SCLOG111114ChriS> Personal intro ...
Strange Week, and w/end with no REds game, from "Monty REdS " (in white) lost in Prague, slim chance tomorrow to qualify for euro 12 , friday I drunk a rakija with the pub owner on the 11h of the 11th day of the 11th month of the 11th Year... . our 6-a-side WON (easily) again, for the 2nd week in a row, and I only played 20 mons, didnt break sweat, but the lads now play like A TEAM! ..Nenad joined us too form the bench, watched "Shine" again, if you dont "GET" that sort of film, then you are probably already dead! ;)
In this SCLOG... Kenny angry, Suarez Magic, insideTraining and, the most important people... OUR TRUE REd SUPPORTERS,
 |
| Bridge , at VIR pazar in HJC t-shirt, didnt jump |
No "trekking " this week (as I went to hear Acel sing and dance with lovely Liset & Ingrid...cheered me up as I was missing my (LIVER)"bird" ;)
SUPER Suarez ..
(but please save some goals for the REdS )
Luis scored 4 for Uruguzy, perfect performance before beign subbed as a precaution... left foot, right foot and 2 headers! what a player, if he can stay injury free (he will be "targeted" by opposition) then we can challenge for the title..with a bit of luck and FAIR refereeing...(?)
PICs (stick)
LINK
Luis Suarez has revealed his desire to remain at Liverpool for many years to come.
The Uruguay star has made a scintillating start to life on Merseyside and looks more than capable of carrying on the traditions of the club's famous No.7 shirt.
He admits he feels completely at home in England and believes it would be difficult to recreate his level of satisfaction anywhere else in the world.
Suarez said: "I've just started a phase of my career which I always dreamed about and wanted to do, which is to play for Liverpool.
"I have five years left on my contract and I think beyond that, I'm already thinking about staying many more years at Liverpool.
"It's a club I like. I feel very good about being here, about being in the city.
"I feel very pleased. It would be difficult to match the atmosphere, hunger for success and glory that this club has at another team."
Meanwhile, Suarez reiterated his joy at netting four goals in a World Cup qualifier against Chile on Friday night.
The striker gave another example of just why he is rated amongst the top footballers in the world and revealed that his teammates had joked that he could even have doubled his tally had he not been withdrawn on 76 minutes as a precautionary measure.
He said: "You always dream about scoring goals and scoring four in a game is not easy, but if it wasn't for the efforts of my team mates, I would not have scored the goals.
"The important thing is that I could keep playing, but I did not over-extend myself in some plays. One of my team-mates joked that if it wasn't for the slight back pain I could've scored eight!"
He added: "I love playing, so whenever I'm taken off I mourn a little, and get a sick feeling in my stomach, but it's all about the team, and I always appreciate everyone's efforts"
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has hailed the 'extraordinary' influence of Luis Suarez following the striker's four-goal haul in a World Cup qualifier against Chile. The Reds No.7 produced a one-man show as he netted all of his country's goals in a 4-0 rout on Friday night, leaving his coach saluting his overall impact. "I don't understand how people can still be surprised by Suarez. This kid is achieving incredible things and it is exciting to watch him play," said Tabarez. "I remember he had a few problems when he first started at Nacional, then he exploded in Holland with Groningen and Ajax. He became captain in Amsterdam and now is starring for Liverpool. He's extraordinary."
Author: Paul Hassall
...Daniel Agger admits Luis Suarez is causing him plenty of headaches in training - and claims there is no striker in the world who plays like our Uruguayan. The centre-back has sympathy for defenders tasked with stopping a player who has created 19 chances in league competition this term and executed an unrivalled tally of 43 shots. "I think his performances speak for themselves," said Agger in an exclusive LFC Magazine interview this week. "Everybody can see that he is a class player. He is so different. I cannot find any other striker that looks like him or plays like him.
"It's not because he does any fancy things or anything like that, he just gets the ball in front of goal and creates the chances for himself. Sometimes the way he gets the ball and the way he gets in on goal - you don't believe it. "But all credit to him and if he can continue like that, he is definitely going to be one of the world's best. "He does it every day in training, so we know how hard he is to play against. People can see every Saturday afternoon that defenders are struggling to keep him at bay.
"It gives everybody in our team a boost to know we have someone like that in attack. To achieve something, I think you need players like that in your team." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/we-can-t-stop-luis-in-training
===============================
Kenny (rightly) angry over (biased) fixture (dis)organisation..
