that took us half a decade to recover from. Not to mention that it was compounded further by the fact that we appointed Roy Hodgson as his replacement. I know the people running the club at the time wont be remembered as trustworthy custodians, but there were plenty of people in our fan base who wanted him gone. They welcomed the decision. The far away hills seemed greener to some


I will get slated for this but the long term damage by the Hodgson appointment was minimal at best. He came in and failed but he didn't spend tons of money and the likes of Konchesky and Paulson were relatively cheap and he only real big money player was Mireles who actually did well. Also, thanks to Kenny coming in, we finished the season 6th which was an improvement on the previous season.

As for the last decade, it hasn't been all that bad.  A Champions League final, two title challenges, FA Cup final, League Cup win and another final and the Europa League final. Those would be glory days at most other clubs.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2016, 05:57:30 pm by LFC_4-life »

Offline JerseyKloppite

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Cheers all.

As I said, was never my intention to whinge. It's been in many ways an extraordinary 10 years on and off the pitch and maybe writing it all down was cathartic in some ways - wanting to explore why I felt so particularly despondent after the EL final but also to show that we will be back because... Well we always are. And we've got plenty of reasons to be optimistic this time.

Offline youll never walk alone it

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Yes an part of reason rafa went to early was our moaning fans, just think we went top v westham an our fans booed!  i can see klopp going the same way, hope im wrong.
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Offline robygerrard

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2006 - a lifetime ago in football

With a fifth European Cup won just the season before and the Rafalution seemingly well under way few Liverpool fans would have thought, as Steven Gerrard broke West Ham hearts at Cardiff in 2006, that the next 10 years would bring a sole League Cup for Liverpool.

2001 to 2006 saw the club rake in a plenty of silverware. The Champions League aside, the Reds won 2 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, a UEFA Cup, 2 Community Shields and 2 European Super Cups. Final after final, and the League Cup in 2005 aside, we won them all. Usually in dramatic fashion; a late turnaround, a golden goal, a last minute equalizer, penalties... After the relatively barren 90s it was back to "business as usual" for Liverpool supporters (or for those like myself, born in the 80s, a welcome introduction into what being a Liverpool fan had been like).

There was plenty of cause for optimism that more trophies would follow. A much improved 3rd place in the league in 2006, a European force once more, major silverware in back to back seasons, and a manager connecting with the fans. New owners to bring new impetus, new signings to excite the fans. I remember it well; genuine enthusiasm as to where we could go and how far Rafa could take us.

Today


Fast forward ten years as we try to pick ourselves up from the huge disappointment in Basel. As other posts and threads have pointed out, it hurts. It really hurts. As I reflected on it yesterday I wondered just why it hurt so much? Of course it's painful to lose a final, particularly one where we'd led, under a manager who has already built a rapport with the fans, and a European final at that. Of course in losing the final we miss out on a swift return to the Champions League. With it we lose out on the financial rewards and the exciting European nights (and perhaps the players) that top flight European football brings. In fact after our league finish, we miss out on European football altogether.

I think it's more than all of the above though; it's a final and a defeat that can only really be appreciated when put in context. This isn't meant to be some depressing or pessimistic dirge. I wrote it as a reflection, a look back at 10 difficult years on the pitch for the club and for the fans. A decade of almosts, of nearlys, of false dawns and coming painfully close time and time again. It's not bitter. Not an Evertonian cry of "ifithadnofbeenfer..." But a look back and where we've been, and with it a look forward to where we could go

2007

It began in Athens, as so many things have. Another European Cup final on the back of a phenomenal run. Barcelona beaten in their own back yard, Chelsea conquered at Anfield once more. In 2005 we took on the cream of Europe with Djimi Traore, Igor Biscan, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Josemi, Nunez, Scott Carson, underdogs led by a brilliant manager and driven on by a passionate Kop and an inspirational captain. In 2007 we had the best midfield in the world (and a song about it) to go with a solid defence and strikers scoring goals. We went in arguably as favourites;  but we lost. In Istanbul we had lower expectations and the victory was all the sweeter given how unlikely it seemed at half time. In Athens we felt robbed. A deflection off Inzaghi's arm. A consolation that came too late and a comeback that never quite clicked. We watched and we fumed but... as I remember waking up the next day and remembering the night before, I recall in the days that followed thinking "We'll be back. There will be more chances, more trophies, more great nights." That optimism softened the blow, and so we moved forward. The first setback in what was to be a difficult decade.

