It’s the 96th minute and Liverpool are losing 2-1 to Chelsea at home. Suddenly, Sturridge teas up Suarez who heads home from close range to which the Kop goes into frenzy. Celebrations begin as yet again, Liverpool foil Chelsea in the league, extending their unbeaten run to 6 games in the Premier League against the Londoners.

However as the dramatic events unfold, this last gasp winner did not have the euphoria you would expect which is normally epitomised by an embarrassing celebratory dance or manly/girly scream. This felt different. Relief for the point, delight at upsetting Chelsea but apprehension at the imminent storm on the horizon…

Of course, you wouldn’t have needed to watch the game to know that Luis Suarez was at the heart of the controversy yet again.

No one can deny his brilliance and his importance to Liverpool. This season he has been without doubt, the best player in the Premier League, regardless of where the coveted PFA award ends up.

Suarez is Liverpool’s focal point up front despite the fact he is constantly restless, jinking, jerking, twisting and causing utter chaos across the oppositions defensive line. The movement of Suarez is what springs Liverpool attacks. If Luis picks up possession out wide, the move begins from there with the full back getting beyond him, space opening up in the middle and Sturridge looking to the back post. If Luis receives the ball in a central position with his back to goal, play converges into the middle, Lucas offers the wall pass and Gerrard strides beyond into the box knowing that Suarez is more than capable of letting the ball roll beyond him or a flick pass around the corner into his path.

This is the genius of Luis Suarez, the footballer.

However what sets Suarez above every other footballer in this country is the passion that accompanies his sublime level of skill. There’s a glint in his eye every time he crosses the white line and a beast is unleashed onto the field of play. Everything matters to him when playing, whether it be a misplaced pass after busting his backside to get into goal-scoring position or the waving of a linesman flag informing him he has timed his run all wrong, Suarez just wants to win… at all costs.

We’ve seen some wonderful moments where that sparkle of madness has been entertaining to watch. After being criticised by David Moyes for diving too frequently, every Liverpool fan held their breath as the Uruguayan ran towards the Everton manager after scoring in the Merseyside Derby. Just as he got close enough, Suarez sarcastically dived in front of him, a moment of fantastic humour but utter lunacy.

Then there was the Europa League home game against Zenit St. Petersburg. As Suarez curled his second free-kick over the wall and into the net, his reaction was just off the scale in terms of sanity. Suarez let out a roar that came from the pit of his stomach, veins pumping, body arched to let out every morsel of adrenalin. It was such an amazing moment to watch as a supporter, someone who experiences similar reactions when seeing Liverpool score the winner at some League 2 ground in the 3rd round of the Capital One Cup. This was no token celebration from a player who tries to “lift” the crowd by raising his arms repeatedly after scoring, this was sheer raw passion; completely unbridled, completely exhilarating.

That was Luis Suarez and his uncensored passion.

However, we also have the dark side of the Uruguayan that needs serious addressing too. Suarez’s game is based around natural instinct and skill. Suarez’s best moments come when he has no time to think but just react… however this is also the time when we witness his worst moments.

If Luis Suarez receives the ball and pulls off a routine nutmeg or fortunate dribble to get past Ivanovic, Suarez is away and probably scores, exhaling all his demons in one beautiful moment. However he doesn’t win the battle against Ivanovic, so the red mist descends and unfortunately, Suarez clearly bites the Chelsea defender. When you see the footage slowed down, you can see Suarez – clearly rattled, frustrated and in the zone (to a frightening degree) – look at Ivanovic’s arm and want to inflict pain; not to hurt Ivanovic but to banish his frustrations and demons. There is no logical thinking to this inexcusable act, just like there wasn’t any when he dived in front of Moyes or when he pulled down a pass from orbit to round the keeper against Newcastle. However this time, there was no humour or brilliance, just volatile lunacy.

This is the enigma that is Luis Suarez. His instinctive reactions are what gives him both his genius edge and his moments of madness.

As Liverpool fans, we have defended him to the hilt and been accused of doing so out of blind support for our club and our player. To a certain degree, this is a fair point. There are Liverpool fans out there who immediately get into their “us against the world” uniform and bat away every criticism of the club with their “yeah but United and Everton have done this” remarks. What’s noticeable with this is that they rarely ever answer the question directed at them with a coherent response; just a lot of unnecessary aggression that they deem as “true support”.

During the whole Evra fiasco, these types of supporters were out in force, as you would have expected. However, they were joined by a lot of other fans who had logical reasons for backing Luis Suarez. There was a common feeling that Suarez was dealt a raw deal when it came to how he was handled in the trial, by the FA and by the media. So much so that even now, belief that the club were right to wear the infamous t-shirts and back Luis unreservedly are still to be found. Why? Because being accused of racism means you must have racial intent and knowing Suarez and knowing that glint in his eye, he is not racist, just barking mad. Thus, our grievances at how football portrayed him as the biggest villain in England are reasoned points.

However this bite on Ivanovic is different. Suarez isn’t being called or accused of something he’s not; this time, Suarez is being called out for that demon glint and there is no way any of us can defend him or pretend it doesn’t exist. We all know he is more than capable of it. He’s done it before (albeit not at Liverpool). Suarez bit Ivanovic, simple as. No way should Rodgers or the club support him this time around and it will be wonderful if Liverpool deal with this matter internally and appropriately punish Suarez and let that be that.

But this time, it has to come with a stark warning for Luis; next time it happens, there may be no way back. Right now, Suarez is too important to Liverpool to even consider selling him based on this incident. However the image of the club is just as important and we are going to end up with two very serious stains on the club due to Suarez’s moments of insanity. However the hope is, that the brilliance this insanity also ignites will eventually outweigh the demons and it will be that which is remembered in Anfield folklore much more fondly.

For all of us who stood by him through every witch-hunt and every “you know what you are” chant, Suarez let us all down badly. It was embarrassing and made it extremely hard to be happy for him scoring the vital goal of the game. You could argue that Suarez needs to be reigned in but if you do that, you take away what is so special about him: his unpredictability.

However there is a breaking point no matter how special the player is. Suarez has a lot of making up to do as he has disappointed people who put up with extreme amount of abuse and debate to protect his name. Hopefully Rodgers will have Liverpool fighting for a Champions League place this time next year so the team obviously needs Suarez on the pitch producing his magic.Having him enduring another ban and forcing the club into more public statements will not be acceptable.

Suarez needs to take this on the chin and be apologetic. Liverpool and Rodgers need to be firm with him. Some Liverpool supporters need to realise that not everything is acceptable just because it happened to someone in a red shirt. The media need to refrain from blowing this completely out of proportion. Then, everyone should just draw a line under this fiasco and move on… together… with Suarez leading the Liverpool line… demons and all.

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Last week Rafa Benitez professed his love for Liverpool Football Club and declared “I have no doubt I will marry… Manage Liverpool again.” Was it a mistranslation or a well placed hint reminding John W. Henry—I’m here, ready and waiting?

Either or, it had many Reds frothing at the mouth at the thought of another push for the Champions League places and, who knows, another Istanbul.

Not many managers polarise opinion amongst a club’s supporters having had a lot of success in a relatively short period of time. He consistently qualified for the Champions League, reaching two finals in three years, won an FA Cup, and finished runner up in the Premier League.

They are nothing to turn your nose up at, and lets face it, if that was offered to Reds fans now they’d take it in heartbeat—but not necessarily take the man.

When Rafa said those words last week, many were delighted and lauded his achievements, but just as many were baulking at the thought.

For someone that has achieved so much for the club and done so much for the families of Hillsborough in terms of support and financial contributions, it’s hard to believe that anyone wouldn’t want a man that has Liverpool Football Club engraved in his heart.

