WITH the Carling Cup now locked away within Anfield’s overloaded trophy cabinet, as we now head toward the beginning of what some are suggesting is the dawning of a new era, a time where we return to halcyon days, when glory and silver lay entrenched in all that Liverpool Football Club were.
It is quite amazing how victory and collection of silverware can suddenly change the perception we have about our teams capabilities.
Only five short weeks ago some unruly servants to our King were plotting mutiny – an overthrow of the monarchy, with calls saying he had invested badly and was incapable of winning anything. Those same people who were happy to celebrate and revel in the winning of the Carling Cup.
So what made these peasants come to their conclusion? The answer lies within what is known as EXPECTATION. What they believed we were capable of achieving at the inception of this season, and unfortunately as we progressed and failed to actually meet those expectations, some supporters also failed in their own ambitious targets and more importantly they failed to redress those targets.
Most major businesses will, during the year, change targets to have a more realistic ambition. One which they can now more likely achieve – a review. That’s where football fans let themselves down. They need to find that reality check otherwise they will only ever face failure, and along with the failure they have created, comes a blame culture. Who is to blame for their side’s lack of achievement? Of course the answer is never the Football supporter themselves.
At the beginning of a season Bolton Wanderers and Wigan supporters most probably dream about winning a Cup or possibly finishing in the top ten in The Premier League. Fast forward to today and both would happily settle for avoidance of relegation. Manchester United are a prime example. Look at their current review of the season, where more than likely they will settle for winning the Europa League – a huge fall from grace – but you don’t hear many United fans critical of their Manager and certainly not asking for him to be taken to the tower and having him beheaded.
It will most defiantly be difficult for us now to finish in fourth position in the Premier League enabling us to qualify for a Champion leagues berth. That is a reality, although still possible with a good run of games. How the club builds the foundation for its assault on the Holy Grail which is the Premier League title is the most important thing, and not necessarily finishing fourth. By that I mean we need to win the Title – that has to be our mentality. Only then when that is possible will we be able to set ourselves realistic targets.
In the meantime we do have a team clearly capable of winning a major trophy, and with a lot of hard work and some luck we may even be capable of winning two this season. We are not however good enough right now to win the title, we are not the best team in the league, and we do not have the best squad in the league. So let’s give our club the time to build so in two or three years we do have a squad capable of winning the title, and once again have the best team in the league.
The important thing that fans and supporters can do right now is be realistic in the immediate ambition you have for the club. Let’s have a dose of realism, in the euphoric aftermath of our Wembley triumph, lets enjoy our victory but not forget what supporting this great club entails. The taste of that victory has reminded us all where we stand in the history of British football, and if we are to return to our former heights then time is the most important ingredient.
As Bill Shankly said about our club and about our fans;
“Above all, I would like to be remembered as a man who was selfless, who strove and worried so that others could share the glory, and who built up a family of people who could hold their heads up high and say – we’re Liverpool”
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We definitely need a dose of reason in this. We were only just this side of dreadful in the display at Wembley and should be grateful we scraped through. Reality seems to indicate that we will have the Europa league next season and if displays don’t DRASTICALLY improve our run it in will be short and painful! There is absolutely no way we will get 4th this year the points gap is too big and our performances are too wishy-washy. Our rivals are much better equipped to turn in winning performances whilst we struggle in front of goal . Unfortunate but realistic!
No harm in being realistic, but in turn there’s no harm in hoping for better – which is what we all want. Most grounded fans can see there is progress. But as the writer correctly points out, time allowed is vitally important – much to the dismay of the deluded ‘fan’ & the love of the southern media who revel in every obsticle we face. Still, things continue to look up!
Exactly Jimmy!
Southern media?????
Manc media……they are nowadays based there
Surely you’ll recognise that Liverpool beat Man City over two legs, Chelsea away and Stoke away all in succession before reaching the final merits some cautious optimism:
http://footballneutral.blogspot.com/2012/02/mid-season-victory.html
They may be based in Manchester, they are still however London Mafia. Chunky there is a difference in being pesimistic and having a level headed approach, we can still finish in fourth, the point I make is expectation for this season had started way above where realism should have been. I believe we are a good side with some excellent potential, my example is Skertel,Lucas and Carragher all were being slagged to the hills in their first two seasons, now look at those players, be supportive and give them time to flourish.
Thnaks for your comments, I appreciate you taking the time to read and also comment.
#YNWA
Excellent article Chris, beautifully written.
Fourth in my opinion is still a possibility, not impossible. If only we can put in consistent performances against the mid-and-end-table sides.
Too many supporters listen to what stupid journalists who have an agenda against our club have to say, they are always telling us that we are not good enough, well regardless of how we played at Wembley, we actually showed them that we can win a trophy one of only 3 major trophies up for grabs this season, so in my eyes that is a thirty three percent success rate unlike Chelsea, Arsenal and most likely Man United who all look like having a zero percent success rate this season.
Chunky i think you are to harsh on our team. Great article again from Chris. #YNWA
You want to take the realistic view that’s fine, but the club I support Liverpool FC is too big an too famous to be ending outside the four for the third season running. Considering we are having our worst home record since before the war but still…we are in touching distance of Chelsea an Arsenal, just shows how awful their seasons has been. 4th is possible, very much so. please show more optimism
I agree that we, as Liverpool fans, must be realistic in our expectations, I don’t think it’s unrealistic to expect that we should have had a better league season so far. Regardless of the quality of the players (we didn’t know that when they were signed), we spent an absolute fortune in the past 12 months; more than any Liverpool side has had in such a short period, and yet we’re no better placed that we were at the same time last year. That isn’t progression. There’s being realistic and there’s being blindly supportive of Kenny and the club.
League form may indicate that we are no better placed but actually winning a cup and guarenteeing a place in Europe surely shows we have improved over last season – not to mention, the football we play in infinatly better than under Uncle Woy!
Well said Souey’s tache, first trophy in 6 years, so perhaps our spending has been successful, this is my point, that some refuse to see or deliberately miss.