2009

Of course 2007-2008 brought with it more heartache and another sense of missed opportunity with our narrow semi-final defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League. But the hurt paled into comparison with the disappointment just one year later when despite winning 10 of our last 11 matches, smashing United 4-1 at Old Trafford and amassing 86 points and the best GD in the league, we fell painfully short of our first title in 20 years. Gerrard and Torres dazzled as Robbie Keane came and went. Goals galore and a solid defence. A huge task but one that seemed ever more possible as we thumped United, crushed Villa, grabbed the points right at the death against Fulham. In the end it was to be too much as Macheda made the only meaningful contribution of his career, a couple of late winners edging United over the line in first place. Again the pain of coming so close, again that renewed optimism that Rafa was taking us forward and that we would surely win the title soon with this team and this manager. But this on top of 2007... the hurt was starting to grow just a little bit more.

Twelve months later and Rafa would be gone, a disappointing league campaign which couldn't be rescued by silverware as we were knocked out in the Europa League semi-finals. Liverpool had been a force under Benitez, a top-four mainstay who had for 5 seasons won or challenged for the biggest trophies to be won in the domestic game. A new dawn for Liverpool, but one that seemed abruptly cut short, as a malaise set in at the club that in my opinion we've never quite shaken off.

2012

Hodgson's ill-fated spell was swiftly curtailed and we were given Kenny. His beaming smile, effortless class and his undoubted and profound connection with the fans brought positivity back to Anfield in spades. In 2012 we won our first trophy since 2006 (and indeed to date our only trophy) and although our league campaign had faltered, the FA Cup looked like affording us an opportunity to get back on the horse, to pick up where we'd left off and to continue the renaissance of the club that Rafa's departure had dimmed. Chelsea of all opponents; LFC fans could think of little sweeter than Kenny beating the plastics at Wembley to deliver major silverware. Which made the hurt all the more when it didn't happen, again compounded by a sense of what could have been after Carroll's header was clawed off the line, almost rescuing us from a pretty poor display. We'd missed out in a CL in 2007, a title in 2009, and now an FA Cup in 2012. To compound it, Kenny left in the summer. Could the cup have saved him? Perhaps not, but his departure and the sense of what might have been made things worse. 7 years since Stevie G lifted the Cup. Several missed chances.

2014

Possibly the most painful of all? I don't know. I still struggle to discuss this season, which is all the more depressing how many wonderful memories it gave us. Phenomenal football, supreme Suarez, goals goals goals. Swiping United aside imperiously, Coutinho's late winner against City. A belief. "Poetry in Motion". One of the most improbably runs since... well, since our form in the run-in in 2009. And still, and again, not enough. Runners-up. In itself and given the years that preceded it, a real achievement, but one that I just couldn't appreciate, all the more so as we limped out of the CL we'd worked so hard and so magnificently to qualify for the following year. What should have been a platform for growth turned into a basis for frustration. Luis left, Brendan wobbled, LFC floundered. Two semi-final defeats in 2015, and not long later the end of Rodgers. Another false dawn, and a frustrated despondency in some sections of the fans, as expectations were brought high then slammed down again.

2016

And so we find ourselves in 2016. 5 managers, one League Cup and multiple missed opportunities later. But things are turning around, we feel. The League Cup final defeat is a frustration but... ah well, only the League Cup. And we played most of the final with Kolo and Lucas, and still took City all the way to penalties! A poor league performance, but this was a bizarre season; Leicester champions and both Chelsea and United finishing outside the top 4. But in Europe, we brought back those memories. United beaten, Dortmund disposed of in spectacular style, Villareal shown the passion of Anfield under the floodlights. And we started to believe again, to hope again. And so to lose in the way we did, at the time we did, in the manner that we did, just as hopes were starting to rise? After a decade of almosts, of missed opportunities, to feel that another might have slipped through our fingers. Frustration growing exponentially as we start to wonder... when will we win a major trophy again? Why do these finals, these league battles keep going against us?

