Last night's game against Everton could have gone either way because it was a derby. Before the game I thought we'd batter them, usually I don't enter a game with so much confidence, but yesterday I really thought we'd nail the [oops].
I don't recall a derby game that was so dull. Not only was the game poor but I thought the atmosphere was too. If the fans can't be fired up for such an important match, then something is seriously wrong. The Kop has been dead since we went all-seater but it does put in the odd appearance for some choice Champions League games.
All though I'm an out-of-towner I can understand why some die-hard Scousers don't want OOT's on the Kop. It's wrong to brand all OOT's as 'day trippers' because that's not the case. It's also wrong to say that someone putting in their first and maybe only ever trip to Anfield shouldn't be allowed on the Kop because they can be as passionate as any true Scouser.
As an OOT I challenge any true Scouser to say that they are more passionate than me. I didn't ask to be born where I was born and as a child I had no idea where Liverpool was when I became attached to the club. But just because I'm not from Liverpool doesn't mean I don't cry when we fail. I'd die for my club.
I do believe though that true Scousers have a special affiliation than an OOT can never have. It is their home city and if I lived in my hometown of Scarborough and then cockneys started coming in changing things then I'd be kicking off too. However, if they were passionate and sincere, I'd accept them with open arms. They could never be a true Scarborian but that doesn't mean they couldn't love Scarborough. It's the same kind of thing.
It shouldn't matter where you come from as to whether you are entitled to a place on the Kop or anywhere else in the ground but it should matter about how much effort you are prepared to put in. In my opinion it is totally unacceptable to turn up on the Kop with your girlfriend or kids unless they are prepared to be as loud as the loudest fan on the Kop. If they're just going to sit there playing with a camera or rubbing their gloves together, they shouldn't be there, you included.
I started out on the Kop and as I got older and started attending games with my chick, I moved to the Centenary Stand, but next to the Kop so that I could still watch the 12th man in flow. When I look at the Kop, or what's left of it, I feel a sense of pride. I choose not to go on the Kop today because I feel I need to be more relaxed now. I'm very passionate. I get wound up easily. I've been known to climb over the seat in front of me when wanting to express my disgust at a tackle or a referee's decision. Many times I found myself ready to throw things at people like Gary Neville. The amount of times I grabbed my mobile phone in my pocket and shouted "No!" in my head. I had to calm down, I had to grow up.
If I was with my mates then I'd still be the same but climbing over a seat with a middle aged woman staring at you as if to say "How dare he" just doesn't fit right with me. The first time I did it I ended up arguing with a couple of casual fans because they moaned at me for shouting and carrying on. My reaction was basically "**** off". I want to be surrounded by people who feel like me. People who could kill for 90 minutes not someone who just waves their hands in the air when there's a throw in hoping that they'll be on tv. Wankers.
So today I'm more relaxed. I sit within people who are passionate season ticket holders who accept each other and know how we all tick. Since moving abroad though I haven't been much. A combination of cost and time is a big problem for me because I really need to be on the site on match days. To attend a match I need flights, a hotel and other travel expenses. I have to carry a laptop around with me and I worry how the site is doing when I'm not online. I've kind of accepted it but that doesn't mean that I don't know what's happening at the ground.
When I am there and I see someone on the Kop stand up to try and get something going and the majority just sit or stand there frozen, it angers me. I really does. It should be a condition of ticket sales for the Kop that you are prepared to be the 12th man. Feeling numb with a run of poor performances is no excuse to me. You are there to support, not sulk. Not everyone is young enough to sing their heart out so I can accept other areas of the ground taking it easy but the Kop should be roaring for every match.
Within minutes of full time last night the usual suspects were out moaning about Rafa. These people really annoy me. I understand all the reasons for people feeling as they do but resorting to calling the manager or players names is not acceptable in my eyes. You are not welcome on this website if you're one of them, member or no member.
People are moaning about why Torres and Keane were hauled off. Well for a start Fernando wasn't 100% fit and Rafa would have take him off much earlier if he could. As for Robbie, I didn't even see him during the game so I can understand that decision and at first, it appeared to pay off. They were even moaning about Macherano not figuring but don't they understand that Rafa wanted to attack? How thick are these people.
We can talk as if we're experts when in reality we're not. There is no manager in the game better than Rafa. If there is, tell me who he is. Don't be giving me any of that Sir Alex or Arsene [oops]. When Rafa has had their time at the club, their backing and in-house stability, then you can put their names forward.
For Rafa to do what he has under the current circumstances is nothing short of a bloody miracle. Remember when we used to challenge for 4th week in week out?
I'm as frustrated at the next fan but I fully support the manager. If you're fortunate enough to attend the games, maybe you should look at the effort that you put in over 90 minutes before criticising the players.
Whether we win the league or not, I support Rafa 100%. I will only ever judge him when he has the full backing of the board and complete stability at the club.
Dunk
) but if I had the chance to be on the Kop I wouldn't have a voice left by the end. Out Of Towners usually only get one or two chanes to attend a game at Anfield, if at all, so I would have thought they would have been the loudest ones there. Perhaps it's the local "newbies" to the Kop that were the quiet ones.
). I went the Lazio friendly for a laugh with a couple of mates and seen a couple of irish fellas in front of us. They sang their hearts out for the redmen when songs got going. However, there was a couple of right tramps sittin behind us (one of the reminded me of Jabba the Hut) and they were shouting abuse at the irish fellas, telling them to sit down and shut up. So i agree with you Dunk, my view is that only people who will sing should be on the Kop, but, i have plenty of mates who simply can not get a ticket because others get them, and they are born and bred in this city. I'm not trying to say no OOT's should be allowed in because as my little story proved, that is not the case. If you dont want to sing, or prefer to sit down, the Kop is not for you.