Soccer fans are a funny, quirky bunch, full of superstitions and paranoia–plus, most of them have a constant injustice complex. No one represents the eccentricities and pure foolishness of soccer fans better than some Liverpool FC Kopites.
Don’t get me wrong, honestly. Some of my best mates are Liverpool fans and I don’t mean that in the way that Luis Suarez would say “some of my best mates are black”. I am lucky the Liverpool fans I know in person are rational, intelligent and objective. Yet the more I read social networking sites and blogs, the more I think these types could be a minority.
I am sure this state of paranoia will now intensify since John Terry‘s four match ban, I look forward to the reasoning’s of why JT’s suspension is shorter than the eight served by Suarez, but I am willing to guess that it’s not the fact that Suarez is not English or the disciplinary panel dislikes Liverpool FC.
These particular Liverpool fans live in a constant state of paranoia; my favorite conspiracy theory from one is that the BBC, the media, The FA and all referees are anti-Liverpool and are in Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s pocket. The accusation is that at their very core, the governing bodies, referees and media are institutionally anti-Liverpool. Wow, that’s up there with Jay-Z running the Illuminati!
Obviously, none of the claims can be substantiated. The best they can do is a rant about an article that could be construed as anti-Suarez on the BBC. But sadly, they would then have to ignore the fact that the BBC’s two main “experts,” Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson, are two of Liverpool’s most decorated players.
Maybe there is the claim that since Sir Alex said Luis Suarez dives, poor Suarez can no longer win a free kick? Oh bother, sadly evidence shows that Suarez was the third most fouled player in the EPL last season despite playing fewer minutes than all but one player in the top ten most fouled players all season.
The problem is that the facts and evidence gets in the way of a fairly decent excuse to be a failure. It’s easy to say “everyone is against us, that is why we don’t win” rather than admit the club’s board has misgoverned, the managers have mismanaged and many fans demanded romance over substance.
Governing bodies can be incompetent, referees wrong and businesses self-serving. What annoys me the most about some Liverpool fans is the constant whining about how morally vacuous everyone is apart from their great club, despite being guilty of all three sins.
Let’s face facts, Liverpool during the Gillette and Hicks regime was incompetent and the signings of the unholy trinity (Jordan Henderson, Andy Carroll & Stuart Downing for nearly $100 million) was incompetent. The fans singing for the appointment of Kenny Dalglish whilst undermining Roy Hodgson was wrong and a very small section of fans mocking the Munich air disaster was wrong. Last year when Liverpool wanted to break away from the EPL TV rights so they could sell the broadcasting rights abroad, shafting smaller clubs was self-serving. Finally, during the Suarez racism debacle, the clubs was guilty of all three.
Do many Liverpool fans mention the fact that their captain, Steven Gerard, has a habit of diving? Do they moan at the media for overlooking this? Of course they bloody don’t. Let us all focus on poor Suarez and how he doesn’t get the calls (he does statistically, see above) because of mean Mr Ferguson. Maybe if Suarez didn’t act like a total tool whilst on the pitch or throw himself over like he had just been hit by a UFC fighter, then referees may not think he is trying to con them every few minutes.
Since the Liverpool and Manchester United game, the referee for the day, Mark Halsey, has been attacked on Twitter so harshly that it has led to a criminal investigation. The “fans’” tweets are inhumane and shocking and I won’t repeat them.
Liverpool don’t seem to have much good will right now due to the above reasons. The non-Liverpool fans I speak to seem to be frustrated that such a wonderful club with an incredible fan base can be so petty and sometimes vile.
What we need to be reminded of is the Liverpool FC that Britain and the world can be proud of and under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, I think they will do just that. The past few months have been monumental for all Liverpool fans, the city of Liverpool and the football community as a whole.
The release of the Hillsborough disaster files revealed what we all suspected: that the Sun newspaper, the British government and the police were involved in the cover up that caused the death of 96 Liverpool fans.
This cover up was a criminal and systematic attack on working class people. Whether this tragedy happened to Liverpool, Manchester United or West Ham fans, the resulting despicable, cowardly and criminal activity would’ve ensued regardless.
However, I do not think many fans, groups or individuals would have shown the grit and determination to force the exposure of these files. The campaigners, the Liverpool fan base and the groups who have supported them are owed by soccer community as a whole. They have tirelessly fought for justice and they will not stop until they get it, which is spirit and true courage. This is the Liverpool FC I know.
The 96 who lost their lives that day changed British football forever. They should never be forgotten and they should always be honored.
Follow me on Twitter @mralexeagle
