Easy Come, Easy Go – Memoir of a Liverpool fan!

It’s not a great time to be a Liverpool fan (To be precise, it never has been for a long time until last season). The English Premier League literally ‘slipped’ out of our grasps. England, which had a dense population of Liverpool blokes in its World Cup team, was knocked out in the group stages in Brazil. Alexis Sanchez became the latest ‘superstar’ to repudiate an offer that would have made him the envy of a certain London club. And to top it all off, our best player, scratch that, the Premier League’s best player left us to join some Catalan club in Spain.

What’s really interesting about that player’s move is the disconcerting fact that he’s moved to a club that should be banned from the transfer market at a time when he himself is banned from any football related activity for the next 4 months. Also, lest I forget, that certain individual whose ultimate aim in life is to play Champions League football could actually become a part of a club that might sometime soon be expelled from the Europe’s prestigious competition due to another proscribed transfer activity.

Woah! Too many expulsions and bans floating in the air. But I guess all that’s part and parcel of the game, especially when it comes to the player and team in question. To be honest, his departure is not quite excruciating as some thought that it might have been. It was bound to happen sometime or the other. Events at the starting of last season made it quite evident that he would definitely be ‘biting’ the dust elsewhere next season. And the fact that he played relentlessly upon his return just added more to that speculation.

 However, the hope was never lost. The faith in him was fortified considering the domination that was shown on the field and the dedication with which the Premier League Golden Boot award was won. But who knew that his stupendous act with the football last season was all just an audition, or to put it more delicately a ploy, to be part of something that according to him is a ‘dream come true’.

I’m not hurt (In other news, the sky is green). Let’s face it! We’ve seen plenty of departures in the past that have knocked the wind out of our sails. Michael Owen, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres, to name a few. But we’ve really come back strong (Have we?) However, what’s really hurting us is the prudent fact that we were not prepared for such a ‘catastrophe’ (Like we ever were!).

We stuck with him during his good times and we stood by his side during his bad times. The Patrice Evra racism ignominy, the Branislav Ivanovic biting fiasco and god knows what not that the idiot has managed to get himself involved with. I recently came across an inspiring article on ESPN that painted a picturesque portrait of him and gave an interesting explanation for his outrageous behaviour. The article said he does what he does whenever he does that because it is his desperate attempt to ‘protect his family’ and a despairing attempt to not return to the horrid childhood that he’s had.

The article is totally justified in its explanation about the maniac. On the other hand what I don’t agree with is the obligatory need for him to do what he does whenever he does it because he feels that if he does not do what he does then he will indeed become someone who has no need for. I mean are you freaking crazy dude?

You’re a classy player with some ritzy talent when it comes to football. You feel that underperforming in one match with take all that away from you? You feel that by just letting a hapless AS Monaco-reject run past you to score will jeopardize your career to such an extent that you need to racially abuse the shit out of him? You feel that trailing to a team that boasts of a Serbian joker, whose biggest accomplishment in life by the way is to share his name with a hot tennis superstar, would in some way demean your character? If yes, then you’re goddam crazy.

Coming back to the ‘not being ready’ part, it’s plain and simple – Liverpool were not ready to tackle this situation. All this time they were being misled that they’re going to get some action from a brainless strumpet only to be kicked in the nuts at the very end. And, not that I’m fixating on it, we’ve been kicked in the nuts quite a few times now. Yes! We did get the compensation that we deserved from his departure and my hopes really rest on Brendan Rodgers to utilize that sum properly, but we all remember what happened when a certain Spanish warrior left.

It’s really perplexing when one realizes the fetish that Liverpool has with English players. The Spanish player’s departure opened the doors for the arrival of Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing. So Liverpool, this is a sincere request from an ardent Red fan – Please don’t spend all the money that we have now on another dude with a stupid ponytail and an overrated Villa player.

I mean we did buy Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana, but to be fair that was before ‘he’ chose to move to a country where his wife’s family is based. Now that is the greatest and the most supreme reason to move somewhere. Obviously you cannot admit openly that the club you’re moving to is ‘better’ than the one you’re leaving. Also, you cannot acknowledge that you’re being stifled there as well. Hence, bring in the family. Indeed! That will work. Like it always has! I mean will the kidding ever stop?