(Kenny)
Kenny critical of Cup tie date
11th Nov 2011 -Liverpool Manager Kenny Dalglish today criticised the decision to play the League Cup Quarter-final at Chelsea on November 29th - just 48 hours after the Reds face Manchester City at Anfield.
Said Dalglish: "It is disgraceful in this day and age that players are being asked to play a key Premier League game and then a League Cup Quarter-final in London just 48 hours later. It's understandable with the Spurs v PAOK Salonika match and the TUC rally that the Met Police have said that our game cannot be played on the Wednesday. But it's surely the duty of the football authorities to think of other solutions which consider the welfare of the players and this clearly hasn't happened.
"Manchester City are in a similar position to us with their game at Arsenal and it's for them to argue their case, but it is my job to stand up for the interests of Liverpool Football Club. Here you have two clubs who have treated this competition with utmost respect over the years and they are being treated like this. I'd be interested to know what the sponsors think of the situation and what it does for the reputation of the competition.
"It seems totally irresponsible as well that the Quarter-finals are scheduled in the same week as Europa League games. If Stoke had beaten us in the last round and were through to face Chelsea then the tie gets rescheduled for another date - it's as simple as that. But when we ask the Football League to move our game to a later date, we're told it's impossible. Where's the logic in that? What would have happened if all four of the English clubs playing in the Europa League had got through to the Quarter-finals? If the Football League want to devalue their own competition, that's up to them, but they shouldn't then be upset if people use these games to help in the development of young players.
"We've also got the situation that both ourselves and Manchester City were happy for the League game to be moved back to the Saturday so we both had proper time to prepare, but again we are told by the Premier League that this is not possible either for TV reasons and just to get on with it. Ian Ayre specifically consulted with the Premier League who had some discussion with Sky, but neither were able to accomodate our position.
"The one thing I will say to our fans is to think carefully before buying tickets for the League Cup game because we do not want them spending their money and then we decide there is no other option but to use only young players in the tie."
CHRIS> usual BIAS against us, the LOndon based football "authorities" (usual) moronic decisions always seem to go against us...no "coincidence" that they full of Mancs & London-based fans? who always resent OUR superior status in World football - culture??
====================
Henderson
Jordan Henderson enjoyed a night to remember as he skippered his country to a 5-0 victory over Iceland in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2013.
The Liverpool midfielder produced an all-action display as England's U21s cruised to victory at Brighton's Amex Stadium in a match which also saw Anfield teammate Martin Kelly add his name to the scoresheet.
========================
FUTuREdS
Liverpool have qualified for the NextGen Series knockout stage following Sporting Lisbon's win in Molde on Saturday night.
The Portuguese outfit claimed a thrilling 4-3 success in Norway to ensure they will finish as Group 2 winners having amassed an impressve 13 points so far.
The result also means Liverpool's seven point haul is enough to clinch the runners-up spot, with (Wolfsburg 6 points) and Molde (four points) having completed all of their matches.
Rodolfo Borrell's charges will now travel to Lisbon for the final contest of the group on Wednesday night, a match you can watch live on LFCTV and LFCTV Online from 7pm GMT.
 |
| Morgan scores v chelski |
Mike Marsh is confident USA U17 starlet Marc Pelosi has a bright future at Liverpool.
The U18 coach gave the Academy's new recruit a run out during last weekend's 1-1 draw with Crewe and admits he has been highly impressed by his impact during training sessions. Marsh told Liverpoolfc.tv: "He's a good player. He's been training with us for a while. He's in between squads really, training with the reserves one week and then the U18s the next. "We've been waiting for his paperwork to come through and now it has everyone is delighted. He managed 45 minutes for us against Crewe last weekend and looked a really good player. He was also on the bench for the reserves at Blackburn.
"He's a left-footed player who can play anywhere on the left-hand side and he's also captain of his country at youth level. "I think he will be a real plus for the football club." Despite an opportunist header from Nathan Quirk, the U18s' hopes of securing a third win on the bounce were undone by the Railwaymen. Marsh felt his side did more than enough to win the contest and was left to lament a missed penalty from Jordan Lussey as well as a whole host of opportunities. He said: "We created a lot of chances from start to finish. They had a few too and hit the woodwork early in the second half, but other than that it was chance after chance for us. We also missed a penalty and then managed to get an equaliser.
"I don't think we can ask any more from the boys other than to start converting the chances they are creating." He added: "We haven't really got a nominated penalty taker. Whenever Adam Morgan plays for us he takes them. Matty Regan took one at Everton recently and Sam Gainford was the one we had in mind last Saturday but he came off at half-time. "Jordan was brave enough to step up and say he would take it. It was a great save and if he was called upon to take one again I'm sure he wouldn't hesitate."
