No Divine Right

[Gem]

Nottingham Forest, an example that shows that the mighty can fall and no football team have a Devine right to be successful. Leeds are another example.

I bring this subject up as I keep reading Liverpool players and fans talking about baby steps, give us time and we'll be back, we'll challenge again soon... Well urm... Perhaps you won't? What makes you think you will? Because you once won a lot of trophies? Perhaps it's time to accept you're not the club you once were.

It irks me, and no one in the media dares mention it. Why can't someone just say "Stevie, Jamie, Joey... It's okay, acceptance is the final stage of grieving - you've been stuck on denial for the past 20 years, move on, you're not the Liverpool of old."

We have no right to expect success. We do because of our FA Cup win in 97 and the trophies since - but I honestly don't believe we're deluded enough to expect this to continue forever.

What I'm saying, in a round about way, is that the UEFA (or whatever cup) Cup may now be their level. Accept it, try to win it and be thankful you can still challenge for a European Cup.

[Nibs]

We have no right to expect success. We do because of our FA Cup win in 97 and the trophies since - but I honestly don't believe we're deluded enough to expect this to continue forever.

Most of us don't Gem, but I expect there are many "new fans" who do. Fans who have only followed Chelsea in times of success and this is probably Liverpool's problem. They'll be plenty of Liverpool fans today who only started supporting them because of the success under Shankly & Paisley. Back in the '70's & '80's when there was no live football on TV and MOTD only used to show two matches, invariably Liverpool would feature in one of them. So kids all over the country became Liverpool "supporters". But nothing lasts forever. They did have a very decent run but who knows, in another few years, they could be another Leeds or Preston?

That's why we should enjoy this era whilst we can. We are lucky that we have Roman and seem to be in a very healthy position, so hopefully even when Lamps, Drogba, JT & co are no longer around, we will have the next crop. But there are no guarantees and we should be careful about taking the piss out of teams playing in the Europa Cup as going back a few years, we would have jumped at the chance.

Edited September 17, 2010 by Nibs

[Gem]

Fair enough Nibs, but with the players, manager and current set-up - I do expect some sort of challenge. I don't demand it, but we have a good squad. When I say "expect" I mean it more in we're a good team, we have a strog squad, good manager, there is no reason why we shouldn't. Not - I expect it, I demand it as such.

Because of my age - I've only ever known success - I can't help that, but I'm not taking it for granted.

If we were to fall - so be it. I'm lucky enough to see my team win trophy after trophy. I just don't think Liverpool are accepting of a similar situation.

[Zola]

Liverpool arethe biggest club in he country with the most vocal fans.

When you have won as much as they have of course their fans will be clinging onto hope and belief of getting back to the top. they're only supporting their team at the end of the day, we shouldn't be laughing at them for that..most fans won't just accept it right away..

I think they'll be stuck at about 6th for a few more seasons... If they get a decent buyer with ££ they will be right up there again. They are huge globally so I can't see them doing a Leeds to be honest.

I'm enjoying their plight though!!

Edited September 17, 2010 by Zola

[yorkleyblue]

Liverpool arethe biggest club in he country with the most vocal fans.

No they are not, and they weren't the most vocal last night, either

I'm also enjoying their plight though!!

[Zola]

The stadium had a lot of empty seats when I flicked across right enough,

[Hutch]

no way are Liverpool the biggest club in the country. tney won't like it, we might not like it, but Man U have in my memory, always been the biggest team in the UK. Man U are an exception but even they are not immune to potential future failures. Liverpool were a smallish club until the injection of the John Moores/Littlewoods catalogue money in the '60s. yes that's right. it was an injection of cash that sparked Liverpool's period of success.

as Nibs says, the problem so many of their fans have, is that they've grown up with success. many of them also seem to believe that their precious history entitles them to further success. which of course it doesn't. i've heard LIverpool fans sayng they're losing interest in football because they're not in this season's Champions League. which is nothing more or less than spoilt-brat type whining.

well let me see. they haven't won the title for 20 years, and again they haven't made the best of starts to the season. do they look like title challengers this season? nope. could they challenge again in the future? of course they could. given the right owners willing to invest and spend wisely with a manager capable of taking them back to the top. the point being that the same goes for any club. they're not as big and nowhere near as special as they and all too many media voices (prime example being Adrian Durham: "Liverpool are everyone's second team") would have you believe.