There are fans that cite his “negative” play and have bought into the persona that the media portrayed ever since the “Rafa rant”, as reasons to be disgruntled at him even being mentioned alongside the managers position at Anfield.

If negative play brings you 119 goals in one season, while Pepe Reina keeps his 50 clean sheets in 92 games (eclipsing Ray Clemence, a club great), a record-breaking 8-0 win in the Champions League, your club captain breaking the club record for European goals scored, six players scoring more than 10 goals in a season (third time in history)…is that negative or efficient?

Liverpool won matches at fortresses like the Santiago Bernabeu and Camp Nou, inflicted heavy defeats on Manchester United and Real Madrid, with the latter—a 4-0 win at Anfield—being the heaviest Champions League defeat Real have ever suffered. The Reds had runs of consecutive wins they hadn’t seen for decades (30 games unbeaten at home 2005-07, 13 away league games won in 2008-09).

Surely if you break records set by the best–65 European matches by Bill Shankly and 40 European wins under Bob Paisley—and win a fifth European Cup, enabling the club to keep the trophy, you’re assured of your place amongst the greats?

In some sections, apparently not. Games under Rafa’s tenure are seen as boring tactical affairs, devoid of free-flowing football, rigid, defensive.

“Zonal marking?! No, no, no!”

You name it, it’s been said, and is probably still being talked about  by the Stamford Bridge boo boys.

To like Rafa, you have to understand Rafa and his methods, and more importantly you have to want to.

Tactical genius isn’t very well received in the Premier League or in the English national team for that matter. Every manager that’s tactically minded, Benitez, Mancini, Capello and even Jose Mourinho come in for stick. AVB had it, hell why not go all out and say Juande Ramos too?

They are hounded when they come to England. Their methods misunderstood and lost in translation.

Tactical managers can identify when and where a game is being lost and can adjust their side accordingly, such as; losing a game 1-0 in the 70^th minute, a tactical manager will bring on a defender for a forward despite being a goal down. Some supporters will go ballistic and wonder what the hell is going on.

Then what really throws some fans, the manager will bring on a forward three minutes later. The question then asked is, why not just replace like for like in the first substitution? Something your typical British manager will do.

The manager’s thinking is to steady the ship defensively first of all, because if you concede another the game is potentially lost. Also, the opposing manager could make a big change tactically after your first substitution, so the second is a surprise, the opposition manager then has to adjust his side again, and his players could lose focus.

It’s these mind games and tactical changes that can make you look brilliant one minute and daft the next, but only the brave and capable will attempt them and they are, nine times out of 10, the successful ones.

Some supporters favour a straightforward arm around the shoulder; “Well done son you did well!!” even after the player had a stinker.

Which, as we know, isn’t Rafas way. His style is seeing a player score four and saying “You could have scored six…”

Steven Gerrard said in his autobiography that he had to force a compliment from Rafa after the Champions League win in 2005, his mind was already onto the next season. These are the same people marveling at Pep Guardiola’s mastery, but Pep is renowned for yelling at a player on the touchline that has scored two but could have scored four.

That’s how they best get the best out of their players. Don’t think the job is done because you’ve scored three goals, or won a league title; keep your feet on the ground and we will win more. A winners mind is on the subject of ‘How can we better this?’ or ‘What does this club want next?’.

Liverpool fans that doubt Rafa Benitez should have a read of Kenny Dalglish’s autobiography and look at how he refers to Bob Paisley and Shanks. Pure winners. Hard taskmasters. No nonsense. The club engrained in their hearts. They let you celebrate while they move on to the next season and plan how to achieve greatness.

Supporters that love Rafa Benitez love him because he took the club back to where it should be. Liverpool were feared throughout Europe once more. Looked at domestically as title challengers, a shoo-in for the Champions League spots before the season even started.

When Rafa had his “rant” he was seen by his supporters taking a stand against what he felt was unfair media pressure on him and treatment by the FA, whilst another guy down the road could get away scot free with what he wanted to do and say—which if you’re honest, 99.9% of Liverpool supporters think anyway—and his supporters loved it.

Meanwhile others bought into the ‘Rafa rant” façade and still hold it against him.

Rafa Benitez will probably never manage Liverpool Football Club again but he shouldn’t be knocked for suggesting he desires to do it. It shows his love for the city, club and supporters and that includes the people that don’t want him. He would no doubt want nothing more than the opportunity to prove them wrong.

Could he come back and stamp his authority on the players in the way he did in 2004?

With Carra retiring and Stevie edging close to the end of his career it’s a possibility; many players that Rafa bought in have gone, with the exception of Reina, Agger and Skrtel. It was Rafa who made all three of them what they are and the ‘Golden Glove’ awards and defensive records are down to the players’ belief in Rafa’s tactical approach.

The Academy setup, and some of the young talent coming through, are thanks to Rafa.

They say never go back.

Rushie came back, Kenny came back, so who says Rafa can’t?

Depending on what happens in summer and how next season goes, there may never be a better time.

Regardless what happens, Rafa Benitez should be hailed as a great manager for Liverpool Football Club, one to be proud of. No doubt Bob and Bill think so too.

Follow @LiverpoolWord

Statistics taken from www.rafabenitez.com

Suarez and Sturridge unable to believe between them they haven’t scored against Reading

Patience, we are told, is a virtue. However, it is a virtue that society seemingly has no time for anymore. In an age of 24-hour rolling news channels and Twitter, people want, and expect, news immediately.

Football, and in particular Liverpool, is no different. It seems fans and owners alike increasingly expect instant results from both their players and managers. Players are often judged within minutes of making their debuts, either an inspired or inexplicable signing but nothing in between, but in most cases are at least given a season to prove their worth. Managers rarely seem to get that long. A bad start or a run of bad results leads to fans voicing their frustrations and owners getting twitchy.

For all that patience is called for by the media and television pundits, all the arguments that more of it must be shown in football and that a patient approach has is vital for long-term success, there is very little of it on show. Those same media outlets and pundits are quick to question players and managers at the slightest indication of trouble.

Patience within football is something that is very much preached but seldom practiced.

At Anfield this lack of patience has now even found its way onto the pitch. Last Sunday’s frustrating goalless draw with West Ham was another prime example of the struggles Liverpool have had having failed to score an early goal. It was a far from vintage display from Brendan Rodgers’ men with the first half performance as dreary as the majority of the home support. The second half saw some improvement from the Reds but ultimately it was not enough to break down a resolute West Ham back line.

There were plenty of reasons for this: James Collins had the game of his life, Luis Suarez a rare off day and referee Anthony Taylor a problem finding his stop watch, but above all the problem was one of patience, or, in Liverpool’s case, a lack of it.

Whilst the crowd’s growing frustration as the game wore on was to be expected, the way the players’ desperation to find a goal manifested itself was not. In an attempt to get the elusive first goal, Liverpool visibly upped the tempo in the second half but as time and chances went by more and more errors starting creeping into their game. Unnecessary flicks, overly intricate passing around the box and generally poor decision-making were the order of the day as Suarez, Sturridge et al rushed in search of the breakthrough.

The phrase more haste less speed was apparently not one familiar to the Liverpool players.

The players should not be criticised for trying something different or ambitious – indeed, the opposite was true of Stewart Downing who was pilloried last season for his perceived unwillingness to try to take on a man – but choosing when and where to try something more extravagant is clearly crucial.

During the West Ham game numerous players attempted a speculative pass or a piece of skill highly unlikely to come off just as it seemed Liverpool were building some pressure or had found a decent position. The lack of composure was very much apparent at times with simple passes that could ultimately have led to a better opportunity being ignored. There was almost a sense of panic once a Liverpool player received the ball in the final third and a feeling that they needed a goal immediately.

