Liverpool Revolution
Liverpool are desperate for Revolution. All the people who involved with the football club including owners, fans, player, legends, staff, and other that I couldn’t mention; want to bring back the glory days of 80s where we were a Bastian of Invincibility in England. The era where Kevin Keegan, John Toshack, Kenny Dalgish, Ian Rush, John Aldridge, John Barnes, and Peter Beadsley brought a trophy to the Liverpool Cabinet every season. The “pass and move” football is fun to watch, Liverpool play with a joy in their heart and also the will to win every trophy they could. However does glory days are the history that Liverpool wants to repeat. Believe it or not, we were under a transition from manager to manager towards revolution that we want. It all started from Rafa Benitez. Yes, you heard me, it is Rafa who start all of this.
Rafael Benitez (The Foundation):
The man who brought Liverpool 5th European Cup and 7th FA Cup are the one who realized that we need a change. Even though he managed to bring a few trophies in his early season with “decent squad”, he has a bigger ambition, which is to bring back the glory days and Win the Premier League. In order to do that he need a world class player which was failed to be deliver by the owners. They didn’t gave the funds that he need, That’s why he has to sold his Star player including Xabi Alonso to buy a new one (Johnson and Aquilani). But that’s not enough, at that time Liverpool need a revolution in their squad and Rafa didn’t get what he want. We can’t blame Rafa at that time, the Xabi replacement (Aquilani) are injured for most of the season, as a result they finished 7th in the league.
Rafa was then sacked at the end of the season due to the poor result, but people forget what Rafa has left for Liverpool. It was Rafa who started to build a new system to the Liverpool youth Academy, his vision is to make Liverpool Academy the best in the world to produce world class player just like Barcelona and Ajax did. He brought Rodolfo Borrell and Pep Seguera, both is the former Barcelona youth coach, they have a job to train the Liverpool youth and flourish their talent. People also shouldn’t forget that it was Rafa who bought Shelvey, Sterling, Suso, and Pacheco at young age and if you look at them now, they are close to break into the first team, they have shown their talent. Rafa also is the one who gave the first team debut for Martin Kelly and Jack Robinson at their young age, and now people can see that both of them are giving tremendous pressure for Liverpool 1st team fullback. He is the man who builds the foundation for Liverpool Revolution.
Roy Hodgson (The Blamer):
People might think that the assignment of Roy Hodgson to be Liverpool manager is a mistake. For me, it has to be him. At that chaos time, we need a man to take all the blame, it was Roy Hodgson. Tactically, he was poor, he implement rigid formation in which we are usually play boring, wins ugly, and also lost ugly(mostly). But at that condition (confrontation of H&G), there is nothing much that manager can do, it was really a mess and tough time for all the people who involved with the football club. Even Kenny Dalglish couldn’t save Liverpool under that condition. So I personally felt sorry for Roy because he didn’t get his chance. But until the new owner is yet to come, there should be a people who take a blame for poor result.
Under Roy Hodgson, we could also differentiate which is the glory hunter and which is the real Liverpool fan. At that tough time, Liverpool fans will stand up with their team and if they couldn’t take it anymore, they would support another team. So in this era, Liverpool fans are tested and also learned about pride, loyalty, and believe.
Kenny Dalglish (The Motivator/Philosopher):
King Kenny Dalglish, the man who bring joy to the Liverpool. He replaced Roy Hodgson and implemented the "pass and move" football, the Liverpool traditional football philosophy, the philosophy who won Liverpool 18 Premier League title in the past. He bring back the passion and believe to this football club. something missing under the Roy Hodgson era. Kenny handled the transition that must happen to this football club which is the departure of Fernando Torres. it was written in stone, even though it is Fernando's decision to leave, I think it must be done for the goodness of this football club, Liverpool are too dependent to Fernando, We need a fresh new start to this football club. the departure of star player are exchanged with the arrival of the new, enter Luis Suarez. He inherited the King Kenny's #7, up until now, Luis has proved that he deserved to wear that prestigious shirt.
The Development of Luis Suarez is also Kenny's work. Suarez has a bad temper and selfish on and off the pitch. but Kenny is the one who taught Suarez how to behave in this beloved football club. Not just Suarez, but all the Liverpool player from the academy to the first team, he emphasized that we must proud to wear this shirt. "Liverpool is more important than any individual" and "All that really matters is the badge on the front, not the name on the back".
