Fickle support isn’t wanted

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There used to be a time when as a fan base we boasted about having the most knowledgeable fans in Europe, a time when we believed in Shankly’s holy-trinity of the players, the manager and the fans. Those times are gone and our support is getting as bad as the likes of Newcastle and West Ham, fickle followings who follow the media like puppets.

If you asked me what the hardest job in football is at the moment without a shadow of a doubt I’d say the job of the Liverpool manager. Rafael Benitez has turmoil above him at our club, our two owners haven’t invested nearly enough into players, forcing Rafa to sell to buy and go for second-choices when it comes to both summer and January targets. What other club in the world is given the transfer budget less than relegation candidates Stoke yet are expected to challenge high-spending Manchester United and Chelsea? The answer to this question of course is none.

Rafa has done an outstanding job so far, bringing us a European Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Super Cup. Not only that but last season we had our best season in two decades, being just beat to the title by a Manchester United side we beat both home and away. This season has been a different story, something I do take into account. We lost Xabi in the summer and brought in Glen Johnson. After the signing of the right back Rafa said he had more money to spend on another big signing, that money was snatched from under his nose by our greedy owners, leaving us lacking in positions which that money could have been used to fill.

Up until this season everyone was behind Rafa, everyone knew that the owners were to blame for our lack of success in recent seasons, it seems people forget quickly and knee-jerk reactions have become the norm. The same fans who chanted Rafa’s name after the win over United last Sunday are the same people who are calling for his head after the loss to Fulham with a heavily injury-struck side. Plain and simple these fans are fickle, they don’t know what they’re talking about so simply follow what the media say. A pundits opinion becomes their opinion as they don’t have an opinion of their own.

I find this SOS Kenny Dalglish thing quite hilarious. Shouting to help from a man who has vocally backed Rafa Benitez is ludicrous, especially someone who showed they may not be up to Premiership management during a disappointing run at North East club Newcastle. I don’t know what people thing having a new manager will achieve? They’d wouldn’t be supported financially as our current manager isn’t, on top of that they’d have to start from scratch building their own squad, putting an end to our title chances, at least for the next couple of season. We don’t need a new manager, we need a new owner.

These aren’t the type of fans that were associated with Liverpool F.C in the past and it’s not the  kind of fans we need in the future. Liverpool F.C needs to go back to its roots, a loyal fanbase dedicated to the team and the manager, who’ll back them through the bad times and the good. The kind of fans who know what they’re talking about, the kind of fans who study the game and learn the ins and outs, the kind of fans who know when we’re in a bad run of form or when something is actually wrong. 

In Rafa We Trust

M. Owen

michael@empireofthekop.com

14 Comments

  1. thanks.you make my day with this stuff. i’m happy that someone actually support rafa.it’s like 1:1million that support him rite now.

  2. I left enough comments re:owners on Andrew’s story yesterday.

    But other than that I agree with your thoughts. What I find amazing is how quiet all forums were last Monday about Rafa, our owners etc. But since Fulham we all start again.

    It was a bad game and we are currently inconsistent but at LFC we stand behind our team, our Manager and our club the most when the chips are down, don’t we?

    Rafa remains in my mind the man to take us forward. Sometimes we expect too much from too little!

    In Rafa we trust

    YNWA

  3. Totally agree. Grew up watching liverpool and I can’t imagine life without watching liverpool play.

    (Altered from a wedding vow. Hee)
    Liverpool, i take you into my heart from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to be your faithful supporter, to give and to recieve, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond, a commitment made in love, kept in faith, and eternally made new.

    Y.N.W.A

  4. At last Michael,a voice of reason.People are quick to point out the total expenditure they dont see the cash Rafa has brought back into the club,or as you ointed out the amount of 2nd choices he has had to sign to keep the squad numbers up and in some way be competitive.And as for bringing Kenny back,that would be right up there with Keegan at Newcastle.Kenny was and still is a great servant and legend at the club,but it would be a massive step back to have him at the helm.Rafa is the right man for the job,we need the right owner to back him.
    Rick Parry seems to have escaped any comment,he was the guy that brought the yanks to the club and Robbie Keane yet its Rafa that gets all the abuse!!
    Ronnie Whelan has also been on RTE having a go at RAFA,criticising the Torres substitution on saturday.I think what he fails to realise is that if we dont beat Lyon on wednesday we wont qualify for the later stages of the CL and his already meagre transfer kitty for both January and next summer will be reduced.Then i think we can forget the title for at least another 2 yrs!!
    We must all support Rafa!!

  5. You know the saying that when fiction is repeated often enough without challenge, it becomes the truth. Many loyal fans just can’t believe how Rafa gets bludgeoned every time the team stumbles. No sense of balance whatsoever. He has done a lot with very little. This is a tough run, but the tide will turn and it’s one of those situations that the team just has to fight through and do their best to put a run together.

    It does help to put our thoughts down as counterweights to the drivel of the Harry Harrises and Ronnie Whelans (when did HE become a pundit?) of this world, so well done Michael.

    YNWA.

  6. First off im not anti rafa at all but get your fact straight. He has had a lot of money to spend over the last 5 years 2nd i believe on net spending, only chelsea above us. A lot of that money has been wasted. Ill not list players we all know them.

  7. 100% with ya michael, Rafa is the man. And the people who claim he should go, if you give me a better alternative …. i’ll be the first guy to support you.

    READ IT CAREFULLY & Mark my words, a guy who has an offer of millions from Real Madrid, won’t sweat standing still on a cold london evening, just like RAfa was… and its only because the spaniard loves the club!

  8. I read the samething everyweekend. We win, and everybody on facebook is hailing Rafa, we lose, people want to stone him to death. I come on this website and read the same articles after we lose, telling the fans to cool it and there is nobody else out there that can do a better job. Now I agree with this article Michael, like I do with all your articles, well written and thought out. We were simply not good enough on saturday and blame has to be spread around to owners, management, and players. The big picture right now is winning on Wednesday, this is a game we cannot lose or draw, it is what you call a must win. If we do not go to the next stage in CL there are going to be serious problems at Anfield, lets all support our beloved reds in this coming match because right now they need it more then ever, where i’m from you are taught never to kick someone while they are down. Walk on.

  9. Agree with u Michael!We are Liverpool FC!We must show support to the mangager n hopefully we’ll win against Lyon!Onwards and upwards.
    YNWA

  10. True fans need not be reminded that we’ll never walk alone. Even if we lose (God forbid) against Lyon on wednesday, even if the rest of the season turns into the greatest nightmare, even if Liverpool were relegated (which wouldn’t happen with Rafa around), I’M IN, AND I KNOW, I WILL NEVER WALK ALONE

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