By Shaun Dowling
‘Go out there and drop hand grenades’ was the words the great Bill Shankly once told Kevin Keegan. At first glance, it may be what Suarez will be doing over the next few months and one was already dropped on Torres memory last night.
After the game, I was reading someone comparing Suarez to Fowler and then Carroll closer to Collymore, but for some of us who are a bit older it may seem closer to Kevin Keegan and John Toshack. Remember Kenny has given Suarez the number 7 shirt. Wow, what an honour – Kenny giving you his shirt to play in. It was Keegan´s before. We know no one has managed to fill it regularly since Kenny retired and after last night there wasn´t any weight on it at all.
Great move by Kenny as he didn´t give the press time to write long comparisons of the two. Also like Keegan, it was the first game and the young Uruguayan scored what a start. This too happened to Keegan against Nottingham Forrest 30 years ago, and one more thing Keegan hadn´t trained with the first team either and was always in the reserves.
Can you imagine Kenny saying the same thing to Suarez as Shankly said to Keegan in that very first game for the club, ‘just go out and enjoy yourself’. It seems Suarez did just that and what an impact he made that last week´s turmoil seems forgotten.
What more can we say about comparing these the number 7s? It may be too early to compare, of course, but the one thing is that when Shanks first contracted Keegan he commented that he looked at his physique that he would make a good boxer. He even made him take off his shirt and tell the media that Keegan was built like a light middleweight.
For those who saw Keegan play he fought for everything, had fantastic energy and never stopped running. Luis has been called a fighter in the press and this gives us another comparison. I don´t think Luis will be squaring up to any Billy Bremner types as Keegan did in the Charity Shield. However, it may be from the admiration coming from Ajax that Suarez´s work ethic in doing extra training even after coming back from South America may also be similar to the once 2 time European Player of the year and also set an example which made him a leader at his former club.
I remember in my first game at Anfield watching Keegan take the corner, and with stars in my eyes I´m sure it was Toshack who headed in front of the Kop as we ran out 3 v 1 winner against Middleborough that freezing Wednesday night. Could this happen with Carroll too?
Keegan also had a special relationship with Shanks and that romantic time seems to have been evoked with the return of Dalglish. Every fan that saw Dalglish both play and run the club 20 years ago must have, like me, a tear of happiness in their eye every time The King walks on the field and gives one of his press conferences. It is immense, it is so like Shankly.
One other thing, in his biography Keegan said that Shankly talked about “the club, the ground, the stand the supporter – especially about the supporters. He loved them as much as they adored him.” Who does this sound like?
Now let´s see if Carroll can form that lethal partnership with Suarez as Tosh and Keegan had all those successful years ago. The signs are there so let´s hope our team sees them and more explosions like last night await us.
Shaun Dowling
Great piece! Suarez our new #7 will be a welcome addition to the likes of Keegan and the King! Fernando who? YNWA
Come on guys lets put a line behind the spaniard. Suarez looks great. I really do feel confident about the future. Can’t wait for Carroll to come and join him.
banner wanted – what ever happened to whatshisname.
its not a coincidence we are winning games it is because we now have a manager who knows what he is doing. we should have a great future, what a fabulous couple of players we have bought.
Great read Shaun, I remember those days and Kevin Keegan was my Hero and the reason in becoming a Liverpool fan. I say fan as I watched them after finishing shiftwork on the tele, it excited me in what I saw, there was something different about watching this football team, it was’nt the winning or the hurt of losing, I could’nt put my finger on it, so to speak.
It was’nt till I changed jobs that I got into a group of lads who supported LFC that things started to change, they not only organized a trip to Anfield, but a weekend in Liverpool.
The match was against Spurs, they had’nt won us in donkeys years so the expectations was high, it had to happen we lost one nil to Spurs, Garth Crooks the scorer.
But what I remember was the header from Rushie hitting the crossbar, nearly the equalizer, a different colour of red blood flowed through my veins, I had become a supporter.
Next day after the match and a hard days night on the ale, we went on a tour of Anfield, words cannot explain walking round, seeing the silverware,touching the This is Anfield sign, walking out to an empty Anfield and Kop end, an all standing Kop in those days.
Yes I am a outer towner, and I drive/travel twohundred and ten mile exactly, I have registered it time and time again to watch and support my football team.
I also can say I have three generations of Red supporters in my family now that been to Anfield with me, nobody can say that I did’nt fetch my family up proper.
Shaun, going back to your topic, when we signed Suarez I thought OK this guy is supposed to be good? then I watched him last night weave his little bit of magic, pass and movement, just like the old school, the awareness of what was going on around him, this guy is special.
When we signed Carroll I was thinking whats going on here? although he has made an impact with Newcastle what role could he do for us.
When we start thinking about it, he’s a monster, he’s a Crouchie with power, He’s going to be a big BIG nuisance in the box for us, he will cause havoc, this pairing I’m looking forward to see.
I know we should not look back, but I can’t help thinking of the Toshack and Keegan partership also, it struck me last night seeing them, Carroll strolling onto the pitch, the size of the man, Suarez what more can I say, these two are made for one another.
Yes Stan it is the manager that is naking the diference. Thank goodness Woy has gone and common sense has taken over.
Great read Grarad. I think Kenny is looking back at those basic football principles that the club always stood for and were successful with. It speaks to the community of Reds that understand that as group we are stronger. It is the core pillar of the club.
I think even Houllier and Rafa understood this and that is why in the long rum their names will be respected not just for the trophies they
won.