You’ll Never Walk Alone

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Addressing the Liverpool fans who turned up in their thousands to welcome the team home despite losing to Arsenal in the 1971 FA Cup final, Bill Shankly said – ‘Chairman Mao has never seen a greater show of red strength.’

This is the Liverpool Way. This is the way we lead life at OUR Club. Of course, there are a few changes which will come about as the times change, but the fundamentals will never change. In my humble opinion, as a Liverpool Supporter here are the 3 fundamentals:

Support your players, Support your management and Support your brothers!

Shankly never put down any Liverpool player or the team. In a conversation with the reporters after a 3-0 defeat Shankly said – ‘They’re nothing but rubbish. Three breakaways, that’s all they got.’

Although, I am sure he would have blasted them on the training pitch or the dressing room when they made mistakes, but in front of the world, they were the greatest squad to have been assembled.

Shankly once explained rotation to a reporter – ‘Laddie, I never drop players, I only make changes.’

That’s the spirit of the Liverpool Football Club. That’s the way we look at things. That’s our perspective to life.

Agreed, as supporters we have the right to criticize a player who is not performing on or off the pitch. After all, everyone needs a kick to the backside once in a while, but we have to be careful that the criticism is constructive. The last thing you would want is a Chelsea fan to stumble across the site, copy the comment (They have a habit of copying things from us you now!) and start posting/uttering/crapping it all over the world.

In a recent post about Comolli’s role, there was a lot of criticism thrown at the author. I completely agree to the fact that there should be a little more research around the article. But first, sit back and look at the article itself. The lad has poured his heart out. He has said what he thinks is correct. If you disagree, say it, but abuses and terms like “Waste of time! Crappy Article” is not the way to go about it.

If we are supporters, we have got to support! Not only our team, but the supporters as well. How on earth do you think we will resurrect an army of reds? How do you think Anfield will become a fortress again? How do you think we will have another Shankly in Dalglish? Why do you think this site is called EMPIRE of the kop and not Fact-Finding-Mission-of-the-Kop?

Comolli has been brought in by the management to overlook the transfer strategy. Trust him. Trust that he, as a representative of Liverpool, will do all he can to bring quality players on board. Players who have the talent, the hunger and the fitness levels to play for “The Most Successful Club in English Football”. If in a couple of years he doesn’t, It will not be for the lack of trying.

“You’ll never walk alone” – Let just not say it, sing it, write it, but also follow it. It would mean a lot to people who have recently started following soccer, but also a lot to people who wear the red shirt every week on the football field. If you don’t believe me, just revisit Istanbul.

I would like to end by saying, I have abused Liverpool players. I have argued with fellow reds. I have questioned the policies of the manager. I have questioned the players who are being linked with the glorious club. I have taken down the poster of Torres off my wall and shred it to pieces. However, I will never every agree to start an abuse campaign against a fellow supporter, or a player who still plays for Liverpool Football Club.

YNWA

Ankur Jha

6 Comments

  1. What is the LIVERPOOL WAY?

    Let me tell you what it is: It is a phrase that John Henry STOLE from the New England Patriots (NFL team).

    “The Patriots Way” has been used for 10+ years. It is a code whereby players aren’t allowed to divulge any information to the media. No talk about injuries, no talk about others’ performance, no talk about anything from the locker room.

    With the Patriots, nobody knows how much the head coach earns, what his contract status is, and when the contract expires.

    There is no LIVERPOOL WAY … John Henry just made it up because it sounded nice.

  2. The LIVERPOOL WAY FANZINE has been in existence in Liverpool since about 1998/99,the term was used well before that.

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