Editorial
By Steve Kelly
From Issue 45, Winter 2000
Well, shall we go through it with a fine tooth
comb - or shall I just shoot myself right now?
I'm not talking about the team, obviously, but
of last issue's editorial. "Houllier has
been in charge for a year and maybe that isn't
quite long enough to start making judgements yet,
but NOTHING has changed. Nothing at all".
D'oh!
In my own defence, I will say that this was written
shortly after the Worthington Cup exit. If I'd
try to be all smiley smile hope and joy after
the September and early October we'd just had,
a nice long rest in the rubber room wearing a
back-to-front coat would have been in order. Still,
anyone who expects me to sail off to the opposite
shore has clearly not been reading this fanzine
for very long. Hyypia and Henchoz have made a
real difference, but the goals at Newcastle were
an alarm call that ought to be heeded. The football
hasn't been too thrilling, and we must be careful
that "period of transition" isn't simply
a cover-up for a sub-standard 'product'. What
I can say about Gerard in contrast to 44's bollocking
is that he is now seemingly 100% behind the players.
This may be a response to his own position being
more secure than it was after the Manc and Everton
defeats, but the likes of O'Leary and Sir Imodium
never slag their own off, even when it makes them
sound like idiots. Not that they ever sound like
anything else, but O'Leary's "Kewell didn't
dive" at Derby and Ferguson's "Beckham
went for the ball" in Rio hit the heights
of lunacy. Without getting that demented, Houllier
has learned and learned well. Of course he saw
the Owen incident at West Ham, but there was no
way he would even think of criticising Owen in
front of those lying press bastards, even if he
thought it was merited (which it wasn't). Owen's
response to his manager's loyalty has been there
for all to see - in fact the whole team's response
to the win at Sunderland, to take just one example,
proves that this manager is somebody these players
look up to and respect. I think the majority of
the supporters are beginning to do so as well,
and Gerard at least carries himself like a Liverpool
manager. Success would be a just reward for such
a man.
But that does not automatically mean that he will
get it. The Shankly Day brought a lump to all
our throats, and all the plaudits in the world
must go to our comrades at "Red All Over
The Land" for their organisation AND hustling,
when the club at one point seemed very reluctant
to do anything at all. It was a remarkable day.
Because of the great man's 40th anniversary, there
were inevitable comparisons to the current manager
- some more fawning than is wise. It may be on
the back of more good results than in August (all
two of them!) but success is only defined in MAY,
not in December. One Premiership away win in four
months is simply not good enough. Perspective
is not the same as pessimism and other favourable
comparisons (Sami to Hansen, for example) do the
players and the club as a whole no favours at
all. If our past signifies anything, it is surely
that we ought to know exactly what it takes to
win the league. We do not have it - yet - but
only the churlish would deny that some progress
has certainly been made. Even Ian St John seems
to be coming round!
I thought Rick Parry's comments about a top three
finish were unhelpful, and make you start to wonder
what this club actually considers "Success"
to be. All of this G22 bullshit about elite clubs
and a European super league - our mere presence
in such a 'competition' is of no interest to me.
If Europe moves in a direction which means that
a quality side like Kiev (semi finalists last
season) still has to qualify because their country
does not have significant TV revenues, that is
sick and not something I want Liverpool to be
a part of. Take the current situation. We are
'only' 5th, but most Reds I speak to are feeling
really PROUD of the players at the moment. I know
I am. There is more to football than money, some
Luddite souls might say it shouldn't have ever
had anything to do with money. Just because such
a view is unrealistic or unfashionable does not
make it any less valid. Whose side do you think
Shankly would have been on? Through the talents
of Houllier, the players, the Academy and perhaps
also Parry & Robinson we may yet be able to
get on level terms with the Mancs or the Italians
- but what does it profit a club if it should
gain the whole world and loses its own soul? I
feel a sermon coming on!
I mentioned before about Owen at West Ham, and
this was just one of a whole range of snidey attacks
on Michael. A number of Reds chose to join in,
but thankfully it was only within the local letters
pages. While I also couldn't give a flying one
for England we will just have to accept the fact
that Owen does. His performances since the Squabble
of Britain have been full of passion and hard
work for the Liverpool cause, AND goals. The Kop
should duly note this. His chant had been relegated
to about third or even fourth before some matches,
and that isn't even remotely in keeping with the
lad's status. Michael Owen Scores The Goals -
halle fucking lujah! And even if he doesn't, we
should sing his name loud and clear anyway.
Thanks very much to the people who responded to
my shameless begging for articles. Their ingenuity
and generous use of their time was countered by
my own stupidity in timing the compilation of
#45 for Christmas and the Millennium. I am told
Stephen Hawking is not losing any sleep. I appreciate
all my regulars' efforts as ever, but would like
to say a special "thank you" to Dave
and Alan who have been going through distressing
times with their families. That they can still
bear me in mind and write something for 45 goes
beyond a desire to express their views about the
Reds - it's also to do with friendship and it
won't be forgotten. Thanks, lads. Thanks, everyone.
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