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Liverpool's Underdog Status Is Bull****, But Fair Play To Them
The narrative of Liverpool as plucky underdog doesn't quite ring true, but there's still much to admire about their season, as this Spurs fan explains...
Liverpool’s Underdog Status Is Bull****, But Fair Play To Them
The Premier League title race is shaping up to finish in movie-script style.
A once-derided individual reawakens a sleeping giant by reconnecting with the club’s DNA to mastermind a late surge to the title after a period of exile.
Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool have served up some of the season’s most exciting football. Rodgers, mocked not so long ago as a footballing David Brent for his pronouncements, has brought his side to the brink of a first league title in 24 years by combining the talents of a naturally gifted but troublesome superstar with apparently more workaday individuals. He has done what coaches used to do – moulded the parts he had into a far greater whole.
There’s much to admire about what Liverpool have done already this season. As a fan of another club I’m not supposed to say that, but as someone whose passion for Spurs has always run alongside an appreciation of the bigger picture, I can and I do. In fact, I heartily endorse what the excellent Dispatches From a Football Sofa blog argues eloquently here about not feeling the need to define my own support by the intensity of my hatred for others.
But, attractive as the unfolding Liverpool narrative may appear – especially from the permanent loop of Spurs-supporting limbo I inhabit – the plotlines don’t hold together. For a start, this ‘connecting with the club’s DNA business’ doesn’t hold true. When I were a lad, back in the day when we had to make do with Shoot league ladders rather than this new-fangled FIFA PlayStation malarkey, Liverpool were the all-conquering Red machine. Loved by the media. Raved about by their annoyingly cocky fans. And consequently despised by everyone else.
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What’s more, they were bloody boring. Liverpool’s success was built on grinding out results. The mythmakers reach for the memories of the swashbuckling Kenny Dalglish far quicker than for the vision of Alan Hansen snuffing out opposition verve. For Hansen, every goal is a needless mistake rather than an achievement created, a vision that lives on in the dying embers of Match of the Day. A Liverpool-supporting mate still argues that Glenn Hoddle wasn’t all that, which tells you all you need to know.
Telly also made us hate Liverpool. They were on it all the time, back in the day when football wasn’t on all the time. Norwich even had a fanzine called Liverpool Are On The Telly Again. And, of course, being a Londoner, I hated Liverpool because ‘Cockneys’ (which I was, apparently, despite being a suburban boy) didn’t like Scousers. Or Mancs. None of us liked the other, but actually we were all pretty similar bar the accents. And we were all insufferably smug whenever we were on top.
I’ve actually always quite liked Liverpool, for many of the same reasons I’ve always quite liked Manchester United: proper teams with proper fans who stick by them even in the bad times. Like Spurs. That sneaking admiration for the red Mancs and the red Scouse also has the added advantage of winding up the Scousers and the Mancs. And the Cockneys. That’s the pleasure of football.
So despite the fact that I wouldn’t mind at all if Liverpool won the title – it’s preferable to the other options and, let’s face it, Spurs are nowhere near – it still feels strange. A mass of contradictions. The underdogs who I grew up seeing on top. The anti-establishment otherness of supporters backing a major global brand owned by a multinational billionaire. Football eh. Bloody hell.
Martin Cloake is a journalist and author who writes about football, the football business and football culture when he’s not doing the day job writing about other stuff. That other stuff has included finance, politics, music, celebrity and real life stories – and fruit and veg. His most challenging commission was delivering a 5,000-word epic on potatoes. Sadly, this is no longer available. But his books, in ebook and paperback form, plus some rather handsome hardbacks, are available direct from his website.
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COMMENTS
In fairness Liverpool of old were both defensive and attacking. 1979-80 they scored 85 goals and conceded 16. 7 or 8 players would turn up around the oppositions box and play pinball until the inevitable goal went in. Rodgers has brought them back to playing for the shirt and the fans, with the attack minded football of Shankly, training hard on their passing and forgetting about themselves and just expressing themselves in games. This is the formula that always works, from Shankly to Alex Fergusson to John Wooden (Basketball coach). The drill and thrill method is the winning formula on any team sport, I think. And one final piece is that Both Rodgers and the owners put sport first. Fenway allowed Rodgers to get rid of dead wood. Rather than seeing them as assets, they sanction the removal of players like Andy Carroll who don't work out, support Rodgers plan to field the best 11 and to keep pruning the squad until it is right. Hello Perch :)
I am Tottenham through and through, it's imprinted in my D.N.A so I have no choice. But I've always loved the city of Liverpool since my sea going days, and of course it's glorious supporters. So I'm very happy that they are going to be champs this season.
well said alan,i hope spurs get back on track soon,i cant stand arsenal but like yourself ive always had a liking and a soft spot for spurs.but this league is far from won,when I seen we were 1/6 on with the bookys it pissed me right off,those odds are outrageous.if we lose one game and city win all theres then they cud pip us on goal difference.long way to go yet and I was at the arsenal game in "89" so I am taking absolutely nothing for granted.
just one more thing that realy pissed me off last week was the actions of a backstabbing ex keeper accusing mignolet of not being good enough for LFC,who the hell is he to pass judgement on our young keeper who in my view has been excellent this season. you all know who am talking about, the sly bastard who fucked us up the arse in the 90s.i gave him the benefit of the doubt until I read the book FOUL PLAY.when I finished reading it it made me physicaly sick.the man was more bent than a ten bob note,and it was proved in the law courts when the judge told him. how a jury cud not reach a guilty verdict is beyond belief,and you have the nerve to claim for damages,well here is a pound for your bus fare home now get out of my court.i advise all fans of LFC To read that book FOUL PLAY and you will not believe the things that man did wen his career came to a close,i will never mention the mans name again cos I have erased that man from all my footballing memories.to me the man simply doesn't exist anymore.
We're encouraged to hate other clubs therefore we find fault and use that to justify it. By in large, LFC have been the most worthy winners of the PL title in many, many years. Young British manager with a British core of players all playing football in an exciting yet tactically sound way. Huge (net) money has been spent but within their budget so why get worked up about that. The way their fans have got excited by it all is great to watch as well. Contrast that to City fans who failed to turn up against WBA. As a spurs are nowhere the title race, I wish LFC all the best. 11 wins on the bounce is an incredible achievement.
SABOTAGE