The world is laughing right now at Liverpool. To be fair, we kind of deserve it as well. We never let go of an opportunity to troll others so why should we not be dealt with in the same manner? “It’s only logical.” We trolled Arsenal for years before they broke their trophy drought. We trolled Manchester United last season like crazy when David Moyes was on a ‘record-shattering’ spree. And of course Chelsea’s special one has been trolled over the years as well until the famous ‘slip-up’ last season.

We’ve enjoyed our short-lived ups and relished our prolonged downs. We’ve cherished our majestic triumphs and valued our humbling defeats. We’ve laughed at other’s misfortunes and been laughed at by others at ours. We’ve been trumped beyond recognition by our detractors in the past and have risen like a sovereign phoenix to prove them wrong. It comes and it goes and this time it’s no different!

Luis Suarez: Liverpool's Good Kind of Bad..

Ever since the whole “bitegate” phenomenon involving Luis Suarez and Branislav Ivanovic occurred, every single person on this planet who follows football knew that Suarez is not going to last. Not because of the audacity of his actions, but simply because it was a classic case of “history” repeating itself.

Suarez, who represented Ajax Amsterdam in the Dutch League and scored 81 goals in 110 appearances, was involved in a similar altercation with another player that led to the Uruguayan being handed an analogous penalty.  Now that I come to think about it, the word “altercation” is too gentle. The actions of Suarez were hands-down undisciplined and completely irrational. No matter how much frustrated you are on the field, no matter how much things are not going in your direction, you just cannot lose your cool. Don’t get me wrong, but even the best have been involved in some pretty despicable scenarios (David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, etc) but to do the same thing twice in three years just does not cut it.

Coming back to Ajax, Suarez needless to say was on his way out of the club after being handed a 10-match ban. Liverpool was his new home.  Anfield, his new playground. He didn’t even serve a one-match ban. The penalty went just like that. And ask anyone, but that is what the problem is to begin with. “If you commit the crime, you gotta do the time.” Suarez didn’t. Which is what made him take things for granted. Even after the whole Patrice Evra racism ignominy, Suarez always had the backing of Liverpool. It was at that time when the Reds should have taken things in control. Remember the Good ‘Ol days of Jamie Redknapp, Paul Ince, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, David James & co.? “Discipline” was never compromised with in those days.

But nowadays, it’s all gone down the drain. A striker has become bigger than the club. Brendan Rodgers, the manager, (Don’t get me started on him.. that would need two more blog posts) for some shitty reason always goes out of his way to pamper Suarez. Why? Is it because the club lacks decent strike-force? It is because no one at Anfield has that scoring capability? Maybe.. But then again, isn’t that your own created problem Brendan? Buying idiots in the Transfer Window, Shifting Steven Gerrard to a defensive midfielder role, letting go players who could have made the difference, etc, etc, OH GOD etc..

The bottom line is that discipline and passion is totally compromised at Anfield. The aim to win the league seems so distant that there would be a man walking on Mars before the Kop end rejoices. One just cannot let players become bigger than the club. And that is the sole reason why Sir Alex Ferguson will go down as the greatest manager of all time. Sir Alex was never afraid to put his foot down. Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Roy Keane all have seen the wrath of Fergie. And that is why Manchester United is where it is today.

Luis Suarez is probably the greatest thing that has happened to Liverpool ever since Fernando Torres. Suarez has that talent to become one the Legends at Anfield. If only he does not act like a Red Neck all the time. And it’s not even his fault. The Manager and the Owners just don’t give a Damn. One can’t blame Suarez to demand that he wants to play in the Champions League. It’s natural. Every striker wants to play at the topmost level. But the fact that Liverpool will not be playing in Europe for atleast one more season combined with Suarez’s “I can get away with anything because I’m the King” attitude is what is creating further problems.

Now is the time that Suarez can actually demand what he wants. He’s playing at the top of his game. He’s got the goal-scoring ability. Clubs like Real Madrid are after him. An opportunity to play in the Champions League is in the air. And best of all, he has a 10-match Premier League ban just waiting for him to serve. Why would anyone not want to move away?

I think the Club needs to put its foot down. Suarez needs to go one way or the other. If he doesn’t, then it will be quite a while before he actually gets his mind and heart back in the game for Liverpool. Now is the time that Brendan can redeem himself. Now is the time that the resurrection of the club can start. People talk so much about the Reds’ glorious history.. now is the time to learn something from it. Implement tried and tested ideas rather than experimenting with new ones. Because, quite frankly.. the news one are just not working. To put it in a more “delicate” manner.. the new ideas and “Shit”.