LFC approach Wigan for martinez

[llego]

 

It was an awful match. We'd lost it. Anybody else but United.. just anybody but them... even at 2-2 it was too little too late.

 

In all honesty, fans were in shock. You've done it 18 times, your older supporters know the feeling. We didn't.

Forget the money - the jammy fuckers across the road weren't going to be jammy this time.

Grown men crying, all sorts of stuff going through their minds.

 

I lost a good friend of mine last year... shortly before we won a cup. He lived a lifetime (just 40) and never got to see it. I thought of him... and I looked at my son thinking "when I snuff it... he'll remember this - being with his dad, the day we won the league" then he fucked off onto the pitch like a greased whippet dodging the security - made me proud it did!

 

I think most are still in shock, truth be told.

 

You see, it's all relative. For us - it could be once or twice in a lifetime, and many other fans won't even get that.

 

I don't mean to be rude - I really don't, but sometimes Liverpool fans (and United) don't know how lucky you are. You support who you support (whatever the club) - and very few are lucky enough to end up with a team that gives them 5 European Cups, or 18 League titles.

You are VERY lucky fans. And since we've had a very small taste of it, it only emphasises that more.

 

But in truth, we all lucky fans - because 95% of the rest of fans won't even get a sniff. Call them small clubs, mock their lowly stature... but you have to tip your hats off to fans that will live their entire life without winning winning a thing.

 

But I can always look back on the day we said "have THAT you red nosed tw*t" :-)

 

I'll settle for that!

 

You should sign up for the MF, I love your posts. Quality.

[Magic Sponge]

It was an awful match. We'd lost it. Anybody else but United.. just anybody but them... even at 2-2 it was too little too late.

 

In all honesty, fans were in shock. You've done it 18 times, your older supporters know the feeling. We didn't.

Forget the money - the jammy fuckers across the road weren't going to be jammy this time.

Grown men crying, all sorts of stuff going through their minds.

 

I lost a good friend of mine last year... shortly before we won a cup. He lived a lifetime (just 40) and never got to see it. I thought of him... and I looked at my son thinking "when I snuff it... he'll remember this - being with his dad, the day we won the league" then he fucked off onto the pitch like a greased whippet dodging the security - made me proud it did!

 

I think most are still in shock, truth be told.

 

You see, it's all relative. For us - it could be once or twice in a lifetime, and many other fans won't even get that.

 

I don't mean to be rude - I really don't, but sometimes Liverpool fans (and United) don't know how lucky you are. You support who you support (whatever the club) - and very few are lucky enough to end up with a team that gives them 5 European Cups, or 18 League titles.

You are VERY lucky fans. And since we've had a very small taste of it, it only emphasises that more.

 

But in truth, we all lucky fans - because 95% of the rest of fans won't even get a sniff. Call them small clubs, mock their lowly stature... but you have to tip your hats off to fans that will live their entire life without winning winning a thing.

 

But I can always look back on the day we said "have THAT you red nosed tw*t" :-)

 

I'll settle for that!

 

 

You don't end up at a team thats winning honours. You already support them.

[francistierney]

Hi lads,

 

Started a blog recently. Last post is on Roberto Martinez being welcomed to the family in mafia style.

 

sportwithballs.blogspot.co.uk

 

Also, scroll down the blog for a piece on some great Rafa memories.

 

Please give me any feedback through twitter or on here.

 

Nice one.

[WaltonRed]

just for the record, those of you who jumped up and down when City won the league

 

I just shook my head as I watched fellow reds jump and down like we'd won big ears again

 

It was a joke

[Thants]

I think it's Brendan Rodgers, and LFC will hit the top 4. Just a hunch. It's only press-hungry Whelan shouting off, many managers will be interviewed with less mouthy chairman.

 

BOOM

[J-V]

SSN: "Wigan manager Roberto Martinez pledges his future to the club after talks with chairman Dave Whelan"

 

Nice of him.

 

Now we await the gobshite telling the World Martinez turned us down.

[Paco]

just for the record, those of you who jumped up and down when City won the league

 

I just shook my head as I watched fellow reds jump and down like we'd won big ears again

 

It was a joke

 

I was genuinely delighted for City fans when they won the league. Regardless of how they were able to do it. A United fan I know used to have a t shirt with all the trophies united had won in the last 30 years - must've been back about 2003 - and city had won like one league cup or something.

 

dunno whether it's because of oasis or niall quinn, kinkladze, paul lake or just because they are the other team in Manchester but I've always liked man city.