The U18s currently sit fourth in the Premier Academy League Group C table, just four points adrift of leaders Blackburn Rovers. Marsh has been pleased with the progress his team have made during his 11 competitive matches in charge and points to an emphatic success over third-placed Wolves as an example of what his youngsters are capable of on their day. "We've progressed nicely. It's been a learning curve for us because we have a lot of young lads in the side, but we've adapted well on the whole," he said.
"We could maybe score a few more goals with the chances that we have been creating and with a bit of luck, in time, we will start to convert more of those opportunities." He continued: "I think the 4-0 win at Wolves stands out. We didn't give much away in defence and looked good going forward. We could probably have scored more too. If you look at the table Wolves are up there challenging, so you now realise just how good that result was."
==========================
TRAINING @ Melwood
Kevin Keen today provided Liverpool supporters with a unique insight into day-to-day life on the training pitch behind-the-scenes at Melwood – and explained why meeting for the first time Kenny Dalglish left him pleasantly surprised.
The first-team coach has been with the Reds for just over four months having joined the club from West Ham United in early July.
Keen admits he is relishing his role, but reveals he felt a tinge of nerves when coming face-to-face with Dalglish due to the manager's illustrious reputation in world football.
"It's been brilliant working with Kenny," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "You come in with this idea of Kenny being this hero.
"I grew up in the '70s when Liverpool really, really took on the world and were the best club side in world football. Kenny was the star of that team.
"So you come in with these ideas of him being a superstar, but in fact he's just a gentleman. A really, really good man who desperately wants Liverpool to do well."
Keen believes he and Dalglish, as well as fellow first-team coach Steve Clarke, all share similar philosophies and beliefs about the way football should be played and the importance of players enjoying their daily training sessions. login
He said: "This is my 10th year coaching, and my philosophy has always been that training has got to be fun and enjoyable.
"I always enjoyed certain types of training more than others, and I think the fun element is a massive part of training every day, week in week out.
"Even though the game has become more professional, everything is on the telly and everything has got to be spot on, I still think the fun and enjoyment element has got to be there. I think Kenny is very important in that role.
"He is a fantastic leader of Liverpool Football Club, a really good manager. All of those little aspects in terms of man management, making sure you have a little bit of fun when the time is right, Kenny is fantastic at that."
During an in-depth discussion with Liverpoolfc.tv at Melwood, Keen also lifted the lid on his role within the club, Liverpool's training methods, as well as explaining why Steve Clarke is the most meticulous coach he's ever encountered...
Kevin, you've been at Liverpool for four months now. How are you finding it?
I'm loving it - really enjoying it. The support from all the staff around the place has been great for me, and the players have taken to me quite well. Things are going quiet well - on the football pitch perhaps we could have had a couple more wins, but I am really enjoying it, pleased to be here and enjoying the Liverpool experience.
Talk us through a typical day for you at Melwood...
I normally come in between eight and half eight in the morning. Kenny, Steve and I will talk about the training and sort out what we want to do, whether it's team work towards a game at the weekend, or just a bit of hard work with different ideas on different days. We'll then take the training session and any little bits afterwards, such as shooting with certain players certain people like Jordan (Henderson), Stewart Downing, Andy Carroll, Jay (Spearing) and people like that.
After training, we'll often come in, sit down, have a cup of tea and talk about the week ahead, the opponents we're playing and how we're going to play against them. We'll maybe look at some videos too and things like that.
That's a typical day. It's not like it used to be for players when they'd turn up 10 minutes before training, train and then go home. It's a long day!
Does your role cover any specific areas of training?
Steve and I dovetail - we both do defence and attack. There is no real priority. I think at this moment in time I have lent a little bit more to attacking, but there's no set area. We work together and cover all aspects.
So are the contents of each training session decided upon each morning?
At the start of the week we've got a good idea of how we're going to work the week. On a Monday, we'll build up to different days to do different sessions. Then, in the morning, we'll just clarify exactly what we're going to do.
Do the training sessions change game-to-game or is there a set plan that's followed?
I think there is pretty much a regular plan in terms of 'Monday we might do this, Tuesday we'll do this...' But it will have a little tweak every week depending on who we're playing against. For example, maybe the defensive work might be a little bit different, or maybe we'll not do any defensive work if we want to concentrate more on something that happened the previous weekend. So little tweaks come into place depending who we're playing against, how we played the previous weekend and things we need to work on.
