What are the players thoughts? - On our success

Liverpool Football Club - General Discussion

Postby stmichael » Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:17 pm

Now that the dust has well and truly settled on a brilliant end to the season, and having read jonnymac's superb post of what Istanbul meant to him as a fan, it's really made me all sentimental. This may not have been the greatest Liverpool side in recent memory, but it just made me wonder if the players really realise what they actually achieved on that famous night. I started a thread a while back asking if this was Liverpool's greatest EVER achievement, merely due to the nature of how the game went and the fact that nobody gave us a prayer of winning the thing. Certain members on here have seen the great sides and the great European nights from Paris to Rome, but even they admitted that this was something out of the ordinary.

I suppose the players who have been here for a while and have experienced some of the bigger games over the years (FA Cup final, UEFA Cup final) know what is expected by the supporters, where as some of the newer players are maybe still coming to terms with what is expected by us. Ok I'm sure they know about the history and tradition of this great club, but I'm sure if you asked them, even they were surprised by the support we took to Istanbul. Supporters on the continent are still loyal, but don't really travel in big numbers, where as we take 40,000 to the club's biggest game in twenty years and quite literally take over the city, painting the town red in the process. It brings me back to this famous statement:


LIVERPOOL IS NOT JUST A FOOTBALL CLUB, IT'S A WAY OF LIFE.

This saying just made me wonder what the other players thoughts are about the way the fans respond to a little success. Reading quotes from players about the support we gave them in Istanbul and other games against Chelsea and Juve is brilliant. Chelsea was just the most phenomenal atmosphere I've ever felt at an Anfield game. The way people like Alonso and Garcia have been talking to the press, you'd have thought they'd been at the club for years. Hell recently, Rafa said he wanted to stay here for ten years. Liverpool is now his adopted home. It seems quite obvious that the foreign contingent actually believe what they have been told by their parents about our history and our support. Maybe they will think of us when the team is up against it and give that extra 1% that can make the difference in games.

Generally speaking, I like to think of myself as an optimist and hope that they will. Quite simply, not many players will EVER play in front of such a set of supporters if they play till they are 100 years old.

Watching the players on their parade bus (albeit on tv) made me wonder even more about what they were thinking. Some of them looked like they were still shocked and could still not believe it. Others were just lapping every second up and showing a genuine lust for life (Cisse anyone?). That guy is the epitomy of the type of player we want at this club. He loves it here, you can tell. The fact he even played again this season proves just how much he wants to succeed here and how much he wants the fans to appreciate him.

Well listen up lads. If you want more of the same next season, give us that extra 1% and you will find that we will give you 10% more back in return.

Like i said before, Liverpool is not just a football club , IT IS A WAY OF LIFE.

YNWA :buttrock
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Postby Belfastred » Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:45 pm

stmichael wrote:Others were just lapping every second up and showing a genuine lust for life (Cisse anyone?). That guy is the epitomy of the type of player we want at this club. He loves it here, you can tell. The fact he even played again this season proves just how much he wants to succeed here and how much he wants the fans to appreciate him.

So, so true. I really hope is talent shines through next season as much as his desire did last.
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Postby 76-1115222408 » Tue Jun 14, 2005 3:46 pm

Great post St.Michael.
I think that for many of the players it might just be really sinking in now as to what they have acheived. Once they've had time to relax and watch the footage of the final again and also of the turnout for the parade, then i think thats when it will REALLY hit them, that they have now become legends.
Ok, they were not the best team to ever represent this great club of Liverpool, but it MUST be the greatest acheivment, considering who we beat on the road to the final (italian/english champs anyone :p ) and the rest, then you add to that everyone saying we couldnt do it, even ex-reds (Lawrenson anyone :angry: ), then you add the horrific injury list and then this win becomes a massive achievment.

The spanish contingent, especially Xabi, looked completely in awe of the amount of people that turned out for the parade, and i agree that this would have put a rubber stamp on all they had heard about te great Liverpool and I'm sure they now REALLY realise how big of a club we are and that we have the best supporters in the world.

I just hope that the players always think back to that second half in Istanpool and remember the way, firstly that the fans never gave uphope and were still in full voice, but also the way that they came back in the face of adversity.
So when we are losing 2-1 to Birmingham, with ten minutes to go, they remember the fans and what the team mean to us, and also that we CAN score 3 goals in SIX minutes, let alone ten!!! 
Ok, its easier said than done, but as long as they give their all for that red shirt then i am sure they will know that, we will ALWAYS support them.

Steven Gerrard - On the bus he was happy, but not ecstatic looking, but i think at the time he still could'nt beleive that they won after being three down. But when i saw him interviewed yesterday, again he didnt look too happy, C'mon STEVIE you are now a certified LEGEND, you picked up Big Ears!!
He was saying yesterday that all that is over now and we have to move on - which is both good and bad to see IMO. Good because he wnats to now add to this trophy, but bad because i feel as though he is letting the triumph pass by too easily, he needs to bask in the glory, because who knows when it will happen again (next year hopefully!).
But hey i am not criticising Stevie, he is the one that got that ball rolling in the final with that great header into the top corner, its just that all other players i see have a constant smile on their face, just like the joker from batman.

But i definetly think that ALL the players will now know just how much of their success this year was helped by the 'twelth man' on the stands, and i hope that next season that Rafa (not that he should have to anyway) will constantly remind them, hey look dont forget that the fans are here and we have to do it for them, they are always there for us , WE must be there for them too!!
So i think the success of becoming Europen Champions, will have a positive effect on next season, as the players (hopefully) will be playing for the FANS, as opposed to playing for themselves (Mr Kewell :angry:)
WE DERSERVE IT

YNWA
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