What is it about Liverpool FC and its cocky, self-congratulatory overconfidence whenever the team goes on a good run? The last few weeks has been filled with tedious eulogising in the press, but just like previous seasons, it has all come crashing down; and with the defeat to Fiorentina, Liverpool players once again look stupid after weeks of massaging each others' egos.
Every time Liverpool go on a good run it’s the same old story: the players/manager saturate the press with comments about any or all of the following:
1. How much confidence they have
2. How Liverpool can beat anyone
3. How Liverpool fear no one
4. How Liverpool has the greatest players in the world
Why can’t Liverpool players and management just keep their heads down and let their football do the talking on the pitch? Why must *every* important game be preceded by tiresome boasting in the press about how Liverpool are the best and are certain to win? If the team goes on a good run, why tempt fate by basically setting the club up for a fall?
This has happened every season under Rafa, and I’ve highlighted this issue several times before.
I’m so sick of hearing about how great the players are; how they’re so full of confidence; how Liverpool are not afraid of anyone and can beat anyone. This season is only is less than two months old yet it has been filled with players talking too much in the press instead of laying low and focusing on the job at hand.
Here’s an idea: WIN SOMETHING FIRST then boast about it afterwards.
Liverpool teams of the past were not so full of themselves – they just got on with the job at hand and let the football do the talking. And if big games were won, there was no boasting or baiting of other teams; players enjoyed the victory and quietly got on with it.
How I wish we could return to that sort of humble philosophy.
Every time Liverpool go on a good run it’s the same old story: the players/manager saturate the press with comments about any or all of the following:
1. How much confidence they have
2. How Liverpool can beat anyone
3. How Liverpool fear no one
4. How Liverpool has the greatest players in the world
Why can’t Liverpool players and management just keep their heads down and let their football do the talking on the pitch? Why must *every* important game be preceded by tiresome boasting in the press about how Liverpool are the best and are certain to win? If the team goes on a good run, why tempt fate by basically setting the club up for a fall?
This has happened every season under Rafa, and I’ve highlighted this issue several times before.
I’m so sick of hearing about how great the players are; how they’re so full of confidence; how Liverpool are not afraid of anyone and can beat anyone. This season is only is less than two months old yet it has been filled with players talking too much in the press instead of laying low and focusing on the job at hand.
Here’s an idea: WIN SOMETHING FIRST then boast about it afterwards.
Liverpool teams of the past were not so full of themselves – they just got on with the job at hand and let the football do the talking. And if big games were won, there was no boasting or baiting of other teams; players enjoyed the victory and quietly got on with it.
How I wish we could return to that sort of humble philosophy.
I agree somewhat, the team is still trying to adjust to life without Alonso and I think we will struggle against Chelski on Sunday
ReplyDeleteJovetic (Fiorentina) and Hamsik (Napoli) are the two most promising players in all of Europe's football leagues.
ReplyDeleteLet's clear something up, Jamie Kanwar, do you actualy support Liverpool or is this just a blog about Liverpool? Please answer as it may make things a bit clearer to the puzzled faithful.
ReplyDeleteI see your point here. As an LFC supporter in America, I can make a direct comparison between this attitude, as opposed to the attitude of American football players. Over here, athletes are usually very hesitant to say anything in the press that might cast them as overconfident or cocky (however, there are always exceptions). This is largely for the reasons you mention (not wanting to give other teams "locker room material", setting yourself up for a fall, etc.). I notice that in other parts of the world players are MUCH more likely to be self-congratulatiory and talk about how great they are, fear no one, can only improve, can beat anybody, etc.... Just another difference between American "throwball" and football. Interesting...
ReplyDeleteYes, I support Liverpool and have done for 25 years. I have a different view of fandom to most though;my approach involves telling the truth and not being biased towards Liverpool just because I support them. Criticism = not a real fan is a breathtakingly simplistic way of looking at things. There are plenty of Liverpool sites on the net that don't have a specific point of view; In fact, it's pretty hard to distinguish most football sites from each other. I don't see the point of that. This site has an individual voice and is different to every other Liverpool site on the net. And it's genuine, not just done to be different. It just so happens that I have different views to most people. So sue me!