 

still doesn't compare to winning the CL (sorry about the formatting although it does look a bit like prose):

 

I've grown up watching Liverpool on telly. That's what I'm used to so the thought of actually going to Istanbul hardly crossed my mind. I'd lived in Belfast for 6 years so i know it quite well and I have a friend and fellow red who lives up there. he is a Doctor of Psychology and works in Queens University. His office his right across the road from The Bot (botanic Inn) which is far and a way the most popular bar in the student area.We'd watched the UEFA cup final there and various games leading up to it, most memorably Barca at home (McAllisters penalty won it). His name is Chops.

 

Chops'd been there from 4.30 pm and he informed me on the phone that the

place was already chocca. I posted on a forum wishing everyone Good Luck

watching it as I expected Liverpool to put us through the mill as ever. One

of the last things i wote was "...and if it goes to extra time and penalties

hang onto your trunks" having no idea what eventually would lead to the game going to extra time and penalties. I got picked up by another mate The Lawn Ranger, he's a gardener, we discussed the likelihood of what would happen, both convinced Liverpool would win but we didn't know

how. My other close Liverpool compadre is now in Australia so I'd been

texting him in anticipation while listening to 5 live cos the CD player

wouldn't work.

 

Got to Belfast at about 6.30pm, traffic was bad and it was raining. parking

was at a premium so we parked in the Queens Campus, in danger of being

clamped. We got into the Bot which was awash with reds, the beatles were on and everybody was pumped. We met up with Chops, he's got seats right in

front of the big screen, i got the drinks in and we were set.

An hour to kick off, something was troubling the Lawn Ranger. He was hungry and in fear of getting clamped. He decided to leave and get something to eat and park the car somewhere else. we let him go forgetting that you could get grub in the bar. I had a few jars with Chops and had the craic, drinking quite fast because of the nerves. Just after 7 my phone went, it was the Lawn Ranger he couldn't get back in. I went out to plead with the door men, never the most accommodating people, they wouldn't have any of it. There was a big queue now outside, I told the Lawn Ranger to queue for a bit see if he gets in. I went back into the bar and the singing was in full effect. I didn't want to leave! I left it 10 minutes then went back out to see his progress, he hadn't moved. I begged the boucers again, they were gonna fire me out to. Fucking arseholes.

 

I told the Lawn Ranger to head across the road to the Egg (eglantine inn)

and I went in and told Chops the situation. We cursed the Lawn ranger up and

down as we struggled to hear ourselves over the tremendous noise the

Liverpool fans were making. I told Chops to stay there as he was with

colleagues and he had worked hard to keep his prime seats. I told him I'd

meet him afterwards and I left giving the bouncers some shit as I went.

 

Part 2

 

The Eg was dead compared to the Bot which was jumping. I was already fairly wired at this stage so I just walked in and started singing. We stood just inside the door: "Rafa Rafa Benitez, Rafa Rafa Benitez, Xabi Alonso, Garcia and Nunez" and "low lie the fields of Anfield Road" nobody joined in, not even the Lawn Ranger and to make things worse there was a pocket of United fans in there acting up " manchester na na na". I got a couple of pints and the game was about to begin. I was drinking Carlsberg, whereas I usually drink Guinness, this is important for later, I couldn't afford the time of waiting for the pints to settle. So the game begins and of course we're one down in a minute and the united fans are singing. Kewell goes off, waste of fucking time, harry and he brings on Smicer, "where's Dietmar?" I was shouting but I thought "well at least rafa is thinking attack minded".We were getting tanked both in the bar and in Turkey. I went to the bogs and heard on the audio in there, 2 nil down, no way back. I went to the bar on the way back. United fans singing like fuck. Fuck! this can't get any worse, wrong 3 nil just before half time. Devastation. Everybody was stunned. I text Chops "we are a team stunned". I was lamped. Somebody said something to me at the bar and I flipped, I turned around seen the United fans laughing and singing. Chops text back "They've only got us angry". I went round a load of the Liverpool fans crying in their beer and I grabbed their shirts and told them to get up " Come On !! we're Liverpool, on yourfeet! don't give up" (i'm getting shivers down my spine now thinking about it) I started singing again to drown out the United fans and a couple of others began to join in. I sat my drink down in a table in front of me with a group of Liverpool fans sitting there.

