before I head off to watch the international friendlies ...
Ok, I've rambled on about football quite a bit recently. In the case you're interested, there's more rambling about what and why and who beneath the cut. And then I'll shut up.
When there's a World Cup or European Championship, more people watch football. Of course. Big event and all that. I did, too. Always loved watching sports, but was more into tennis (played myself, back in the days). First big football event I remember is WC 2002 when I was in Year 7, then Euro 2004, and then I came to England and there was the WC 2006 and after that, I was into it a lot, international matches and all that. Only that's not quite how the story went.
Because on a certain day in May 2005, I was in Prague with my school (life-changing things tend to occur to me in this city for some reason), sitting in the hostel's bar, discussing religion with a classmate and our two teachers, and there was this big, big game on. Champions League final. Ok, alright then. Who's playing? AC Milan vs Liverpool. Who'd you support? Uh, Liverpool I guess, they're the English team and the other one's the favourite, so yeah, Liverpool. But they're 3-0 down, that's pretty much game over, right? Ok, back to our discu... hang on, did they just score a goal? And another one? And that penalty? Hang on, is this for real?!!
Fast forward a year, England playing in the World Cup, five girls from four nations sitting in the TV room of the senior boarding house in Greater London and cheering loudly when Steven Gerrard scores a goal, because, well, it's Steven Gerrard, the most inspirational player England has these days. And I do rather like this Spanish team ... During a weekend away from boarding school, I manage to explain to a friend what offside is and the rest of her football-obsessed family, die-hard Arsenal supporters btw, they look at me, the German girl, and the father goes, you know, that was a really good explanation. I feel like I've won something. And the next time we meet, they tell me they're sorry Germany lost to Italy. Several people (English people, as in, 'we have to be better than Germany at football no matter what' people) tell me that, me, the German girl. I'm a bit amazed, same when I step out of Berlin-Tegel airport a few days later and there are German flags everywhere.
Fast forward a bit more, World Cup over, football enthusiasm renewed together with an altogether new pride of my own country, and the most social thing I can manage while doing the work for Year 12 and Year 13 at the same time, in a girls' boarding school, that's watching football together with another girl. Also a die-hard Arsenal supporter. The question, which team do you support, comes up soon. How long do I have to think before saying, Liverpool? Not one second. And that's how it all begins...
We mostly have the same views on football, yelling at the screen and discussing everything, sometimes with another girl who supports Man United. I remember when Liverpool lost to Arsenal, friend couldn't and wouldn't stop gloating. Better to think about the games when Liverpool run Chelsea into the ground because we all hate Chelsea with a passion (I still do). Good times.
Summer 2007, back in Germany, no BBC, no nothing, no League games. Duh. I keep tabs on the news, obviously, and I'm thrilled when "that brilliant Spanish striker" signs with Liverpool, but I get some distance on it, like it or not.
Summer 2008, no England at the Euro Championship, alas, but there's the leavers' ball of my old school, it coincides with the final, Spain vs Germany, all of us sitting there in dress clothes watching football on the big screen. Torres scores, can't get mad at him, can I? And I know this brilliant Spanish midfielder, this Xabi Alonso ...
Summer 2010, World Cup, better streams, glued to my screen for every match possible. Germany are superb for a change, constantly playing against the other teams I like, i.e. England and Spain. Again, can't get mad at Spain for being better. Support Spain for the final. Thrilled they win. Add football icons to dreamwidth. Of course there's a Liverpool one as well. Liverpool, my love. With all these streams, I guess I can watch some games again ...
Xabi Alonso left Merseyside last year and signed with Real Madrid. Duh. You have the world's best midfielder at your club until one day, you suddenly don't. "Heartbroken" doesn't cover it. Still. This is Liverpool Football Club. Walk on. Walk on. Stevie Gerrard is still there, of course 'Captain Fantastic' is still there, along with Carragher, the only ones from the 2005 squad left (and Stevie says, being the captain of Liverpool, I wouldn't call it sacrifice. I'd call that living a dream).
So what I get to watch with Liverpool right now, that's a new manager, new owners, lots of new faces, and the worst start into the season for decades. I refuse to admit the Stoke match took place. I watch Real Madrid a lot. They have Xabi Alonso. They win. Liverpool is in deep trouble, not even playing in the Champions League, but you know how they say, supporting a football club, that's permanent. No matter which players come and go, no matter what place they finish in the League. And that one special club, you don't get to pick. The club picks you. Liverpool certainly did that to me. Four (or five) years, and counting.
Still, if you really want to know, why Liverpool? Because the glory will be back around the Fields of Anfield Road. Because Liverpool never forgets. Because we honour our traditions (sometimes too much ... we've won it five times, yes, isn't it time for the sixth, then?). Because there's nothing like beating Man United. Because you don't always have to think up stories to create magic, Liverpool are magic, too and Everton are tragic. Because This is Anfield. Because, when you're 3-0 down at half time in a Champions League final, you'd expect despair and whistles from the fans, but do you know what Liverpool supporters do? They sing louder. And they will keep singing, no matter what. Because You'll Never Walk Alone.