ReplyDeleteIs it a case of boasting to the press, or is it the case that they get asked so many questions so often nowadays, that merely a response to the question such as: "has your confidence improved since the early season defeats" (guessing a "yes" would be the elicited response here) and this then gets turned into a story...
ReplyDeleteCould be wrong but I'm reckoning this happens quite a lot...
"<span>I’m so sick of hearing about how great the players are; how they’re so full of confidence; how Liverpool are not afraid of anyone and can beat anyone."</span>
ReplyDeleteCould you answer the question before? Are you actually a Liverpool Fan or just someone who's in charge of the website? It would really clear a few things up for me also.
I'm not like some of the hard core faithful and can actually see your point in some of your previous negative stories but as a "fan" I can never tire to hear these kind of things. I would much rather hear my team talking with confidence than saying how "they are lucky to be where they are with the players they have".
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YSB YSB YSB YSB YSB!
ReplyDeleteOur players and manager are asked questions in press conference. They have to answer. Newspapers/journalists interprete that into what they want. Imagine that Kuyt is sat in a press conference after the Hull game, Torres has scored a fantastic hat-trick. Journolist asks whether Torres is world class. Kuyt says yes. Journalist prints the next day that Kuyt claims that Torres is best in the world. We all know this happens. I can tell you are a intelligent person Jaimie so why can you not understand this.
ReplyDeleteWe also now that most sport websites "borrow" material. Sky Sports may have carried out an interview, suddenly 20 different websites are talking about it. The players don't saturate the press, our players didn't go to these websites individually being self congratulatory or massaging the egos of other players.
Only today Fergie has said that Rooney will be world class, one of the best in the world. This is what happens. When asked about a player do you expect a manager not to answer. If you're playing well and have had a good run do you really expect the manager and players not to talk about it. If you have a world class striker like Torres and he has just scored a hat trick, do you really expect our players and manager not to talk about it.
Not surprisingly Jamie has nothing to say to this. You're entirely correct. The way details are reported in the press often has very little to do with the actual attitude and feelings of the players or managers who are quoted. But don't let this stand in the way of a good whinge. Jamie hates the fact that Torres' team mates have a lot of respect for him and speak very highly of him when they have the chance. How awful that is.
ReplyDeleteIt's just typical selective reporting and a complete lack of any attempt to understand the truth behind the rabid nonsense that comes out of the football press these days. All Rafa said was that he believes his team is capable of beating anyone. Our record in the Champions League over the past few years indicates that this is fairly sensible point of view to have. Oh, never mind that he says that Fiorentina will be difficult and well organised and that it will be a completely different match from what happened at Hull.
Jaimie Kanwar, your name tells it all! You are an idiot whoc does not know what you are blabering about! Only leaves me to believe you are not a LFC supporter. Get Lost fag.
ReplyDeleteJaimie is a fag, he will not answer you question
ReplyDeleteYeah I read one article .. where rafa warned fiorentina about torres ...but they handled him really well ... why not just play more and talk less .
ReplyDeleteFor someone who writes articles in the media you really have no idea how it works do you Jamie? How news stories and headlines can often have very little to do with the quotes attributed to players. I dont think Liverpool are any worse than the other teams who have to send players and managers to do these press conferences. Only last week it was widely reported that Ballack had already written off everyone's chances for the premier league bar Chelsea and United, however his quotes actually said the winners would come from Chelsea, United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City. Surely YOU of all people understand that journalists (and I use the term loosely) can manipulate quotes and headlines to suit their own agenda.
ReplyDeleteI do not get the quotes I use from newspapers/journalists - I get them direct from the source, i.e. video clips, offical press releases, press conferences and news services like the Press Association, which only reports the facts and has no commentary/opinion/bias. The only time I even read newspapers is when I'm criticising them as part of an article (i.e. The Daily Mail)
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