 

The second half began, I picked up my drink again and watched hoping for a

miracle. hamann was on, this to me was a good sign, I love Dietmar, i think

he is a great player and his importance to the team was apparent right from

the kick off. he kept the ball and let Stevie G bomb forward. I was cradling

my pint when the guy sitting in front started looking round like he 'd lost

something " here mate thats my pint" I looked down at the glass in my hand "no mate.....". I had, i'd lifted his Guinness and had drank half of it, a

drunken reflex, since I nearly always drink Guinness. " sorry I'll buy you

another". He was calm but pissed off , his team were getting beat and some

drunken idiot who'd been singing on his own had lifted his pint. he got up

to go to the toilet. Riise crosses for Gerrard who loops a header that took

an age to drop into the net. The bar erupted. The guy getting up off his

seat was replaced by the Guinness I'd just stolen from him. "Yes!! Yes!!" we

jumpeed up and down together "aw mate I spilled a pint on your seat" I

pleaded " fuck it" he said "I dont care, we're back in it, get the fucking

songs going". So I did. I lifted the seat, covered in Guinness and I

wouldn't let anybody sit on it, not that anybody would have sat on the

soaking thing. I stood up on it and started singing " You'll never walk

alone" and everybody sang along, i turned round to the United fans and

laughed. I knew that we'd done the hardest thing, scoring the next goal.

Come on!

 

Liverpool on top, ball played across the field arrives at the feet of Vlad

the impaler "hit it Vladi, you owe us". He does, it goes through a couple of

defenders and Dida can't reach it. 3-2 unbelievable! Euphoria in the bar,

hugging everyone. Wait! we're not finished Gerrard breaks through, pulled

down, "Penalty! Yes!!". Xabi steps up, good choice, he'll score. He

misses.........but smashes in the rebound. 3 all. Who'd have thunk it. After

that the game for me is a blur I'm smashed, shattered, watching and

understanding that we have to hang on for the guts of an hour and try to

nick one at any opportunity. The only thing I remember is sheer desperation,

Traore clearing one, Carragher last ditch tackles, Gerrard at right back and

Dudek unbeatable. We had a song from the 2003 Carling Cup Final against Man U when Dudek was outstanding " Dudek is our hero hey hey Dudek is our hero" to the tune of Dude looks like a lady by Aerosmith. Everytime he makes a save the bar is singing our song and then he pulls off that double save from Shevchenks and you just know, you just know that they can't win and we just have to take it from them. Still nobody is allowed to touch the chair. Elation and confusion everywhere, the united fans long since exited the bar. It was ours we just had to win the shoot out.

 

I couldn't remember the shoot out as a whole, just Serginho missing, smicer,

Hamann and Cisse scoring. I couldn't remember the Dudek shuffle and had to

be told the game was over. I hugged people all around me, the best football

night of my life and i shared it with the Lawn Ranger and a load of people I

wouldn't know if I seen again. I tried to get the chair out on the street as

people spilled out of both bars and filed into conga lines up and down the

road. Eventually meeting Chops among the throng of supporters going

ballistic. We went to this office for a couple of beers and to gather our

thoughts. We moved onto another bar then went back to Chops house and watched it again and again and again.......

[FrenchEyeGlass]

He really is a quite a shite manager.

 

Really astounding that we even considered him.

[Biscao]

Finally that piece of shite Whelan is another nobody in the Championship.

[Guest San Don]

Finally that piece of shite Whelan is another nobody in the Championship.

 

Dont newcastle, norridge and sunderland need a point mathematically?

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Finally that piece of shite Whelan is another nobody in the Championship.

 

Not yet. In fact, all they have to hope for is Chelsea beating (or drawing) with Villa and them beating Villa on that last day (by two goals if Chelsea draw).

 

Isn't that unlikely that they'll stay up. The one major factor that goes against them is that they're shite.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Dont newcastle, norridge and sunderland need a point mathematically?

 

Everybody Stoke down can mathematically go down.

[jsims]

He is a shit manager, why the fuck anybody rates him is beyond belief

 

Did anybody catch his pre match interview?

 

I was fucking shocked, he said:

 

"if it comes to the end of the season, and we have a game with nothing riding on it against a game with everything riding on it (relegation).....i would choose the 2nd option every time"

 

What the fuck?!

[Biscao]

OK, I'd rather Newcastle and/or Stoke go down if I could choose actually. But Wigan will do.

[Guest San Don]

Everybody Stoke down can mathematically go down.

 

D'oh! Silly me, there's 2 games left, isnt there?!

[Biscao]

He is a shit manager, why the fuck anybody rates him is beyond belief

 

But but he refuses to give up his convictions about possession football even with a side threatened with relegation! Isn't that admirable?

[Megadrive Man]

Wigan are down, they had to win today, They won't beat Arsenal away in their next league game.

[No2]

I don't get the hate for martinez. Seems like a decent bloke to me, he has achieved his targets every season which is more than most managers do. it seems to me that some posters let it get personal because his boss is a cunt and fsg deemed him worthy of our club, neither of which is his fault. He deserves a crack at a medium size club.

[DooooodekNo5]

Nailed on that Stoke will be in for Emerson Boyce off of them if they go down.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Not their first choice back 4 but you can't defend like they did tonight at this level.