The sterile domination many had expected is failing to materialise and for many that will be a relief with the most cavalier approach seen by Liverpool since January arguably making for better viewing. Of course, Liverpool have not become a long ball team all of a sudden. They are still very much in favour of keeping the ball on the ground but in recent months a change of approach has seen them look to make the transition from defence into attack far quicker using the pace of the likes of Coutinho, Sturridge and Downing to do so.

However, the West Ham game was an example of a match in which taking some of the principles of a much more measured build-up could have proven very useful. Obviously it wasn’t necessary to hold onto the ball to stop any West Ham spells of pressure, the Hammers were more than happy to sit back and try to nick a goal on the break, but despite that Liverpool failed to put together a really concerted spell of pressure. Where a slighter more considered approach may have been useful was in the final third.

The Reds time and again rushed in to try to find a gap once they reached West Ham territory rather than retain possession, move the ball from side to side and wait for the gaps to appear. With the West Ham defence often well positioned on the edge of their own penalty area, trying to move them around would surely have been a better option than going straight for the jugular every time? A lack of variety was noticeable but it was not the lack of a supposed ‘plan B’ that was the problem.

Lumping balls into the box for a big front man would have suited West Ham perfectly. The issue was one of patience and Liverpool trying to force a chance rather than work the ball carefully, patiently and wait for an opportunity to arise.

It is not the first time this has happened at Anfield. The matches with Stoke and West Brom were very similar and the Reds can take some comfort from the fact they didn’t lose the game as was the case against West Brom. A week later and the latest disappointing draw with Reading showed more than the previous games with numerous good chances created and Liverpool rarely had to show any patience to find a way through the Reading defence, but getting past an inspired Alex McCarthy in the Reading goal was another matter.

These kind of matches do come along though and there will be times when you come up against a stubborn and well organised defence. Liverpool must get used to it as they are sure to face similar tactics more regularly if they improve as Rodgers hopes. The key is not to panic if the goal doesn’t come early.

Patience is in short supply in the world of football, but those who show it are often rewarded and Liverpool would do well to remember that.

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It’s very easy to get carried away with a player like Daniel Sturridge.

It’s equally easy to get frustrated.

Barely three months have passed since the English centre forward acquainted himself with the Anfield faithful, and already he has taken them to each end of the spectrum.

There are few players, indeed none since Ray Kennedy in 1974, who have yielded such promise in their first few games at Liverpool as Sturridge. The forward struck against Mansfield with just seven minutes of playing time for his new club, before scoring off the bench against Manchester United in the league and crowning his Anfield debut with a tap-in at Norwich to make it three goals in his first three games.

This was great. Better than expected. While many were excited with the arrival of a new striker, Sturridge’s attitude both on and off the pitch in his career to date forced fans into an obligatory wariness, with nobody utterly sure of whether the Englishman could work as part of Brendan Rodger’s project.

Those worries were banished by the early performances of Sturridge, who had, for the most part, worked well with his team-mates on the pitch and resisted the temptation to showboat needlessly.

A fantastic finish at the Etihad helped the Reds earn a draw against Manchester City, one of his old clubs, did little to dispel the growing excitement. Liverpool had found the missing piece.

Their attack had become more vibrant, more dangerous. The pressure was no longer completely on the shoulders of the more than capable Luis Suarez, who was showing signs of a potentially deadly understanding with his new striking partner. The introduction of pace into Liverpool’s forward play gave them another method of breaking down defences, and a 5-0 assimilation of Swansea added fuel to the excitement surrounding Liverpool and their new strike force.

Then, suddenly, things stopped.

Sturridge dropped out of form, taking Liverpool’s confidence with him.

Injury and ineligibility stalled his progress at his new club, and by the time Sturridge was available to play again, his honeymoon period was over.

Against Tottenham Hotspur, Sturridge finally played like the player many thought him to be at Chelsea.

The striker ditched interplay and teamwork for laziness and selfishness in a frustrating display. Although it was only one game, it was hard not to worry that Sturridge, now over the initial burst that accompanies a new signing wanting to impress his club, would regress into the a agonisingly enigmatic player who could not be relied on.

Six days later, the trend continued, with the striker producing an offensively poor display at Southampton that comfortably qualified for the worst performance in his Liverpool career so far.

It is because of that performance that Sturridge has found himself relegated to the bench in Liverpool’s last two games. From the missing piece to a spare part in a matter of weeks.

Brendan Rodgers has shown in his management career that he will not pull punches with players. He has not wavered from that attitude with his first January signing, Sturridge, who was told in no uncertain terms that he would have to work harder to keep his place in the Liverpool first team.

The freshness and uplifting start the forward had made had not lasted, and Sturridge paid for it with his place.

Tough love paid off with the likes of Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson, who both continue to impress. Rodgers will hope it has the same impact on Sturridge, who must fine-tune his game or risk seeing his career peter out after several years failing to properly establish himself as big player for any club.

One of the main criticism’s laid on the Englishman is his work rate. While he buzzed around in both halves of the pitch in his first few weeks at the club, his effort against Tottenham and Southampton were nowhere close to the level expected of Liverpool players.

Sturridge needs not look too far when it comes to inspiration in this department. The man he plays alongside, Luis Suarez, is the perfect example of how good a player can be, should he combine graft and craft. While Suarez possesses god-given skill, quick feet, unpredictability and vision, he works harder than most players on any pitch, tearing his way around the park for 90 minutes for the sake of his team.

Daniel Sturridge does not possess the skill and talent of Suarez, although by his performances and overall demeanour on the pitch you cannot shake the feeling that he believes he does. Far too often, Sturridge will try the outrageous instead of the simple; perfectly exhibited when he opted to try and release Gerrard with a backheel against Tottenham when a simple pass would have put him through.

The worse it goes for Sturridge, the more he tries to do. It’s a sign of his immaturity as a footballer that he feels he has to do something jaw-dropping every time he receives the ball. Even the greatest in the world, Lionel Messi, doesn’t do that.

The striker has also suffered due to tactical reasons. The demolishing of Liverpool’s 2-man midfield by a physical and swift Southampton has firmly taught Rodgers that, no matter how much he might want to, fielding a 4 man attack is folly in this league, particularly with the personnel the Reds have at their disposal.

Philippe Coutinho has started his Liverpool career with similar aplomb as Sturridge, while Stewart Downing’s consistency and solidity are a crucial part of Liverpool’s balance. And Luis Suarez is Luis Suarez.

If Sturridge is to replace one of these and get himself back into Liverpool’s first choice attack, he will have to face up to Rodger’s criticism and mature. It might be his last chance.

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I am 21 years old and I am Irish. I was not born when the Hillsborough Disaster unfolded back on that April day in 1989. In fact, my only link to the city of Liverpool is that some time in the 1950’s, my grandfather travelled from Cardiff to Merseyside to watch a football match at Anfield, and a love affair with LFC was born that has resonated with every male in our family ever since.

Supporting an English team in Ireland is a very different experience to those who have the privilege of calling Liverpool their local team. Football and in particular the Premier League is perceived as a dramatic celebrity world where every game is looked at as something surreal. You don’t get Merseyside derby’s or big European games in Cork City on a Saturday afternoon or a Wednesday night.

To us, supporting an English team is all about the football. It’s about what the tactics are, how the team performs, and how you wish you had a couple of Spanish gems or Messi’s in your starting XI. It can be a cut-throat world for us foreign fans. In fact, at times it feels like we’re on the battlefield a lot more than Scousers when it comes to defending the clubs name. As we don’t have locality to share in a common appreciation for one club, we all pick teams that we feel most related to and therefore rivalries are born in close proximity.