Originally posted at Dreamwidth | Leave a comment |
comment(s)
When there's a World Cup or European Championship, more people watch football. Of course. Big event and all that. I did, too. Always loved watching sports, but was more into tennis (played myself, back in the days). First big football event I remember is WC 2002 when I was in Year 7, then Euro 2004, and then I came to England and there was the WC 2006 and after that, I was into it a lot, international matches and all that. Only that's not quite how the story went.
Because on a certain day in May 2005, I was in Prague with my school (life-changing things tend to occur to me in this city for some reason), sitting in the hostel's bar, discussing religion with a classmate and our two teachers, and there was this big, big game on. Champions League final. Ok, alright then. Who's playing? AC Milan vs Liverpool. Who'd you support? Uh, Liverpool I guess, they're the English team and the other one's the favourite, so yeah, Liverpool. But they're 3-0 down, that's pretty much game over, right? Ok, back to our discu... hang on, did they just score a goal? And another one? And that penalty? Hang on, is this for real?!!
Fast forward a year, England playing in the World Cup, five girls from four nations sitting in the TV room of the senior boarding house in Greater London and cheering loudly when Steven Gerrard scores a goal, because, well, it's Steven Gerrard, the most inspirational player England has these days. And I do rather like this Spanish team ... During a weekend away from boarding school, I manage to explain to a friend what offside is and the rest of her football-obsessed family, die-hard Arsenal supporters btw, they look at me, the German girl, and the father goes, you know, that was a really good explanation. I feel like I've won something. And the next time we meet, they tell me they're sorry Germany lost to Italy. Several people (English people, as in, 'we have to be better than Germany at football no matter what' people) tell me that, me, the German girl. I'm a bit amazed, same when I step out of Berlin-Tegel airport a few days later and there are German flags everywhere.
Fast forward a bit more, World Cup over, football enthusiasm renewed together with an altogether new pride of my own country, and the most social thing I can manage while doing the work for Year 12 and Year 13 at the same time, in a girls' boarding school, that's watching football together with another girl. Also a die-hard Arsenal supporter. The question, which team do you support, comes up soon. How long do I have to think before saying, Liverpool? Not one second. And that's how it all begins...
We mostly have the same views on football, yelling at the screen and discussing everything, sometimes with another girl who supports Man United. I remember when Liverpool lost to Arsenal, friend couldn't and wouldn't stop gloating. Better to think about the games when Liverpool run Chelsea into the ground because we all hate Chelsea with a passion (I still do). Good times.
Summer 2007, back in Germany, no BBC, no nothing, no League games. Duh. I keep tabs on the news, obviously, and I'm thrilled when "that brilliant Spanish striker" signs with Liverpool, but I get some distance on it, like it or not.
Summer 2008, no England at the Euro Championship, alas, but there's the leavers' ball of my old school, it coincides with the final, Spain vs Germany, all of us sitting there in dress clothes watching football on the big screen. Torres scores, can't get mad at him, can I? And I know this brilliant Spanish midfielder, this Xabi Alonso ...
Summer 2010, World Cup, better streams, glued to my screen for every match possible. Germany are superb for a change, constantly playing against the other teams I like, i.e. England and Spain. Again, can't get mad at Spain for being better. Support Spain for the final. Thrilled they win. Add football icons to dreamwidth. Of course there's a Liverpool one as well. Liverpool, my love. With all these streams, I guess I can watch some games again ...
Xabi Alonso left Merseyside last year and signed with Real Madrid. Duh. You have the world's best midfielder at your club until one day, you suddenly don't. "Heartbroken" doesn't cover it. Still. This is Liverpool Football Club. Walk on. Walk on. Stevie Gerrard is still there, of course 'Captain Fantastic' is still there, along with Carragher, the only ones from the 2005 squad left (and Stevie says, being the captain of Liverpool, I wouldn't call it sacrifice. I'd call that living a dream).
So what I get to watch with Liverpool right now, that's a new manager, new owners, lots of new faces, and the worst start into the season for decades. I refuse to admit the Stoke match took place. I watch Real Madrid a lot. They have Xabi Alonso. They win. Liverpool is in deep trouble, not even playing in the Champions League, but you know how they say, supporting a football club, that's permanent. No matter which players come and go, no matter what place they finish in the League. And that one special club, you don't get to pick. The club picks you. Liverpool certainly did that to me. Four (or five) years, and counting.
Still, if you really want to know, why Liverpool? Because the glory will be back around the Fields of Anfield Road. Because Liverpool never forgets. Because we honour our traditions (sometimes too much ... we've won it five times, yes, isn't it time for the sixth, then?). Because there's nothing like beating Man United. Because you don't always have to think up stories to create magic, Liverpool are magic, too and Everton are tragic. Because This is Anfield. Because, when you're 3-0 down at half time in a Champions League final, you'd expect despair and whistles from the fans, but do you know what Liverpool supporters do? They sing louder. And they will keep singing, no matter what. Because You'll Never Walk Alone.
Originally posted at Dreamwidth | Leave a comment |
comment(s)