We often see photographs and footage of the players smiling in training. How important is it they enjoy sessions?
Different coaches will have different views on enjoyment in training and fun - but I am a massive believer in players enjoying training and it being fun. You grow up playing football on the park and having fun. The reason you played was because it was fun. You had a good work out, you ran about and enjoyed it.
This is my 10th year coaching, and my philosophy has always been that training has got to be fun and enjoyable. I always enjoyed certain types of training more than others, and I think the fun element is a massive part of training every day, week in week out. Even though the game has become more professional, everything is on the telly and everything has got to be spot on, I still think the fun and enjoyment element has got to be there.
Presumably Kenny is eager to retain that 'fun element' too?
I think Kenny is very important in that role. He is a fantastic leader of Liverpool Football Club, a really good manager. All of those little aspects in terms of man management, making sure you have a little bit of fun when the time is right, Kenny is fantastic at that.
How have you found working with Kenny?
It's been brilliant. You come in with this idea of Kenny being this hero. I grew up in the '70s when Liverpool really, really took on the world and were the best club side in world football. Kenny was the star of that team. So you come in with these ideas of him being a superstar, but in fact he's just a gentleman. A really, really good man who desperately wants Liverpool to do well.
How does Kenny differ from other managers you've worked with?
There are big differences between personalities and characters. Working with Gianfranco Zola for a couple of years would probably be the nearest to Kenny because he is a world superstar as well. But again, both Kenny and Gianfranco are both really humble, good people who are in love with football and want their teams to do well.
Avram (Grant), Alan Pardew, Alan Curbishley and Glen Roeder are the managers I've worked under, and they all had different ways of doing things. Going back to the enjoyment aspect, some had more enjoyment and fun with players, while others would be quite stern and not take that on board. They all had their different ways, but I think Kenny and Gianfranco have that parallel in my eyes because of their status as global, world stars, and yet they're both passionate about their football, about doing well and they're both winners. They want to win. They're very similar in that respect, maybe due to their upbringings.
Steve Clarke is someone you know well from your West Ham days. How much are you enjoying working with him again?
I love working with Steve. I cheer him up every morning and put and smile on his face!
He is meticulous in his planning - whether it's training, travelling to games or set plays. He is the most organised person I've seen in terms of getting training right. We have similar ideas and philosophies on how the game should be played and how we should defend and attack. It's good and I enjoy working with him.
What are those philosophies?
Steve played at St Mirren but then went to Chelsea at a time when they really started to play some attacking, enjoyable-to-watch football under Glen Hoddle. Similarly, I was at West Ham for the majority of the time, and later went on to Stoke and Wolves, and we had that idea of playing pass-and-move, attacking football - which Kenny talks about all the time and I'm sure Liverpool fans enjoy watching.
I remember watching it at Liverpool in previous times. But there has to be that element of passionately defending and making sure there is an organisation that goes alongside that attacking flair. I think I've summed it up quite well there!
We're currently on an international break. What sort of work are you doing with the players who have remained at Melwood?
We're currently working with about four players, so it's difficult because you can't put sessions on for an hour and 15 minutes revolving around four players. On Wednesday, we had quite a sharp, quick day and concentrated a little bit on Jose's (Enrique) left-back position and working on a few things with him.
On Thursday, we used Rodolfo Borrell's reserve squad to bring the numbers up and that was quite good for Steve and I to be able to see the young lads who are doing well in the reserves. I thought Raheem Sterling trained very well and a couple of goalkeepers did well. It was a good day and we had a good group, otherwise the international weeks can be quite awkward because numbers wise it is difficult to put on sessions.
How closely do you follow players on international duty? Do you ever go and watch any of the games?
Yes. Kenny and Steve are reluctant to go to the England games, so I'm the one who covers them! I'll be going on Saturday to hopefully watch Pepe (Reina), Stewart (Downing) and Glen (Johnson). Hopefully all three of them will be playing. We've also got scouts, we make sure all the games are recorded and immediately afterwards we'll have a report. Injuries are a big concern for us, especially with the games we've got coming up.
So we keep track of them and make sure they're watched. I think it's a big honour to represent your country and certainly in the case of the England versus Spain game, I would have loved to have been given the opportunity to play against the world champions at Wembley - but I didn't quite make it!
=======================================
PEPE is the BEST!
Goalkeeping coach John Achterberg believes Liverpool have the best stopper in English football.