I remember when I was 12, watching Jimmy McGovern’s docu-drama Hillsborough for the first time and fully divulging into everything Hillsborough related. I wanted to know everything about that day and why such an awful tragedy happened to a group of people I genuinely saw (and still do) as one of my own. We all wear the same Liverbird upon our chest, isn’t that the most important thing?

However when discussing Hillsborough, I’ve come to realise that this isn’t true. When I first started looking into Hillsborough, I did it as a Liverpool fan; as someone who went to matches, heard chants aimed in our direction and needed to know why I was being labelled a certain derogatory thing. Yet the more I read and the older I got the more that Liverbird lessened in being the issue and the fact that I was a human being became the sole reason I ached and grew angry about the disaster.

The truth that we have thankfully all come to know today was being put together by my teenage self years before it became official and confirmed. That tragic day, Liverpool fans were a credit to the city and Liverpool supporters across the globe. The match should never have been played at Hillsborough. The police force and ambulance service did not act appropriately. The cover-up that immediately followed the disaster was so morally wrong and hideously heinous it was frightening.

I learned about these facts as I am Liverpool supporter. I believe them because I have a heart and a conscience.

However when it comes to talking football, Hillsborough has always been a taboo. Everyone knew about it, yet the majority felt it was ancient history in which whinging Scousers just couldn’t let go. And I have no problem in saying that a lot of football people in this country thought the same whenever the “H” word was mentioned. Even some Liverpool fans in this country played their “don’t mention the war” card when it came to Hillsborough. Yet I knew their casual dismissal and ignorance was all down to a lack of understanding and education of the tragedy rather than actually whole-heartedly believing the slander.

Learning about Hillsborough and watching the Anniversaries has always been a private affair. I have had no one to bounce off of in a common feeling of injustice. I didn’t know anyone who was willing to look beyond tribal football rivalry when it came to the disaster and research it simply as the human tragedy it undoubtedly was.

When the Independent Panel unveiled to us all their findings on Wednesday September 12th 2012, my first feeling was of genuine delight that the families were given their first step to justice laid out before them. When one does their homework on this mournful subject it is impossible not to develop complete and utter respect for the families.

My next feeling was one where I put my Liverpool shirt back on and felt justified pride.

Throwing around insults about Hillsborough is an easy thing to do outside of the city of Liverpool as it isn’t going to personally affect the majority of us “out-of-towner” fans. Hillsborough jibes and Munich jokes had become sickening regular throwaway remarks at times, and to get the first (and hopefully last) nail in its rotting coffin is most satisfying.

To have this highly degrading tag not just taken off us but stamped on, crushed and burnt was an incredible weight lifted off our shoulders. That’s the level of vindication I felt; I can’t imagine what the survivors of the Leppings Lane crush must of felt.

Yet it’s my third and final emotion from the HIP’s findings that was the most rewarding for me. For years, my stance of fully backing the Hillsborough Justice Campaign was deemed as an act of obsession, an attempt to be seen as a “superfan”. However at the end of the day, we are all human beings and when you strip back agenda and read just the facts of the story, you see things on a human level. You lead with your heart and that gives you your most honest answer. When you do that for Hillsborough, it is impossible not to feel horror and sympathy for what the families of the bereaved went through.

In September last year, the world was shown in clear black and white that what the families argued all along was indeed correct and true. And now, finally, the world is being educated. I have seen messages on Facebook and Twitter from people with no association to football or sport in general comment on Hillsborough and show their dismay at the Panel’s findings. People are finally opening up their eyes and starting to see that this once minority is now the truthful majority. Words cannot explain how gratifying it feels to be apart of that minority and see it transcend into a worldwide call for justice.

For the first time ever, it feels like this campaign is on its way to achieving its desires for answers and accountability.

I pray now that the families get the justice they deserve and get the correct statements on their loved one’s death certificates. I hope those accountable for the disaster and those responsible for breaking the law in initiating the cover-up are punished accordingly. This is not a witch-hunt, this is not a sudden power trip, and this is not a moment for retribution. This is now about families getting the answer to a simple question that they have been denied for the past 24 years “Why did my loved one die?”

You don’t need a Liverbird upon your chest to know that’s a question in which they are more than entitled to getting an answer for.

Let nothing else this weekend cloud the memory of the victims and their first anniversary where the truth of what happened that day, is finally out.

To the 96, from Ireland, You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Follow @LiverpoolWord

Life is a culmination of choices made, and chances taken. The odds on mere existence are infinitesimal. Every day decisions are made and the numbers land in or against our favour. Maybe the only thing less likely than history to have unfolded exactly in the manner it has, are the chances of getting everything right. Nobody will knowingly opt for something that isn’t the best course of action to take. Most of the time it comes down to a lack of knowledge or a misunderstanding of the situation at hand.

Even in a clearly defined parameters, one so small as a playing field, for example, there are still an endless list of possible outcomes. Football is a game dependant – and loved for – it’s intangibles. If a ball lands at the feet of a clinical striker, the odds of him scoring are largely immaterial. What is important are the factors that went into deciding it landing there in the first place.

Come the end of the season and there will be plenty of “what ifs” being thrown around, but this kind of postulation leads to an ignorance of the bigger picture.

Change one, and you in turn affect them all.

Those that put their sole focus into tweaking one or two results then end up taking for granted the hard work put into the games that were won comfortably, or even more dangerously, gloss over the times in which we were fortunate to get anything from.

When there is a gulf in talent, often that does not translate well onto the pitch. Even when it does, there is no guarantee of a victory, let alone something that would illustrate true superiority. The margins that exist between success and failure are often no wider than the width of a post. At any moment, seemingly insignificant passages of play can lead to moments that last a lifetime.

Because this room for error is so tiny, it can be easy to ignore the fact that everything else that follows is dependant on the events that preceded it. If someone misses a good chance and they are then punished for it, the consensus is always that the match has – and always will be – swung in favour of the team that has been let off, and as such only becomes retrospectively important.

It’s perfectly fine to suggest that Liverpool should have two more points as a result of an erroneous offside call at Goodison for example, but who’s to say we wouldn’t have followed that result with an overconfident performance against Newcastle and lost?

It could have created a negative tailspin, just as likely as it may have been the catalyst to greater things. Much like every single debatable call which is constantly replayed on television, once the decision has been given, whatever circumstances surround it are irrelevant.

Rightly or wrongly, things have been put into motion and it is up to the players themselves to deal with the ripple effects.

Without the League Cup final defeat in 2005, Anfield may not have been quite as loud in the Champions League semi final without that thirst for revenge. Certainly the first leg would have seen more of a backlash from Chelsea had Gerrard managed to lift the trophy rather than inadvertently aided in their winning of it; which if nothing else would have been a helpful boost to the plastic flag-making industry.

Football’s structure allows for a continuing narrative over the course of time as well the more finite picture you get at the end of a single season.

Clubs will rise and fall not over ninety minutes, or 38 games, but as a result of the choices that are made and the subsequent effects that they have. The leap that selective editing makes is one that can only be addressed on the training ground or in the transfer window. In every fathomable scenario that exists within the confines of a single game, the only constant is education. That process of learning that transforms a collection of talented individuals, into a team.

The tests are as varied as they are often.

Break down a resolute defence, withstand an onslaught, overcome adversity in the face of injury or human error.

Sometimes it can be a combination of them and though there is no way to pass every single one of them, those that effectively deals with the most are almost certainly going to be right at the top.

So near and yet so far. Simply being close isn’t enough for maintaining success, regardless of how small that gap is. It’s noble to give your all, and fine in those circumstances to come up short, but that should not be where the story ends. This entire campaign has been the beginning of a new era for Liverpool Football Club with the introduction of a host of new faces.

When Brendan Rodgers was appointed it was a case of maybes, and it seems as if frustrating draws and unexpected defeats appear to ultimately stand between where Liverpool are and where they want to be, in terms of the Champions League. If the conversation is still about “what could have been” at the end of the season then nothing has changed. The whole point of arriving somewhere is that there has been a journey in order to get there.

