There was a time in the not too distant past when a trip to Anfield was regarded by every opposing fan as a highly stressful affair where coming away with a point was a moral victory. In those days English football drew most of its talent from the home countries and that was true of management as well. Liverpool had a succession of strong managers who created a legacy of winning which, today, weighs heavily like a millstone around the necks of players and supporters alike. They have in recent years tasted limited success under the tutelage of Rafe Benitez, but his failure to secure the premiership and their general lack of consistency has been his ultimate undoing.
English football has undergone a major revolution since the advent of Sky TV and their millions. Suddenly the world's best saw the premiership as the place to play. It is no coincidence that the last Liverpool title win in the 1989-90 season was the first year that Sky began broadcasting as BSkyB. It was their inability to adapt to the new era in football that has seen them lagging behind Manchester United, Arsenal and latterly Chelsea. In effect Liverpool's intransigence and unwillingness to change has seemingly meant that they have missed the boat. Now their past success has become a point of ridicule by, in particular, Manchester United fans who had to stand by as title after title headed towards Anfield in the seventies and eighties.
Chelsea Football Club
Today Liverpool were beaten by their arch rivals Everton and they sit humiliatingly at the foot of the table with West Ham and Wolves. This has been the worst start to the season for the Reds for 57 years and has made the task of lifting the players and the club a daunting task for incumbent manager Roy Hodgson. Matters off the field regarding the ownership of Liverpool FC Limited have also added to the unsettling atmosphere at the club. It begs the question whether a club floundering at the foot of the premiership can possibly hold on to world class talent like Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard? In the case of Gerrard he could not be blamed if he decided to move on from a club he has shown great, yet fruitless, loyalty to over many years. It just goes to show that nothing is forever. No club has the right to be at the top and they certainly cannot use the past as a sign of pedigree. You are only as good as your last result and Liverpool lost 2-0 to the club from across the city. Judging by their current league position the only way is up for the Reds. I wish them well.
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