Remembering Our Working Class Hero

BRENDAN Rogers’ Liverpool reign has started by offloading one of the club’s cult heroes, Dirk Kuyt.

Kuyt will be joining Turkish side Fenerbahce next season, and though he has only one trophy to show for his six years on Merseyside, the Dutchman was one of Liverpool’s most important players during that time. He is one of five players with 50 or more Premier League goals for the Reds, and he had a knack of getting onto the scoresheet in very big moments, which only added to his reputation as a big-game player, especially in Europe.

That was what Kuyt was all about, even as his playing time at Liverpool dwindled last season, whenever the bells rang for him, he always responded. No matter the occasion or the weather, Kuyt scored in the most important fixtures.

Now that Kuyt has said his goodbyes, let’s take a walk down the memory lane and look back at his best moments in Red.

1. Premier League Hat-Trick against Manchester United – Dirk Kuyt scored just one hat trick as a Liverpool player, and he couldn’t have picked a better moment. On March 6, 2011, Kuyt scored three goals against the Red Devils, giving King Kenny Dalglish the perfect birthday present. It was the perfect hat trick for Kuyt, as each goal was a true poacher’s goal. He was always around goal, just where you want your striker, and all he had to do was tap the ball home.

2. FA Cup against Manchester United – Cup glory was all Liverpool had to be proud of last season, and it could’ve ended a lot sooner had it not been for Kuyt. He came off the bench against Manchester United in the FA Cup Fourth Round at Anfield, and he scored the winner just two minutes from time to save Liverpool from a replay at Old Trafford.

3. History for Liverpool – It wasn’t the most glamorous game neither was it the best of goals for Dirk Kuyt. But it did put him in Liverpool’s record books. With his strike against Debrecen in the Champions League group stages in 2009, which was his 12th Champions League goal for Liverpool, Kuyt became the third-highest scorer in the European Cup for Liverpool, behind just Ian Rush and Steven Gerrard.

4. Champions League Quarter Final against Arsenal – After Kuyt scored in a win over Inter; he scored a vital away goal at Arsenal in the Quarter Final of Champions League. After trailing Arsenal 1-0 through Emmanuel Adebayor’s goal at the Emirates, Kuyt turned the tides right back toward Liverpool. The match ended at 1-1 draw to set up a classic second-leg matchup the following week at Anfield.

5. Champions League Knockout Phase against Inter – Dirk Kuyt’s scored the first goal of Liverpool’s Round 16 matchup with Inter Milan in February of 2008. Liverpool went on to win the first leg at Anfield 2-0 and advanced to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 aggregate victory.
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6. Champions League Semi Final against Chelsea – Liverpool may not have made it to that 2007 Champions League final without Dirk Kuyt. Liverpool and Chelsea went to extra time in the semi-final second leg at Anfield. First, he had a goal disallowed for offside, but he made up for it later. After Pepe Reina’s heroics in goal, he stepped up and slotted the deciding penalty just past Petr Cech and sent the Reds to their second European Cup final in three years.

7. Carling Cup Final against Cardiff City – Liverpool were made to work hard in the Carling Cup final in February against Championship side Cardiff City, but Dirk Kuyt, came to the Reds’ rescue. He came off the bench during extra time and scored what should’ve been the winner just minutes later. Cardiff City equaled the score right at the death to take the Reds to a penalty shootout, and he did what he’s always done best for Liverpool and duly put his spot kick away to ensure he lifted at least one trophy with Liverpool.

8. Premier League against Chelsea – In January of 2007, Liverpool and Rafa Benitez got the better of Chelsea and Jose Mourinho at Anfield. It was Dirk Kuyt who got the Reds going by scoring after just four minutes at Anfield, and the Reds went on to win 2-0. It was Liverpool’s first goal against a top-four side of the season and Benitez’s first league victory over the Special One.

9. Premier League against Everton – The best way to write yourself into any club’s history is to score against their biggest rivals. Dirk Kuyt did just that with two penalties against Everton in October 2007. Everton lead through a Sami Hyppia own goal at Goodison, but Kuyt slotted home a penalty just after halftime after Tony Hibbert was sent off for a foul on Steven Gerrard. Then, Kuyt slotted home another penalty in stoppage time to continue the Red dominance of Merseyside.

10. Premier League against Manchester City – Liverpool were down 2-0 at Manchester City in October 2008, but two second-half goals from Fernando Torres pulled the Reds back into the match. That wasn’t enough though. Dirk Kuyt popped up and scored the winner in injury time to send Reds fans back to Merseyside positively delighted. Not necessarily a big game, but certainly a big goal.

11. Champions League Final against AC Milan – It was only a consolation goal against AC Milan, but it came in the Champions League final. Not everyone can boast that, especially in their first final appearance. It wasn’t the most special of Kuyt’s European goals for Liverpool, but it was a pretty big moment for him as a player.

It will be hard to replace someone like Kuyt, because Liverpool will never find a more fastidious and devoted servant to a club.

He was reduced to a peripheral figure in the 2011-12 campaign, when manager Kenny Dalglish opted for Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing ahead of him on the wings. While he wasn’t happy about it, Kuyt never let this situation affect his play. Whenever something was asked of him, he duly responded.

At 31 Kuyt still has the quality and strength to make an impact at any club, and should be a fine player for Fenerbache in the next chapter of his career. Liverpool fans will always remember Kuyt as a player who gave his all for the club and accepted whatever role the manager asked him to play.

Wish you all the very best for the future, Dirk. Y.N.W.A

You can find me on twitter @LEONGUI7E

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