Just because they haven’t got there yet doesn’t mean the wrong path has been chosen.

Because history is written in such bold strokes by incidents which are so fickle in their nature, there are those that fear such responsibility. When failure is an option and the window of opportunity is forever closing, it becomes increasingly more difficult to reach out and do what’s required.

Brave are not those that do not have this feeling but rather do not let it stop them from achieving it. Part of being the very best means that these moments are not only welcome but actively sought out. In order to make it count, all you need is a chance.
Follow @LiverpoolWord

Ahhh Summer…History suggests it once contained sunshine, and that temperatures soared past 12 degrees almost every day. Summer was also the time you reminisced about the season gone by and smiled, thinking of the season ahead. In recent times you’ve swapped the sun lounger and shades for a cagoule and kayak, and for Liverpool supporters, summer has become a time of respite more often than not.

Summer also brings the first transfer window.

Now, that “Whoosh!” you hear isn’t the crashing of waves on a crowded beach anymore…No, no. Listen carefully…You can hear the Twitter ITK’s frantically bashing away…Sending tweets about who their club may or may not sign, ears pricked up like an over-excited puppy and producing twice as much…Sh…You get it.

This summer for two Big Premier League clubs at least, there will be a phase of transition. Liverpool and Arsenal will both be planning to right the wrongs of previous seasons, only Arsenal won’t be selling their assets this time.

Liverpool will enter stage two of their own transition with Brendan Rodgers and Ian Ayre leading the way.

A successful January transfer window saw Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho arrive adding quality, pace, vision and support to the goals of Luis Suarez. Sturridge made an immediate impact with Suarez linking up sublimely, and Coutinho later brought the cliched ”Brazilian Magic” and cries of, “Is he a proper Brazilian?”

Well he is, he dribbles and possesses both the pace and the passing of those famous Brazilians of yesteryear and at this stage his fee appears to be an absolute snip.

When discussions about Liverpool’s season take place, central midfield will be identified as a weak point, especially when fielding a side without Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson—for many the preferred three in midfield, with Lucas and Henderson simultaneously protecting and breaking up play giving freedom to Gerrard who has been back to his best this term.

Lucas and Henderson add bite and an abundance of energy, chasing down every last ball. Lucas has proved he can hold his own in midfield with the best and biggest players the Premier League has to offer. Who can forget him going shoulder to shoulder with Yaya Toure last season and coming out on top, sending the big fella to the floor?

When these three don’t play, Joe Allen struggles to stand in for Lucas. The early part of the season he impressed the statisticians with his passing, because we were told that we would play a possession game. Death by football, they said, and he ticked that box. As the game plan changed slightly his passing came under scrutiny and  it was deemed that he wasn’t direct enough, his pass percentage fell and more pressure was put on him in the bigger games early on, after he was hailed as the “Welsh Xavi” and teams pinpointed his ball retention to test that theory.

Allen can come in for a lot of criticism unfairly sometimes. He was asked to fulfil a role out of the norm for him and is also discovering just what it is to be a Liverpool player. He’s very much this season’s Lucas and Henderson of previous campaigns when it comes to criticism and looking for a scapegoat, to the extreme that it seems some people only watch football to purposely look for an out of form player to make a mistake.

Another under-performer is Jonjo Shelvey, who showed early promise under Rodgers but has since lacked the desire and at times looks lazy, which has been detrimental to keeping his place in the side. However, age is on his side and he will have to look at his surroundings and, like Allen, will need to perform at a top level game after game to succeed at Liverpool.

Liverpool’s midfield at times accommodates Stewart Downing whose form has improved and after initially being told he could leave the club has shown great desire and hard work and is now settled, but he isn’t a midfielder in a sense that he is an out and out winger.

Some always thought that Downing would take 18 months or so to settle, as he did at Aston Villa when he moved from Middlesbrough, when thereafter his form improved and subsequently he was picked for the England squad on a regular basis. Some players are just a little more sensitive to a new environment.

Defence—or lack of it—is playing a huge part in Liverpool’s season.

It’s not how many goals are conceded in total, it’s when and how they are conceded. The amount of goals let in isn’t far from last season’s total, so that should emphasise that the issue is conceding at a crucial time and costing vital points, and is a key area that Liverpool have struggled in.

This season Martin Skrtel hasn’t kicked on after an in-form season in 2011/12 in which he was player of the year and has been prone to mistakes. Last season he was easily one of the top three centre backs in the league and should have been alongside Vincent Kompany in the Premier League team of the season.

Skrtel is looking a shade low on confidence and instruction, and you can argue that a player needs to be able to read a game and adjust his style to suit situations, but they also have to carry out the the manager’s and coaches’ instructions, and sometimes a player’s individual style doesn’t match the managers tactical approach, like Daniel Agger and Roy Hodgson for example.

Agger himself has at times looked accomplished but even his form has looked erratic and frayed around the edges. Cover for Agger and Skrtel has come from Jamie Carragher who many thought was past his best and would not feature much in 2013. Earlier in the season he announced his retirement was coming at the end of the current campaign. However due to error prone performances from his team mates he has stepped in and rolled back the years with some top quality performances.

The young players coming through defensively have shown some promise but have proven they need to be nurtured and not rushed through. Sebastian Coates has disappointed this term and had a nightmare at Oldham in the Cup, Martin Kelly has suffered injuries playing at right back but once those injuries are gone his future is hopefully at centre back.

Andre Wisdom has put in commanding performances this season too for a young player. The youngster is built like the proverbial, and holds a “Thou shall not pass” demeanour. He wont be bullied, that’s for sure, and again like Skrtel, seems to need some instruction especially for the big games he has struggled in and of course inexperience plays a part in big games.

Others like Jon Flanagan and Jack Robinson showed promise under Kenny Dalglish but haven’t featured much this season. Robinson went on loan to Wolves until the end of the season and Flanagan has been pounding the turf at Melwood, recovering from injury, and the club may look to loan the pair out in the summer.

Last season Liverpool had one of the most highly-rated defensive coaches in Steve Clarke. During his time at Chelsea he was hailed as the reason for their solid defence under Jose Mourinho and his successors. Liverpool’s defence was solid last season and the side only lacked goals, defence was never an issue.

The young players are clearly very promising and that’s without mentioning Raheem Sterling, Suso and Adam Morgan etc. who will have to both learn from and force their way past Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho to have any chance of a successful career at Anfield. This by no means is suggesting they can’t do it. They all show huge promise and Sterling played a key role in the early part of the season out of necessity. The more competitions the club competes in, the more the young players will play, develop and gain valuable experience.

The club is in full transition and established players are suffering indifferent form.

Scoring goals and attacking play is no issue, but you’ll always struggle to win games with a soft middle and players not switched on defensively. Being soft in midfield and not protecting your defence creates added pressure defensively and that added pressure in turn creates insecurity for the goalkeeper, who can make errors and that will add even more pressure again to defenders who now think they can’t rely on their midfield or goalkeeper.

That all boils down to the manager and the coaches who both need to get the players ready to play against a side with nothing to lose like Oldham. It’s their job to identify players who aren’t focused and to address and rectify it. There are some that will say there is nothing to rectify and that the coaches and manager are tactically astute and it’s the personnel that needs changing—such as Skrtel, being managed and coached well but being unable to perform the task that is given tactically by Rodgers.

All that being said, when Liverpool look ahead to next season, the club as a whole may think: second season with Rodgers. Add some strength to midfield and some competition and back up for Agger and Skrtel. Add some more established quality to the forward line we could be looking good again for a Champions League push.

Then this realisation happens.

