This is random, and slightly off tangent, but stick with it.
There’s a quote from a fairly well-known Tom Cruise film named Valkyrie that I thought about on Sunday night as news of Rodgers’ dismissal hit the waves.
In reference to Hitler and his countless acts of human destruction, Colonel Stauffenberg asks a young soldier if he knows how the war will end (‘the war’ being World War Two). The private’s hesitant and unsure. Stauffenberg replies, whilst stood in front of a looming, eery painting of Adolf himself: “The portrait will be unhung, and the man will be hung.”
Rodgers once had a portrait of himself – one that’s now no doubt leaning on a wall at his home thanks to the office clear out. He was also hung (out to dry) by so many Liverpool fans. As manager, he took the noose and kicked the bucket.
The similarities aren’t similar at all, granted. Brendan Rodgers is far worse a man than Germany’s former dictator (disclaimer: that was a joke), but the scenario is relatable – by the skin of its teeth.
I have no idea why I thought about that quote, the film, the portrait or Hitler, but it compelled me to sit down and waste some time to write this ramble.
It was the right moment, I admit. He had to go. The fan base had rummaged down way too far into their abuse trunk for things to ever get back to where they were. Brendan couldn’t win. He’d become the villain. He was genuinely hated by many – or so it seemed. His list of errors and blame was endless. His position: thoroughly untenable.
I angrily set about voicing my displeasure via Twitter on Sunday, regarding the lay of blame for Emre Can’s lacklustre, goal-causing clearance, as, true to form, Rodgers picked up the burden for something he had little fault for.
This was a recurring trend over the last few weeks. A blame game where the answer was 100% predictable, no matter what the question. Like a really drab quiz show on TV.
Do I condemn people for doing that? No. We all love this club and want success. We all want what’s best. There’s ways to go about doing things, though, and rationality can and should be held together at all costs – but often isn’t.
The abuse I will not forgive, however. As a man, a human being, Brendan Rodgers was and is good enough to manage our club. A nicer man you could not meet, I’m guessing. A hard working, all-effort kind of fella. I’d have a pint with him. Out of his depth? Maybe. A bad guy? Certainly not.
For the want of success, the drive to fuel things forward, perhaps because of pure belief in their opinion, fans stuck it to him. He took it from all angles. Poor form from those concerned. Totally unwarranted.
The man’s even been portrayed as David Brent for crying out loud, thanks to ‘Being:Liverpool’ – a title and parody he’s never been able to shirk. Again, a stick used to beat him with. A retort all too easily pulled from the twat bank. There’s plenty of them flying around.
These things and more made his tenure tough. Since that season, it’s been a struggle. He’s lost key players, signed some awful ones. He’s also not helped himself in many ways. It was, in fairness, three and a bit years of great, good, average and damn right shambolic.
Anyway, deed done. P45 delivered. The war between fan and manager over. Portrait unhung. Page turned.
We, as fans, are now set to embark on a new chapter in the club’s history. You feel the importance of this managerial decision. You grasp how it could make or break not just this season, but the years to come. It’s exciting, no?
Jurgen Klopp’s widely touted to be the man to pick up the baton. That’ll make the thousands of people who tweeted John Henry ‘sign Klopp’ very happy indeed. Thanks for your persistence, it made all the difference.
Klopp’s walking into a strange job. As a club, we – the fans – are now more united than we have been for a fair while. But that feeling of togetherness doesn’t necessarily extend out to the owners, who continue to show their flaws. The fans still feel a sense of disconnect there.
Jurgen will get the support he needs from us, to begin with, I have no doubt. Like Brendan, I firmly believe he is a solid candidate to take on and cope with what being Liverpool manager actually requires.
But how long will that support last? Once again, my faith in some of our ‘fans’ is dwindling.
What if Klopp doesn’t make top four this season, or even next season? What if he has a bad run like he did towards the end of his Dortmund career?
Does John Henry start getting tweets again? Does the abuse roll straight back out? Do we start playing the daft, pointless, and utterly mind boggling blame game again?
If the answer is “no” then I’m looking forward to all of this change. If not, this will be no fun.
In honesty, I can’t see that answer ever being fully a ‘no’. This Rodgers era has changed supporters. There’s scarring, perhaps even without knowing it. That season has reset expectation levels – ones that have yet to again be matched. Klopp has a lot to live up to and a lot to work on to keep everyone on side for his whole employment.
Fans have become flippant, even more fickle and a lot less patient. They want a dictator, but one that doesn’t incriminate himself. One that gets it spot on first time.
I want our new man to go and build a dynasty – build the club’s future. Let’s get behind him no matter what for years to come and believe that he can go and do that.
If you hand out abuse on Twitter or tweet John Henry ‘Reus’, park it.
If you’re dishing out embarrassing quips to Linda, turn it in.
If you’re the type of nark who’ll be praying for losses when the going gets tough so pressure builds, swerve it. Thanks.
“Do you know how this war will end?”
“The portrait will be unhung, and the man will be lauded.”
Let’s make that happen.
(NB: don’t actually let him have a portrait)