So of course it hurts. It really hurts. Liverpool's last decade to me is a story, on the pitch at least, of one step forward followed by two steps back. Of false dawns and what-could-have-beens. One or two is painful, but this many, over a decade...

A difficult decade

It would be easy to look at the last 10 years of Liverpool with eyes downcast:

We've lost two managers who in their times made special connections with the fans, both of whom left under a cloud, wondering what could have been...

 

We've seen heroes rise and fall...

 

Local legends call time on their LFC careers...

 

And other adopted favourites move on...


And seen chances and glory narrowly slip us by.


BUT...

Justice

10 years is a long time to endure, but 27 years is much longer. As our team continued their hunt for silverware, to put Liverpool back on its "perch", the fans of this club won the most significant victory in their history. Much has been written and will continue to be written about the Justice Campaign and this year's verdicts, and neither am I the person to do so, nor is this the place to write more. But every lost final, every bitter defeat, is nothing as to what the families and the survivors endured. A difficult decade on the pitch for sure but one that off it has seen unbelievable, unprecedented and unexpected victories in court rooms across the country.


Victory

Court room victories have not been limited to the Justice Campaign. It's easy to forget how close the club came to financial ruin in 2010. But the fans protested, Standards Corrupted, and a huge legal struggle saw them removed. The club survived where others haven't.


Endurance

And despite it all, despite every loss and every setback, every frustration and every false dawn, we won't go away. We keep coming back, over and over again. Every time we fall down, despondent, we get back up again. Sometimes clumsily, sometimes slowly, but despite the best hopes of our rivals we just won't go away. And in 10 difficult, predominantly trophyless years, we have entertained, dazzled, delighted and enthralled...

Over.



And over.



And over.



And over.



And over.



Again.


We've had more special days and nights in the last decade than most clubs have had in their existence.

On top of all of that, we have one of the world's best managers. Soon we'll have a bigger Anfield. Talented players. A glorious history and every reason to be optimistic about the future.

Because we keep bouncing back. In Istanbul. At Anfield. Game after game, year after year.

So... a difficult decade? Perhaps. But we've got reasons to be cheerful.

1) Justice.
2) Stability.
3) Endurance.

Here's to the next ten years.
Brilliant! Thank you.

Offline ToneLa

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This club's longterm, alltime pedigree is sky high.

Shanks said there's just the fans, the manager and the team - we now have Klopp, he's uniting the fans and he's done pretty damn good with someone else's players!

The directors don't come into it - but FSG have been good to us.

The future's bright! The future's red!

 :)

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Brilliant! Thank you.
Did you have to quote the whole thing? I just broke my mouse scrolling through all that. ;D :P
“Do not intermingle with people who act like 'they know it all'. If you do, you will wind up as lost and lonely as they are.”
― Christine Szymanski

Offline soxfan

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This club's longterm, alltime pedigree is sky high.

Shanks said there's just the fans, the manager and the team - we now have Klopp, he's uniting the fans and he's done pretty damn good with someone else's players!

The directors don't come into it - but FSG have been good to us.

The future's bright! The future's red!

 :)
I see it's your first post. Welcome to RAWK ToneLa! :wave
“Do not intermingle with people who act like 'they know it all'. If you do, you will wind up as lost and lonely as they are.”
― Christine Szymanski

Offline ToneLa

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Cheers! Happy to be a member, lurked for ages and ages soaking up the atmosphere and getting in sync with my fellow reds. Glad registration is open again so new (red) blood can flow in.

Thought this would be a good thread to chip in, as I love our club and always like to reinforce a bit of positivity  :)

YNWA!

Online kavah

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^ Welcome to Rawk.

Jersey that is a great essay - love it - cheers

Offline justsean

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Top post. Can't wait for next season already.

Offline Andy @ Allerton!