Come the summer Liverpool could lose key parts of their spine. Pepe Reina continues to be linked with a move away, and the Reds with any number of his replacements, the impending retirement of Carragher, and the possibility of Luis Suarez moving to a Champions League club, leaving only Steven Gerrard intact.

If Victor Valdes leaves Barcelona this summer, they will look for a goalkeeper they can use as a sweeper keeper to build from the back; one they can fully trust to use their feet under pressure. There is arguably no keeper in Europe that can use his feet like Reina. He fits the Barcelona mould perfectly and going back home will always appeal to him.

Liverpool fans have to also realise that despite what Luis Suarez says—that he is happy and would not want to be anywhere else—that new management at Bayern Munich possibly Real Madrid, the huge money at PSG and dare we mention, Manchester City and Chelsea, will all be interested in the Uruguayan. The lure is there more than ever this summer, and let’s not forget the boy that wore the armband and how that all turned out.

If Suarez was to turn down the Champions League elite he should be regarded as a pillar of the game and be rid of his bad boy reputation post-haste.

Remember despite two seasons in the Premier League he is 26 years old, and a player of his stature, whilst not seeming to demand it, deserves to be in the biggest club competition in the world. Even his captain has reiterated it.

Suarez has the Confederations Cup in the summer and all eyes will be on him. It’s a shop window that Liverpool could do without. He will play in the same group as Spain and there’s no doubt everyone will be watching that fixture. We know Suarez only plays one way and that’s 200% every game, for club and country, whether it’s a 5000 mile trip or not.

Alarmingly for Liverpool supporters, Barcelona and Real Madrid will both have eyes on him. Both have presidential elections coming up and both will look to make a marquee signing as they do after every election, and have positions to accommodate Suarez.

Barça are likely to part ways with David Villa and possibly Alexis Sanchez, who’re both used in Suarez’s preferred positions. Real Madrid are likely to part with Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema as the pair have struggled to apply themselves to the fullest again this season.

Over in Germany, Bayern Munich will have Pep Guardiola in charge and looking to add to his squad. Allegedly, Pep’s brother Pere Guardiola (Suarez’s agent) has spoken to Suarez about a move while on a visit to Merseyside. It has also been mentioned that Pep could look to bring Valdes to Bayern from Barça.

That leaves Liverpool in a predicament. Suarez would command a large fee and Reina’s would be used to buy a replacement of equal ability. Couple that with any money to be given to Rodgers for transfers and it’s a mammoth rebuild, but one that doubtless the manager will relish and be the first big test of the scouting team.

There are supporters that will not even contemplate this happening, though. And there are also supporters that are resigned to losing Suarez eventually, either in the summer or January window.

Don’t be fooled, this is a monumental summer for Liverpool Football Club and perhaps bigger than any other summer recently.

This is a summer that could shape the next 10-15 years for the good if it gets done right. It would be done with a heavy heart but to sell Suarez and get a good amount of money for him, and other sales, would give us more money to spend than the owners can afford to provide right now.

If there is one thing football teaches us—or should do—it is that what a person says is one thing, but what they do nine times out of 10, is another.

Follow @LiverpoolWord

Liverpool bagged themselves a new transfer signing in January who made an immediate impact—but injuries and muscle strains have quickly prevented Daniel Sturridge from emphasising his potential importance to the team by preventing a run of matches in the starting XI.

Luckily enough, just a couple of weeks later, Brendan Rodgers and his behind-the-scenes team appeared to get it right once more, as they managed to bring Philippe Coutinho to Anfield from Inter Milan for a fee of around £8.5 million.

Since then, the Brazilian attacking midfielder has proven an exciting addition to the team, showing great control, vision and no shortage of effectiveness in the final third. That last is perhaps the most important; much credence seems to be given to—especially young attackers—the need for a period of adaptation for foreign signings. If that’s the case with Coutinho, Liverpool will have an extraordinary talent on their hands in a year’s time, because he’s already shown in just two months that he can have success against top flight defences in England.

Liverpool have had a few Brazilians in their squad down the last few years, but they have arguably never had a Brazilian Brazilian.

Lucas Leiva, Diego Cavalieri, Alexander Doni, Fabio Aurelio; all of them had (or have, in the case of Lucas) their uses in the squad, but they all have been more of the solid, dependable type rather than those most classic of South American traits, exciting, creative, full of flair.

Oh, and there was Vitor Flora, too. Never mind.

Coutinho, though, offers a glimpse of what every kid imagines a Brazilian footballer to play like; close control, impeccable first touch, playing passes through gaps no wider than the distance between Bill Kenwright’s purse-strings.

Ostensibly a central player, Coutinho has spent most of his time for Liverpool so far operating from a left-sided attacking role. With plenty of licence to cut in, and more space and time on the ball than he might get from central areas, Coutinho has been an effective outlet and impressive link-up player between midfield and attack in the final third.

He has also shown one of the most important attacking attributes required in the Brendan Rodgers front three—intelligent off the ball movement. When Luis Suarez is the central attacker, his frequent drifts to the channels, and deeper central areas, means that a gap opens up in the centre of Liverpool’s attack. Coutinho has proven more than adept at quickly occupying this gap, thereby giving the opposing centre backs an additional problem to worry about, and his team an additional vertical threat.

Technically, he is almost certainly up there as one of the best two or three players in the Liverpool squad.

Incredibly confident with his first-time passing ability, Coutinho is adept at stepping up the tempo of a move by playing it without stopping the game, though it is when he starts to move with the ball at his feet that his true quality on the ball can be appreciated.

Not yet the strongest build, Coutinho nevertheless has a wiry ability to make his way past a defender, even if he does not choose to go completely committed into 50-50 challenges. Similarly, though not blessed with blinding pace over 40 or 50 yards, he possesses rapid acceleration to make his way to the ball, or past an opponent, within the first half a dozen steps. Often this is just the advantage he needs to pick the next pass—as evidenced by his terrific assist for Jordan Henderson in Liverpool’s last outing against Aston Villa.

Since joining Liverpool in January, the 20-year-old has cranked out two goals and three assists in five starts and one sub appearance; already only Jose Enrique, Glen Johnson and Luis Suarez (all four) and Steven Gerrard (nine) have created more goals for the Reds this season.

His value to the team is already shown, in technical and tactical terms.

Next season he will be looking to build on an impressive start to life in England by improving further the technical and tactical aspects of his game, but also the physical side. Not necessarily to make him a beefy forward who can hold off both centre-backs by himself—but certainly in terms of his longevity.

So far Coutinho has been unable to maintain impact on a game over the course of 90 minutes, regularly being substituted around the 60-70 minute mark, due to fatigue and, at times, tactical decisions.

His constant ability to have a positive impact on Liverpool’s on-the-ball play though means he can very quickly become a player that the Reds rely on being part of the front line, be it in a wide or more central starting position. Further transfer additions in summer, plus the return to form and fitness of Raheem Sterling, will increase competition for places and if Coutinho is to avoid becoming seen as an impact substitute, he needs to be able to sustain his performances over the longer term.

Judging by his first few months as a Liverpool player, though, he has all the tools to be a big success at Anfield if he continues to improve further.

Follow @LiverpoolWord

February 7th, 2013.

Over 16 years had passed since a young Jamie Carragher first pulled on the red of Liverpool. After 11 trophies, more than 700 appearances and countless memories, it was time.

February 7th, 2013: The day Jamie Carragher announced his retirement from professional football, and thus the end of a decorated, inspirational and dedicated career at Liverpool football club, the team he had stuck by through thick and thin. It would finish where it started.

At the time Carragher, although he had been starting more games under Brendan Rodgers, was still considered something of a backup centre back, stepping in occasionally for a wobbly Martin Skrtel but yet to re-cement his place in an first team the Bootle born defender would have seen change more times than he could count.