The Dutchman pinpoints Pepe Reina's distribution and reading of the game as qualities which set him apart from his contemporaries.
The latter can mean he reacts up to four seconds quicker than other custodians according to Achterberg, who has also coached Joe Hart when the England No.1 was loaned to Tranmere.
"He is up at the top," said Achterberg when asked where Reina ranked among Barclays Premier League goalkeepers.
"His reading of the game is special. He reacts sometimes before the pass has happened. He already knows and is three or four seconds quicker than other 'keepers.
"And when we play on the break, when we win the ball back from free-kicks or corners, he's very good at setting up counter-attacks with his way of distributing. He picks the right passes 90 per cent of the time."
Reina hopes to face Hart and co when Spain play out a friendly with England on Saturday, though Barcelona's Victor Valdes and Iker Casillas of Real Madrid are also fighting for a place.
Achterberg for one would like to see our No.25 get the nod.
"He is not playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid - though he has the qualities to play for either of those clubs - so the fact Pepe is always in the squad means they rate him," said the 40-year-old, who played 253 games for Tranmere.
"I'd like him to play. Their manager will make the decision. They normally look to play everyone in friendlies so hopefully Pepe can start."
While Achterberg is charged with overseeing the training of all goalkeepers from U9 level up, one of his main duties is to prepare Reina for games - and provide feedback on the Spaniard's performances.
So how does he go about improving a man who owns a World Cup medal?
"You look at his games and see small details that maybe could be improved," said Achterberg. "You talk to Pepe and try to come up with sessions that improve those parts of his game. Although he has a lot of experience, he is very good, he has a professional mind, and he knows sometimes he can do things better."
Reina pulled off some spectacular saves in what was his 150th LFC clean sheet against Swansea last weekend, but sharp-eyed supporters may have noticed a fumble in the second half at the Kop end.
Achterberg revealed how our man between the sticks copes with such moments.
"Pepe responds really well to it, doesn't let it affect him," he said. "He gets on with it and is ready for the next one. If you let it affect you it gives you a problem for the rest of the game, because it affects the team and it affects your performance.
"It's a pressure you have to deal with. You have to be mentally strong to be a goalkeeper. If you make a mistake there can be a lot of criticism: the press; supporters, teammates, staff. You have to rise above it and carry on with your job.
"I haven't seen many goalkeepers who make fewer mistakes."
=================
Stevie....careful!!!!!
Steven Gerrard has revealed why he will be treating Euro 2012 as though it's his last-ever international tournament - and he's determined to help England end their long wait for a trophy. The Three Lions breezed through qualification for the finals - which will be held in Poland and Ukraine next summer - and are awaiting to discover who they'll face in the group stage of the tournament. Gerrard has figured in four international competitions for his country, but has never gone further than the quarter-final stage. It's a statistic he's eager to change next year.
He said: "If you put things into perspective, we've only been successful at one tournament ever and that makes you realise just how difficult it is to be successful at this level. "But it would be nice, if this is to be my last tournament, to get to a semi-final or a final rather than come away disappointed like we have been previously. "Going into any tournament as a player, you always take it as your last because you never know what could happen two years down the line. "But I'm 31, I'll be 32 by the time Euro 2012 comes around, so, whatever happens, I'll be treating it as my last one."
Gerrard will miss England's forthcoming friendlies with Spain and Sweden as he continues his recuperation from an ankle infection.
CS>Stevie may have to consider, as Carra did, that its best to chose CLUB success and help us win the league, than , perhaps to stretch his "injury-plagued" body for Both Club and eng-ur-land..Obviously I wish he would just focus on LIVERPOOL, because a FIT SG could certainly dp a lot to help us win the League, even to go for it THIS season..
===========================
Liverpool vs Swansea 2011 Highlights 0-0 Video| Soccer Blog|Football News, Reviews, Quizzeswww.soccer-blogger.com
Liverpool again fail to get all three points against a promoted outfit at home as they are held to a goalless draw by Swansea City. Michel Vorm in tremendous form for Swansea.
Chris > cross-bars & posts, bad refs, great goalkeeping by visitors, 20+ shots a game,and too many missed chances ..if we improve slightly on play like this ,though, with luck,we could win this league!
"Stats"
Lucas Leiva was the most accurate passer on the pitch during Liverpool's goalless draw with Swansea at the weekend. For this and other match stats courtesy of Opta, keep reading.
Liverpool had 25 shots, five of which were on target. Swansea directed three of their 12 efforts between the sticks.