[The Moos]

We have no right to expect success. We do because of our FA Cup win in 97 and the trophies since - but I honestly don't believe we're deluded enough to expect this to continue forever.

It won't?!

But....but....but.....what team shall I cheer for after that?

[dkw]

Liverpool arethe biggest club in he country with the most vocal fans.

No, no they are not. They are as quiet as all the big clubs fans now, only getting up for big games the same as us, Utd and Arsenal (ok, not arsenal). Singing Karaoke before and after the match (only if they win though) does not make "the bestest atmosphere ever", no matter how many times their friends in the media tell us it is.

I'm enjoying their plight though!!

Agreed, funny as hell.

[BLUENUT]

The stadium had a lot of empty seats when I flicked across right enough,

Coupled with the commentators 'Eurpoean nights are always special at Anfield' comments, I found it rather amusing, it's not just Liverpools supporters who are a bit deluded in accepting the current state of affairs

[ewitkows]

They could very well get a cash infusion in the near future. If the banks take them over someone is going to get them for pennies on the dollar and could dump some money into them. I don't think they are as far off as city was when they where taken over. A few quality mid fielders and some decent subs and they could be right back in the top 4 again.

[bluegraham]

I hate liverpool with a passion only for the irish crowds heading over to merseyside they would have a crowd of 25,000 to 30,000. nobody has a right to win trophys you earn it every year. the biggest club in england had 25,000 lastnite takeaway the away crowd you had maybe 23,000. chelsea v rosneberg had a gate the same and we got slaughterd by the media. notting said about the gate lastnight

[ewitkows]

Well it was the Europa league not the Champions league. Kinda like the League cup v the FA cup.

[bluegraham]

Well it was the Europa league not the Champions league. Kinda like the League cup v the FA cup.

dont matter there the biggest club in england as they keep telling us. it was £45 to get in to the bridge that night.

[bonetti]

Thursday night club - nothing more

[dkw]

Well it was the Europa league not the Champions league. Kinda like the League cup v the FA cup.

They keep telling us they are the bestest fans ever and they will never have low crowds, no matter what the game is. yet they did last night.

[Sheva]

I still haven't met a Liverpool fan who talks sense.

[Eggy McMuffin]

I still haven't met a Liverpool fan who talks sense.

I have, and he is very depressed.

[Barry Bridges]

Based on certain threads Ive actually begun to fear some of our fans are starting to obtain that line of logic in regards to Chelsea.

Success is never garaunteed, just enjoy it when it happens!

[Scooby Blue]

They keep telling us they are the bestest fans ever and they will never have low crowds, no matter what the game is. yet they did last night.

As they did last season in The Channel 5 Euro tin cup on more than one occassion. Oh and also they were a fair bit short when Reading turned them over in the FA Cup. A poor domestic campaign would probably see there League attendances drop soon enough.

[Scooby Blue]

Of course we have a divine right. If not I'll have to go back to watching my Zenith Data Systems Cup winning video year after year :D

On a serious note any real Chelsea fan or simply any intelligent football fan (excluding funny sounding people with a big lump of flem in their throat) should know that success will never last forever.

If Chelsea won f**k all this year I would be disappointed yes. But would it stop me supporting the club year after year? Of course it wouldn't. You have to take the rough with the smooth and those of a younger age have been very lucky with experiencing the smooth. I myself first went to the Bridge in 88 and consider myself to be lucky compared to many others who watched the club during the decade or so before that.

Come along, come along, come along and sing our song, we're the boys in blue from division 2 but we won't be here for long

[Spiller86]

I for one don't think they're any worse off now than they have been for most of the last two decades. They'll finish top 6, make the semi's of the Cup and do ok in Europe, which has been about their average for the last little while.

On the whole whether they'll be back thing. I agree there is no divine right, but when they have a brand as well known as there's, it's difficult to see their next owner (after the RBS of course :D) not being someone with significant funds to invest. Given that money talks these days I'd suggest they'll in all probability win a Premier League at some point in the next decade or so.

I the meantime I think it's best to toast their misery while it continues. Long may it last!

[mad_mac]

We should be very thankfull of where we are today, and never take anything for granted.