A great man said that - Bill Shankly. Those words were uttered in 1966, a memorable year for most fans of football, he was describing the legendary forward Roger Hunt who had a superb 11 years at Liverpool football club.
I bring this up because in case you haven't noticed, the World Cup starts this week and i figured it would be a good time to do a post i've been thinking about for a while on attitudes to the whole England versus Club argument.
I'm a massive Liverpool fan as i'm pretty sure you are all aware but you're also aware that i do not reside or come from the wonderful city that is Liverpool. Because of this (even if i wanted to) i cannot join in with the "We're not English, we are Scouse" folk.
Such is Liverpudlian humour and the wit of the Liverpool fans, i can always totally see where these people are coming from. I too will not be going absolutely mental if Wayne Rooney nets the winner against USA in a few days time, and you certainly won't catch me praising a last minute John Terry tackle with full sincerity but you can bet your bottom dollar that if Gerrard is on the end of a screamer or Johnson makes a great run, Carragher a great tackle, i will be up out my seat protesting and supporting the boys.
I fully see the reasons why some Liverpool supporters do not get as worked up about the World Cup as other fans but i just feel it is a shame, especially for the few lads flying the Liver Bird under those Three Lions that we should not get behind them a bit. England is a lowly second to my football club but it doesn't mean i won't enjoy watching my country with my family and friends and hope that we do well and do the country proud, and most importantly that the lads representing Liverpool have a stormer of a competition.
I get the story every time from my Dad of 1966 when he was lying in the living room on the carpet with his older brother, a true old fashioned raw football anecdote which ended with his brother smashing his head off the lampshade, something i can now relate to after doing the same thing the first time around we beat Chelsea in the Champions League.
As a Liverpool fan i am 100% proud of the fact that Roger Hunt a legend in the Red shirt was such a key aspect of the 1966 World Cup win for England. Along with Ian Callaghan and Gerry Byrne.
It still makes me proud seeing John Barnes skill up the Brazilian defence... Heck i'm still filled with pride (albeit mixed with a bit of laughter) when Heskey nets the fifth against the Germans.
I think it's partly due to the sense of togetherness, for a short time, everyone is as one - which as a rule is an LFC tradition itself. Liverpool are still the root of the celebrations though and i'll be the first to criticize any mistakes from the pompous London boys, but wouldn't it be just great to see Steven Gerrard lift the World Cup...
Okay... That's not gonna happen but you catch my drift.
Get some booze down ya and one of those silly St. Georges top hats, sit in a pub with some bitters (the fans not the drink that is) and at least get behind the boys a bit.
Vindaloo, Love's got the world in motion and all that...
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