Ten of Liverpool's hits were from outside of the 18-yard box - Swansea tried from distance nine times.
The hosts had 52.3 per cent of possession but lost 52.4 per cent of their 'duels'.
They dominated in the air, however, winning 68.8 per cent of their aerial battles.
The story of the goalkeepers was that Pepe Reina made three saves to Michel Vorm's five. Our man between the posts had an 80 per cent passing accuracy to Vorm's 43.8 per cent.
Charlie Adam had the most touches of anyone in red with 100. Glen Johnson had 82 to leave him second.
Lucas Leiva recorded the best stats in possession of the 22 who started the game. He passed the ball 66 times with an accuracy of 95.5 per cent, though just three per cent of his passes were long.
For the second game in succession, Martin Skrtel pipped every defender on the pitch when it came to passing. An impressive 91.9 per cent of his 37 passes reached their destination.
The Slovakia international also attempted a higher percentage of long balls than any of his LFC teammates with 18.9 per cent.
Of all the strikers who started, Luis Suarez completed the most passes (39) and had the highest accuracy (71.8 per cent).
Daniel Agger executed more shots than any defender on the pitch - four. None were on target. Stewart Downing took this honour in midfield, hitting the target twice from four attempts.
Luis Suarez was by far the busiest striker on the field of play with seven shots, three of which were on target.
Charlie Adam set up more shots for teammates than anyone else. In fact his tally of seven shot assists was more than double anyone on the pitch.
Lucas, Adam and Agger conceded the most fouls on the day, earning a whistle three times each.
The corner count was Liverpool 11-4 Swansea.
Liverpool played 512 passes and had an 83 per cent accuracy rate - up 1.5 per cent from the victory over West Brom.
Swansea played 471 passes, 86 per cent of which found their target.
Phil Dowd awarded 15 free-kicks against Kenny's men but penalised Swansea just five times.
Pasted from <http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/lucas-our-most-accurate-passer>
=================
the most important people of all ; - TRUE REdS SUPPORTERS & fans
· Fikls Bratcez
○ Hi Chris, I saw on Macedonian Reds that you didn't got the e-mail I sent it to you. I have an e-mail from your visit card, I sent the article to that mail. Here is the story, i hope that you'll publish it.
Best wishes and regards from all MacReds
Story of Macedonian Reds
“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
The love and passion towards football managed to unite more than 3000 people, when speaking of the Merseyside team, the legendary Reds.
It all began about two years ago when a group of people spontaneously met at “Shankley’s”. We were carried by the thought that there we might find more fans of the team that means life to them – Liverpool. After a few gatherings, where we drank beer and chatted endlessly, an idea of making a group on “facebook “ was brought up. In that way, we could communicate, hang out, exchange thoughts and connect with the Liverpool fans throughout the country.
The gatherings at “Shankley’s” ended shortly, the pub closed and after a short break our gatherings continued at the Irish pub. At the beginning, we were only seven, but word spread that several people gather every weekend to watch the Liverpool game. The number of fans grew by the weekend and the atmosphere was was tenser every time.
No more than after a year of rooting together, our dream came true – Liverpool came to Skopje, to play in the 3rd round of the EuropaEurope League qualifications against the home team Rabotnički; the tickets were sold out instantly. Together with the fans from our neighbouringneighboring countries we drank beer and sang the songs of Liverpool, impatiently waiting for the big kick-off. Together, we headed to the National Arena “Filip II”. On the way, as well as inside, we all were amazed by people wearing red jerseys and speaking Macedonian. Everybody was enjoying the performance of their favouritefavorite team. Liverpool won the game 2-0; N’Gog scored the goals. We celebrated till late in the night. The win brought us even closer together and our group was getting bigger and bigger. We continued to watch the games at the Irish pub, yet we wanted a place of our own, where we could sit and watch our game without any other team’s fans interfering.
The next logical step and our greatest desire was the establishment of a fan club to unite all fans across Macedonia. The plan could not succeed due to administrative reasons, so we decided to form a Citizens Association that would operte only inside the country. Thanks to the Macedonian Reds Facebook fan page, a lot of people supported the idea financially.
In the meantime, a new pub named Ager & Säger opened in the centre of Skopje and it is just what we needed. Its location suits us all, the owner is a great fan as well and the interior itself is painted mostly in red. We are happy that this place exists, we feel like it is ours, we watch the games here, drink beer and exchange thoughts about the game and the team.