During the Suarez-Evra case, I could see that Kenny has became "The Dark Knight" here. He was blamed for poor management during the case, but for me, he handled it superbly. He showed again what this club is all about, personally Suarez is NOT GUILTY (you all know the reason), and Kenny has shown to Suarez and also everyone connected to the football club that we are all one. we must unite and support the player in times of high and low. this is also something that differentiate Liverpool with other football club. The Liverbird is not a badge, it's family chest. Even though then it cost Kenny the job, we all could see that there are no deny about how important of this football club for the player, especially Suarez who just extended his contract with Liverpool.
This is how crucial Kenny's part to bring revolution to this football club.
Even though he finally could bring the first trophy after five years, he was sacked after his one year and half charge to this football club, the reason is the poor finish in the league, however, even though some people argue that he must still given a change, it must be done, his job's here is done. Actually, His man management skills was superb, tactically, he was helped by his assistant, Steve Clarke; it is not good enough, we need a man who can bring the real revolution to this football club, a man who's tactically brilliant and understand the game in and off the pitch.
Brendan Rodgers (The Builder):
"Who is him? are you kidding me? is it serious?", maybe those are the majority reaction from the fans when Brendan Rodgers are given the Liverpool job. After the media speculation which consist of big name like Fabio Capello, Frank de Bour, Andre Villas Boas, Rafa Benitez, Joseph Guardiola, and even Roberto Martinez. people doesn't predict and expect that it was Brendan Rodgers who is given the job.
People doesn't realize that Brendan is capable enough for this football club. he has 20 years of managerial experience due the fact that he is still 39 years old. he was also has previously worked under Jose Maurinho in Chelsea, and even Maurinho predict that Brendan has the capability to became a good manager (not AVB who is also worked with him). He is the type of managers who is tactical (like Rafa and Jose) understand the game superbly. the young manager with modern mind of thinking about football, it was how we could describe him at short. He likes to keep possession and attacking football on to his team, it is the way of going forward for his previous team, Swansea. people even describe Swansea last season as Swanselona, because they play just like them and managed to finished in mid table despite they are promotion team.
That way is the foundation for Brendan to build Liverpool. Brendan emphasized that it was the Liverpool way that he intend to implement here. tiki-taka or Catalan football might be the foundation, but he never said that Liverpool will play "tiki-taka", he always said it is the "Liverpool way", tiki-taka is the combination of possession and short passing, while the way that Brendan try to implement here is the possession football with short and long pass along with movement. it is the Liverpool way to going forward.
After the difficult era of Rafa, Roy, and Kenny; comes the stability era, the era where Liverpool need to boost up and climb back to the top level, and we need a young manager like Brendan to do that. Not just because he is tactically brilliant, but also because he inherit and idolize the Shanks philosophy. Brendan understand the Liverpool way and even willing to sacrifice anything to make Liverpool success again. the message here for the Liverpool fans is to be patient, we are headed towards the right direction, it is not long for the Glory days to come.
PS: I strongly believed that Brendan came to Liverpool is a fate. While Kenny managed his first full Liverpool season, it was also Brendan first full season in EPL with Swansea. thus, if FSG already hired someone other than Kenny, Brendan might not be considered.
Summary:
Rafa Benitez is the foundation or the revolution, he is a brave man, he is brave enough to tell the fans that there is something wrong with the owner, he is brave enough to tell there is a conspiracy between FA and Ferguson, He is also the man who build the academy foundation towards the best in the world.
Roy Hodgson is the man who take the blame for all the misdoings of the owner and player (at that current situation), at that chaos situation, in his era we could differentiate the true supporter and the glory hunter. fans are taught about pride, loyalty, and believe to this football club.
Kenny Dalglish is the motivator and philosopher of this revolution, he bring back the believe and taught us about the importance of this football club towards the player, owner, fans and all the people connected to this football club.
Brendan Rodgers is the builder, he is the man destined to start the new era. under the supportive new owners, his young age, and his understanding about the football game on and off the pitch including the Liverpool Way. It has to be him, the man who has vowed to sacrifice anything (including taking all the blame for his bold decision) to bring the glory days back to our beloved club.
You Will Never Walk Alone
author : Andryan Dedy