Fast forward just two months and Carragher is rolling back the years. Once again he appears to be one of the first names on the teamsheet, and has done more than justify his selection alongside Daniel Agger in the heart of Liverpool’s defence, a position he has rarely vacated in his time as a footballer.

It’s something of a renaissance for the the ageing defender, who had happily retreated to a more peripheral role in the side he loved during Kenny Dalglish’s reign, remaining on the sidelines for the best part of the last year, a necessary sacrifice. If Carragher was looking for the perfect swansong to walk out on, individually he has found it. Despite questions over his age and lack of pace, Carra has been a stand-out performer in a leaky Liverpool defence in the second half of the 2012-13 campaign, unexpectedly reinstating himself as an indispensable member of the side due to his canny positioning, incomparable mentality and much-needed experience.

However, there will be no great achievement on a collective basis for Carragher to leave on. A Champions League place is exceedingly improbable and even a Europa League berth seems unlikely due to Liverpool’s inconsistency.

For a player who has worked tirelessly for the success of the club he loves, one cannot help but feel an aching sadness at the prospect of Carragher leaving with Liverpool still in the limbo between mid-table and top 4. It’s a prospect nobody, particularly the man himself, will be keen on.

In January, before Carragher’s announcement, Rodgers spoke of renewing his contract, perhaps hoping to keep him beyond his first campaign as Liverpool boss.

Carra’s retirement announcement put paid to those plans, but now, as the season draws to a close with the centre back once again the cornerstone of Liverpool’s defence, perhaps both parties would be willing to reconsider an extension.

For Liverpool, it will not only provide them the privilege of another season in the company of a modern legend, but will also save the club from several inconveniences around the team.

Martin Skrtel has clearly fallen out of favour with Rodgers after several bizarre errors and an alarming dip in form, leaving him unrecognisable from the dominant player of the year he resembled in the last campaign. While Liverpool fought to keep hold of the Slovakian last summer, it’s unlikely a similar interest from any club would not be considered for Skrtel, who may well have reached his peak value in the market.

That leaves a centre half roster hardly abundant in experience or talent. Daniel Agger will certainly remain in the starting line=up, but nobody in the squad shows any sign of cementing a position alongside of him.

Sebastian Coates has been a disappointment, frequently looking overwhelmed by the physicality of opposition forwards and constantly being exposed for a lack of pace and assertiveness at the back. If Liverpool are to claim back their impenetrable defence next season, the Uruguayan is not the man they want at the heart of it.

If neither Carragher, Skrtel or Coates will be a part of Liverpool’s set up next season, the reds will potentially looking for three centre half’s, including at least one of the significant quality necessary to step straight into the first team and make an instant impact.

Not only are these players hard to find, they are also hard to get. And they cost money, something Liverpool owners FSG have made clear they do not have to throw around without their club making some of it first.

Even if money can be discovered and thus spent on a new starting centre back, he will always be missing something that Carragher provided.

Money cannot buy dedication, particularly the rare and fierce brand of it Jamie Carragher always exhibited at Liverpool. It’s unlikely that any of Liverpool’s new recruits will come integrated with an attitude close to Carra’s, whose body-on-the-line mentality would be a massive asset to any club.

Alongside the new starter, it’s inevitable Liverpool will bring in a young, unproven centre back for the future to align with the philosophy of Rodgers and the policy of FSG.

But with Carragher gone, who will the youngster have to learn from? Jamie’s presence on the training pitch every day is almost as huge a bonus as his being there on a matchday. There is no better role model, not just for defenders, but for players all over the world who are looking to blend talent with passion, game intelligence and commitment to their club.

In fact, Carragher will be missed in every corner and corridor of Liverpool football club. He is well known for his classic scouse wit, relentlessly ribbing players and constantly offering a genuinely approachable and likeable presence in the dressing room. When you imagine a Liverpool changing room, Carragher’s piercing voice is certainly one of the first things that comes into your head. It’s difficult to imagine it being any other way.

Furthermore, Carragher’s dedication to Liverpool, the club he has played for throughout his entire career, is such a rare and inspirational trait that it must influence other players at Anfield. Steven Gerrard, who is still good enough to go to a top club and win a big trophy before he himself retires, will surely have been convinced to stay at Liverpool by Carragher when Chelsea came calling in the summer of 2005.

Carra’s example of a “one club man” is something that all players must look towards as a guideline to their own careers, which are coming in a football world where loyalty is as sparse as it has ever been.

Luis Suarez, Liverpool’s top scorer, most talented footballer and most valuable asset, has been heavily rumoured to exit Anfield this summer. While he himself has rubbished such reports along with his club and manager, it’s sadly unlikely the Uruguayan, who must surely be considered one of the best players in the world, will be willing to stay at a club not offering Champions League football for too long. However, with Carragher there setting a constant example, offering any advice and support Suarez needs, it’s conceivable that the defender could influence the striker to stick with the club he clearly has a passion for.

Another place Carragher will be missed is at lower-league grounds, when Liverpool are pitted against physical, fiery opposition in domestic cup competitions. A veteran, experienced defender like Carragher is invaluable on these days, where he will not just ensure he performs at 100%, but will guard his team-mates against complacency and usher any younger players through the game.

The benefits for Liverpool keeping Jamie Carragher on one more season are enormous.

For Carragher, Liverpool’s greatest modern servant, the reason for staying on is simple. It’s the same reason that has kept him so fiercely loyal throughout his career at Anfield. The reason he has sacrificed his body with lunging, straining tackles and blocks. The same reason he has sacrificed league glory at other top clubs to stay on Merseyside.

He loves Liverpool like nobody else. And once again, they need his help. If only just for one more season.

Follow @LiverpoolWord

The Liverpool Word is delighted and honoured to have spoken to a real legend of Liverpool FC of yesteryear, none other than the former midfielder and three-times European Cup-winning great, Jimmy Case.

Case played 269 times for the Reds between 1975 and 1981, before moving on to represent the likes of Brighton and Southampton. Though he joined the club in ’73 when Shanks was still in charge, Case saw out his playing days under the guidance of Bob Paisley, winning a host of trophies and making himself an integral part of the team and the club during his best days as a player.

Karl Matchett caught up with Jimmy to discuss his time as a Red, which old teammates he keeps in touch with, the current management team, Being:Liverpool, his latest interests and much, much more…

…on moving to Liverpool:
You were working as an electrician at the time Liverpool wanted to sign you; did it take long to believe you’d carve yourself a career as a professional footballer instead? Was there a time after signing that you wished you had said yes sooner instead of completing your apprenticeship first?

While working as an apprentice electrician at Evans Medical in Speke, Liverpool, I was two years into a four year term when I was asked to go to Liverpool for a two week trial—and of course, I said yes, so I took two weeks off work, my holiday weeks where you normally go to Benidorm or somewhere like that. Well I went every day up to Anfield got changed with everyone else and trained at Melwood for that two weeks and at the end of those two weeks I was called into the office of the youth development officer, who was a man called Tom Saunders, and he sat me down and said  ”Mr Shankly would like to sign you on.” I actually turned them down but signed forms as a semi-pro, that was so I could carry on with my work as an apprentice electrician.

While playing for the reserves I was learning all the time, and learning how to play the Liverpool way. I myself did not know how far I was going to go, [even if I would] ever play for the first team, you never know your pathway, all I knew was that I would give the opportunity my best shot. I knew loads of young men at that time would jump at the chance, as for me I was well aware.

When I left my job as an electrician at 20 years of age and went full time at the club, it took me nearly a year to get my debut. Later on in life it did cross my mind that if I went full time pro at 18 years of age I might have got a first team outing earlier; you must remember they were not able to play me in the first team till I turned full-time professional.