One of the more interesting games was the one we played against Manchester Utd., when Andy Carroll exploded at Anfield and alongside Dirk Kuyt, led the Reds to a great victory. The pub was full, every single seat was taken. It has two levels, and many of the fans were sitting upstairs. When Andy Carroll scored, we were all in a state of frenzy. The excitement was so great, we screamed and jumped so hard that the mortar started falling from the walls and several glasses fell of the hangings. It was fierce.
Starting with the season 2011/2012, the Liverpool Fan Club of Macedonia association is officially established; it has about fifty members and grows every day. We hope we will go ahead with our plan and the group will follow Liverpool in other cities and countries, and perhaps participate in sporting events and humanitarian gatherings. Right now, the plan is to make membership cards and tops for every fan. We have three banners which we wave bravely at every match, as well as many scarves and other props.
Our greatest desire is to visit the legendary Anfield Road and be part of the Kop, as an official branch of Liverpoolfc.tv, and be a part of the army of fans that are scattered around the world. Our passion for the club is infinite.
Even though our bodies are here, our hearts and thoughts are at Anfield. No matter if Liverpool loses or wins, we will love this club for the rest of our lives.
YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE
Pasted from <http://www.facebook.com/messages/?action=read&tid=id.204368316295124>
opposition manager ..
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/rodgers-your-fans-were-class
Rodgers: Your fans were class
It's a well known fact that Liverpool FC have fans all over the world but just what is it about this club that attracts such passionate support?
Why do men, women and children who live thousands of miles away from Merseyside and who possibly may never set foot inside Anfield have such an affinity with Liverpool?
While in Mumbai for an LFC-Standard Chartered Football Clinic we met up with a group of passionate Reds to try and find out the answer to that very question. Why Liverpool FC?
Schubert Coutinho: "Why Liverpool? I don't know - I've just always loved them. I think I fell in love with the club about 10 years ago. Steven Gerrard was the first player I really admired and that was five years or so before the Premier League really took off in India. Five years ago, you couldn't find many fans who shared the same passion as you did for the Premier League team but now that's all changing. Football is getting bigger in India and while Chelsea have lots of fans due to their recent success, their supporters are completely different to the fans who support Liverpool."
Placid Wadhawan: "Why Liverpool? I used to live abroad, in the Gulf, and, believe it or not, it was the fact that Candy sponsored Liverpool that attracted me in the first place. I was just a kid and I loved candy - sweets - so that was the hook. Once I started watching and saw Peter Beardsley and John Barnes, that was it. I was hooked. Something about the club just hit a nerve and now, 20 years or so later, here I am standing here with 'You'll Never Walk Alone' tattooed on my arm. It's been true love ever since."
Mehul Jobanputra: "Why Liverpool? It started in 1999 when I was introduced to football. I started following Liverpool and then the treble season happened. I remember watching the FA Cup final and seeing Michael Owen score those two goals and thinking, 'This is my club'. I read up about the history of the club and I immediately felt a sense of association with Liverpool. In India, everything revolves around cricket but Liverpool seemed like a great team with a great history and I wanted to be a part of it. Now, my whole weekend revolves around the Liverpool match. What I can and can't do at a weekend is totally dictated to by when Liverpool play."
Mangesh Nadkarni: "Why Liverpool? It started 10 years ago. Liverpool were playing Newcastle and Michael Owen scored. He was my favourite player and I just felt and instant connection to the club. I learned about the history of the club on the internet and read all about Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly. I read up on Hillsborough and it inspired me to help set up the Mumbai Liverpool FC Supporters Club. That was about three and a half years ago and at first there were only 20 of us but word spread and now we've got 150-200 members. Everyone is really passionate."
Amod Mallya: "Why Liverpool? I'm not sure there is a particular reason. I started watching football matches and before I knew it, I was watching Liverpool more than any other team and so I suppose I became a Liverpool fan that way. My cousin was a Liverpool supporter and that probably helped influence me. My favourite player at first was Steve McManaman because of the way he used to dribble, then it was Michael Owen and then Robbie Fowler before he left. I co-founded the Mumbai Liverpool FC Supporters Club because we wanted to share our passion for the club over here with fellow fans. At first, it was hard to spread the word to fellow fans in Mumbai but social media has changed all that and now, when we have screenings of our game, we even get fans from Pune coming down to watch the game with us. The fan base is growing all the time."
