The last year and a half has seen Liverpool fall disastrously from grace. To the extent that, without the risk of sounding idiotic, it would be safe to say that no one envied the fans of Britain’s most successful football club. Both and off the pitch Liverpool have been a shambles; the antithesis of what has come to proudly embody Liverpool Football Club and its traditions. That was, of course, until the appointment of Kenny Dalglish.
Liverpool have endured an almost over night change in fortunes. Last nights bore draw came as a shock to the system to many fans; the last month has instilled so much confidence in the club that a professional, though deadly dull, performance in a tricky European away tie has been frowned upon. Almost as if our recent decline had never actually occurred, like we have woken up from the nightmare that was Hicks, Gillett and Hodgson, and can now continue to embrace the great expectations that are an intrinsic part of the Liverpool fan’s mentality.
A draw against an Eastern-European minnow like Sparta Prague is being reported as somewhat of an upset with the favour swinging in Sparta’s balance for the return leg; a couple of months ago, Fleet Street would kid themselves this was a well-earned point against a strong side. A relegation battle seemed imminent for large parts of the season, but finishing above champions Chelsea is what many have now set their sights on. Liverpool has been turned on its head. There is pride where there was once embarrassment. There is now the attractive football Liverpool prides itself on, which not so long ago was the long ball game Hodgson torturously employed. There is the togetherness of the fans, players and ex-players, where we got used to the back-stabbing and in-fighting of the aforementioned. There is no longer the smug enjoyment from the media we were subject to after every bad result under Benitez.
The mere presence of King Kenny has, as Jamie Carragher put it, ‘galvanised’ everybody connected with the club, and even those not directly connected with the club. The venom many Liverpool fans felt directed at them under Benitez’s reign is no more; Dalglish’s appointment may well result in Liverpool no longer existing as the feared and respected club we have recently become, but existing as a club that is adored. Adored because of the dignity and class that comes with ‘The Liverpool Way’; something we are convinced King Kenny will restore in Liverpool FC.
I’m fairly confident it won’t be too long before fellow football supporters will envy us once again.
Submitted by Some Team Up North