Nowadays everybody from the Under-16s and upward are known at Liverpool; what was it like in the 70s as a reserve player? Was there much encouragement or acknowledgement from those outside the club, or did you retain anonymity until you made your debut?

In the 70s the reserve side was not that well known not like present day with all the channels of media exposure, but we were followed by our supporters and we had write-ups in the Liverpool Echo of our matches and at times we would have about 2,000 supporters watch our reserve games which were played on the anfield pitch. And with that, the word through the supporters’ grapevine would get about who was any good or knocking on the door of the first team.

…on being a regular:
Describe your emotions or your thoughts as you remember them when you went on to make your senior Liverpool debut…

While playing for the reserves you are always thinking and hoping that one day you will play for the first team. The coaches at the club would always be on at you that when your time comes to make your debut, you have to be ready and prepared to to take the chance with both hands and that means at all times you have to be ready physically and mentally.

My chance came right out of the blue; it was the last game of the season against QPR and on the Friday morning at training that was when all the team sheets would be put up on the notice board and the players would go up and see what team they have been selected for—whether it was the A team, the reserves or the “big heads”, what they called the first team!

I looked and I was down for the reserves and with it being the last game of the season I thought my chance of a debut had gone.

Talking about always being ready for your chance, that evening at 6:30 our home telephone rang and my dad answered it, and on the other end was Joe Fagan. He said to my dad, “can you get Jimmy up to our hotel, the Lord Daresbury outside Warrington?” and my dad said “sure, no problem Joe.”

The team would stay at the hotel before every home match. My dad dropped me off at the hotel and I was met by Joe Fagan and Ronnie Moran and nothing was said why I was called up to the hotel, and was just told to get a sandwich and a cup of tea with the rest of the squad then it would be time for bed. The next day we had our pre match meal at the usual time, 12 noon, then we would get suited up for the match and taken by coach to Anfield—and still the team had not been announced.

At this stage I was thinking and hoping I might make the subs bench. We arrived at Anfield and all the players went into the dressing room and the boss Bob Paisley started to name the side to start the game; he named the goalkeeper and the back four then the three in midfield and then proceeded to name the front three and he said, “the forward line will be Toshack, Keegan and Case.”

I was taken aback a bit, but to be named in that company, and I had a lot of encouragement from the rest of the players, pats on the back and good luck wishes etc, I wasn’t nervous—I just wanted to give a good performance. It was a fantastic moment for me to pull on that Red shirt and run out at Anfield.

Oh by the way, we won the game 3-1 and I crossed a ball for a headed goal for John Toshack and I was brought down for a penalty by Dave Webb, and Kevin Keegan stepped up to score from the spot. A good day’s work, very pleased!

Whenever your name is brought up in conversations, people seem to either say “Jimmy was hard as nails,” or “Jimmy had a rocket of a shot.” Did you feel they were your best attributes as a player, or was there something else you thought you brought to the table?

Yes there was an aggressive side to my game, but that was not always needed. Ever since I was a small boy in the junior school football team I always went in for the ball, never pulled out of a tackle, even though at that time I was very small for my age. And yes, I did have one of the hardest shots in football at that time. I always had the ability to kick the ball hard and far, even at the age of 8 I was the one who had to come back and take the goal kicks so that we could get out of our own box.

It was with a short back lift that I would generate the power in my right leg, from a standing position I was able to kick the ball from one side of the pitch to the other with ease, and with that your range of passing is a lot better. There are lots of things you need to get into the first team, good control, good range of passing, quickness of thought, intelligent movement off the ball, good vision while on the ball, stamina or fitness to last the 90 minutes or beyond, and be able to make the right decisions. As you can see there are lots of things you need to be fairly good at and if you add my aggression and the rocket shot, well they are an added bonus.

In other words, you could say I could play a bit as well.

Who were the players you loved playing alongside the most?

I was fortunate to play in some great sides with some great players. There are the obvious ones at Liverpool: Kevin Keegan, Graeme Souness, Ray Kennedy and Kenny Dalglish to name but a few.

Kenny Dalglish was the one player I enjoyed being on the park with most. He had a special talent and was a joy to play with, but not to play against. I also enjoyed my time down on the South coast playing for Southampton where I was the old head in the team and I had a young forward line all 18 to 20 years of age. On my left wing I had Rodney or Danny Wallace, through the middle was Alan Shearer and on the right wing was Matt Le Tissier; not bad forward line eh?!

I’ve had a great time, very fortunate.

…on winning titles:
Four league titles, three European Cups, a UEFA Cup and a League Cup… it’s not a bad haul, is it?! Which was your most memorable triumph at Liverpool?

Out of all the trophies won over that period, the one every club was after would be the European Cup. In those days it was thought to be the biggest triumph. I know it’s big now but maybe for slightly different reasons.

The main triumph for me was the win in 1977 in Rome against the German side Borussia Moechengladbach; it was the first time Liverpool had won it and it was a very special evening. The four league titles were obviously a massive achievement as well because you have to be consistent over a longer period of time.

How did the team keep so focused on continually winning, especially the season after you’d won a domestic and European double?

The players and the coaches/manager kept focussed on winning games just by taking nothing for granted, any players in that situation would have difficulty in keeping their feet on the ground, that’s where the staff came in—they would knock you down a peg or two if you got above your station. We were always told at the and also the beginning of every season that you get nothing for last year, you have to start all over again.

Are you still in touch regularly with any of your old team mates from Liverpool?

Yes, we at Liverpool have a strong former players’ association and do many functions for charity, and at these functions we would get a fantastic turn out in respect to the numbers of former players attending. It’s at these events we meet and catch up with one another, also on match days at Anfield there would be a good amount of players that would meet up in the Carlsberg lounge and chat about the match over a pint.

What was the highlight of your career after departing Anfield, either as a player or a coach?

When I left Liverpool in 1981, moving to Brighton, we had one season where we were relegated but we actually fought our way to the FA Cup Final to face Manchester United. We actually got beat but only after a replay. That would be a highlight for me because getting to Wembley with Brighton was certainly an achievement, whereas with Liverpool the odds at that time would be that we would be expected to get to the final, or close to it. One other achievement I am quite proud of is that I was still playing in the league for Brighton in my second spell at just short of my 42nd birthday.

…on the current LFC side:
What do you make of the Reds this season? Are we where you expected us to be at this stage, or did you expect a challenge for the top four, and are you a fan of Brendan Rodgers and his style of management?

The Reds this season, I think the club is still feeling the effects of the period of change, with it being the change of owners or change of managers, and with all that the comings and goings in the playing staff as well. With Brendon Rodgers comes a slightly different way of playing and it takes time for him to implement that way of playing, also time to get the right players in to suit. At times this season we have played some great stuff and I can see where we are headed but they are very inconsistent at times. I think the challenge for the top 4 would be next season if we get involved in some summer dealings.

Who is the current player who you feel is most similar to the type of midfielder you were?

I don’t think there are any of the current players that are similar to me, the game has changed with the aggressive side being slowly taken out of the game.

Did you watch Being: Liverpool, and if so what did you make of it?!

I watched the first bit of Being: Liverpool, and to be honest, I was cringing and said to myself, what’s this. Sorry, could not watch any more of that.

The Liverpool Word would like to thank Jimmy for his time in speaking with us! Jimmy is currently in the process of launching his autobiography, Hard Case. The project is crowdfunded via Unbound, which you can contribute directly to.

Unbound puts the power of publishing in the hands of authors and readers. Authors pitch their book ideas directly to you. If you back a project before it reaches its funding target, you get your name printed in the back of every copy and immediate behind-the-scenes access to the author’s shed. If any project fails to hit its funding target, you get refunded in full.  www.unbound.co.uk

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