Basque to the future
Written by Kevin Tully
Well, I’m glad that season is over. How do I feel about the next one?
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
To give that question some context I thought I would share with you my opinion on what we have recently witnessed with our managerial change. First of all, let me state for the record I was a “Slot In” guy. Bringing a Premier League title (our bread and butter) home in his first season cements his legacy for me, especially since it put us back on our perch with number 20. I was looking forward to number 21 and sole owner of the Champion of Champions title. I thought the signings we made at the start of last season were setting the scene for another LFC dynasty.
The Football Gods didn’t agree. Starting with the tragic loss of our brother and best finisher Diogo, combined with the “off the cliff” drop in form from Mo, and continuing on throughout the season with long term injury after long term injury, it turned into a nightmare which Slot couldn’t turn around. Looking back, I think his rigidity in trying to enforce his style on a team in flux resulted in him losing some of the dressing room (FWIW I firmly believe Mo’s dirty laundry should not have been aired in public) and eventually the fans started turning too, a death knell for a manager. I sincerely hope he lands on his feet and does well elsewhere. Thanks, and all the best, Arne.
Turning to his replacement, Andoni Iraola, I think he is a known quantity, with the Richard Hughes connection at Bournemouth, is seen to support the type of high intensity football Liverpool want, had a really good body of work at the Cherries and, more importantly, was very likely to be snapped up by another PL team. This last point reminded me of the Rogers/Klopp move and I think he was seen as a great option which was quickly going to disappear, so FSG pulled the trigger. I think, in hindsight they made the right move. The more I learn about AI (the manager not the computer science) the more I like him. He comes from the Basque region of Spain, a fiercely independent region where “I’m not Spanish I’m Basque” is proudly exclaimed…..sound familiar? He is a graduate of Marcelo Biesla, who I rate highly, as he played under him Athletic Bilbao, and he gives youth a chance, are you ready Rio? One thing for sure, I think we’ll have the fittest team in the league next season, the famous Bielsa murder ball training sessions will take care of that. I just hope we can manage the injuries along with the intensity. It will be front foot press and suffocation. Listening to his early media duties I think he gets us, straight away, and I think the fans will get him too in short order. We did miss the emotion under Slot; I think we’ll get that back in spades under AI.
So going back to the original question, how do I feel about next season. Honestly, I’m excited and looking forward to it. We need to set realistic expectations though, which I didn’t do last year. Qualify for Champions League is my main goal, any other silverware is gravy. Give him two or three transfer windows to get the players for his system and build something solid. My plea to all our supporters is, let him breath, allow him time to make mistakes and let’s not get carried away with the media noise which always crops up. I don’t want to be a team with a merry-go round of managers every one or two years. I want stability, consistency and a relentless upward push, the Liverpool Way.
So, the only question now is, do we have a song for him. We could grab the Man City song for now just to rub salt in “We’ve got Iraola, we’ve Got Iraola”, to the tune of the Dave Clark Fives “Glad all over” and we can add “you’ve lost Guardiola” when we play ‘em. Not original but that can come later. As for a banner how about “Basque to the future” that speaks to me in so many ways. Well, that’s my two-penneth for what it’s worth.
Back to the World Cup…….
Cheers!
Kev