Tanay Ganatra: "Why Liverpool? I love red. And I hate blue! Seriously though, it was the Gary McAllister free-kick against Everton that did it for me. There's so much pride and passion associated with Liverpool that who wouldn't want to be a part of it. Over here, the fans are so dedicated to Liverpool it's unreal. The club has brought so many people together in Mumbai - it doesn't matter what religion you are or what background you have, the only thing that matters is that you support Liverpool. Before, us Liverpool fans used to watch the matches at home on our own. Now, we get together and watch the games together in a bar. That's a real achievement."
Omkar Jadhav (left): "Why Liverpool? It's the passion of the club and the fans. It's from the heart. What happened in Istanbul sums up the club for me. That was the greatest night of my life."
Manas Singh (right): "Why Liverpool? Gary McAllister, 94th minute. I was nine or ten at the time that goal went in and that cemented Liverpool in my heart forever. It started as a bout of curiosity, turned into passion and has become an addiction."
Kishore Sundar (left): "Why Liverpool? They're the best. It's not about money, it's about passion. Steven Gerrard defines Liverpool Football Club for me. He's the captain, he scores goals and he makes things happen. He's a history maker. His goals against Olympiacos and AC Milan in the final of the Champions League changed Liverpool forever."
Aditya Shevoy (right): "Why Liverpool? Well, in India, football fans generally support Manchester United or Chelsea. Those fans think Liverpool are a joke because we've not won anything for a few years. I guess I started supporting Liverpool because there's something different about our club and our fans when you compare it to those two clubs. Xabi Alonso was my favourite player and I couldn't believe he was sold. Our problem is that we've never replaced him. It hurts when we don't do well and it can be depressing supporting Liverpool but like the anthem says, you'll never walk alone as a Liverpool fan. The fans of Manchester United and Chelsea in India will be supporting Manchester City next season. Our fans will always be Liverpool fans."
Abhinna Shreshtha (left): "Why Liverpool? Michael Owen. I started watching Liverpool in 2001 and then I read up all I could about what the club meant to the fans back in England. I liked what I read and I liked and still do like the attitude of the club. They never give up. There will be richer teams than Liverpool and there'll be better teams than Liverpool but no one will fight like Liverpool."
Kirtan Mankad (right): "Why Liverpool? Bill Shankly. I started watching Liverpool during the treble season because that achievement was big news in India. It was all over our media. We were a real team, not a team made up of a few superstars. I used to play national football for Gujarat and I understand what it means to play in a team where everyone works hard for one another. That was something Bill Shankly talked about a lot and when I read his quotes, it inspired me."
Sahil Chugh (left): "Why Liverpool? The history, the tradition and the 'You'll Never Walk Alone' anthem. I first started watching Liverpool in 2004 and I immediately did all I could to try and learn about the history of the club. I learned about Hillsborough and that had a big effect on me. In terms of players, it's Gerrard and Carragher for me. What they have given for this club is unbelievable."
Vishaz Mulchandam (right): "Why Liverpool? It's probably down to a friend I had at school. He had a connection in England who would send over DVDs of Liverpool games and we'd all watch them together. It was a school thing. To be honest though, I think I liked Liverpool before I even saw them play. I'd heard so much about them and then when I saw them, I knew they were the team for me."
Anurag Rana (left): "Why Liverpool? The passion, the fans, the atmosphere, the European nights at Anfield. The Steven Gerrard goal against Olympiacos and Andy Gray's commentary about it. The sleepness nights thinking about formations... it's everything about the club. If you ask me who my favourite player is, I'd say Jay Spearing. That may surprise a few fans but to me he is brilliant. He always gives 100% and knows what it means to pull on the Liverpool shirt. I think he's great with Lucas in the middle and should play more."
Sriram Gopalkrishnan (middle): "Why Liverpool? It's the only football club where the fans stand by the team even if they are losing. There's a quote that if you can't support us when we lose, don't support us when we win. That is Liverpool Football Club. We stick together because we're a family."
Nidhi Shankar (right): "Why Liverpool? I could say the finals against Alaves, AC Milan or West Ham but to me it's more about the way the club conducts itself. Even at the weekend, the Swansea manager was praising our supporters. It's the whole 'You'll Never Walk Alone' anthem. When we were dominating football, it was an even playing field and we dominated because we were rightfully the best team. Now it's far from being an even playing field and the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea are artificial winners in my eyes because that's about money buying success. Liverpool is different and that's why I support them."
Author: Paul Rogers in Mumbai
more at REdNET
http://rednet-alien.blogspot.com/2011/11/11111111-mentality-continued.html
No comments:
Post a Comment