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Yes an part of reason rafa went to early was our moaning fans, just think we went top v westham an our fans booed!  i can see klopp going the same way, hope im wrong.

Indeed. Some of our fans were a fucking disgrace that day.
Quote from: tubby on Today at 12:45:53 pm

They both went in high, that's factually correct, both tried to play the ball at height.  Doku with his foot, Mac Allister with his chest.

Offline SP

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I will get slated for this but the long term damage by the Hodgson appointment was minimal at best. He came in and failed but he didn't spend tons of money and the likes of Konchesky and Paulson were relatively cheap and he only real big money player was Mireles who actually did well. Also, thanks to Kenny coming in, we finished the season 6th which was an improvement on the previous season.

As for the last decade, it hasn't been all that bad.  A Champions League final, two title challenges, FA Cup final, League Cup win and another final and the Europa League final. Those would be glory days at most other clubs.

The long term damage was the club being bled dry by carpet baggers. Appointing Hodgson merely consolidated the damage already done. And made it completely obvious.

Offline paulrazor

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Good post but a reminder of so many false dawns not only in the last decade but in the 15 years prior to that.

So many times we got close and then just fucked it up for one reason or another.

so many times we could have won a trophy and messed it up

really frustrating
yer ma should have called you Paolo Zico Gerry Socrates HELLRAZOR

Offline markedasred

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When you have mates who support other clubs, and you feel the need to check what is happening on their side to make conversations more even, it can often be a struggle. One of the lads whose company I prefer around here is a Blackburn fan, and they lost their best player recently as a direct result of us buying Benteke, who we appear to feel free to dispose of in all transfer comments. As a result of that, they have had their manager walk away from the club, and the unpopular Alex Macleish looks the most likely replacement. They had a season in the premiership sun in the 90's and do not look like coming back up any time soon. Even that puts them in a spot above most teams, as one of only six who have ever won the premier league.

In addition to that, to read about their club online in anything resembling a forum, involves going in to the comments section of the Lancashire telegraph. As that is shared with fierce rivals Burnley, it can be hairy in there, with the ban rate resembling a fairground game of whack a mole.

In a nutshell I am saying there is more joy in the 21st century following us than most teams in the UK, and there is great pleasure to be had in the wit and culture of this and other esteemed forums of ours, plus our podcast the wrap, sometimes also others. It is hard not to think the tide has been in our favour in recent years, to once again quote Guido Monzino
 
"gradatim conscenditur ad alta"
« Last Edit: May 30, 2016, 08:18:05 pm by markedasred »
"For those of you watching in black and white, Liverpool are the team with the ball"

Offline Dr_Evil

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In a nutshell I am saying there is more joy in the 21st century following us than most teams in the UK, and there is great pleasure to be had in the wit and culture of this and other esteemed forums of ours, plus our podcast the wrap, sometimes also others. It is hard not to think the tide has been in our favour in recent years, to once again quote Guido Monzino
 
"gradatim conscenditur ad alta"

Spot on
Holy fuck lads I got family home. My computer isn't at a hidden place in the house. They saw the penis.

Offline JerseyKloppite

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Front page. I am honoured ;D

Offline jdegner

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Deservedly so. Good read.

At first the loss in Basel felt like all the great moments of beating United, and Dortmund in a way we did just lost their meaning. Lovren's goal means nothing anymore because we did not win it. I'm still trying to get over it. In a long run...yeah, how good would that trophy feel in our hands, first major trophy in a while... meh, let's just not think about it.

Offline Rush 82

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Those wins over United and Dortmund (and Villareal) were fucking boss. Nothing will ever remove those happy memories.




Offline red mongoose

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Jersey, I just now found this thread and I wanted to thank you for a fantastic post. It really puts things in perspective and I share your sentiment in every particular. This is the kind of post that enriches this whole site and makes it special. Thanks again, mate.

Here's to our bright tomorrows  :champ :scarf :champ
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Offline xRedmanLFCx

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Great OP. We see things they'll never see! What a club we are part of. Many glorious nights past and many more to come. YNWA
I always said we had the best two teams on Merseyside… Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves.