Liverpool-Manchester City, 115 Charges & The Soul of Football
On the eve of the biggest game of the season so far, I take a look at why this match has become a defacto morality play for world football.
Sometimes, when someone asks why I became a fan of Liverpool Football Club, I can’t resist using a line from a book series with an evermore problematic author, “the wand chooses the wizard.” If there’s a better analogy, please let me know in the comments, I’d prefer to use a better one liner, to be honest.
I was made for Liverpool, and Liverpool was made for me. I love the fan culture. The love, true love, for the club, from fans all around the world, as beautifully displayed in this video released just this week by the club:
I’ve been in Liverpool supporters’ bars all over the US, in Asia, and Europe. Every time you walk into one of these establishments, it feels like you’re home, even if you don’t know anyone in the city, and can’t speak the language.
There is a spiritual connection with the club, with Liverpool, and with Anfield. For some fans, just being able to travel to Anfield once in their life is a pilgrimage on par with any other meaningful religious trek.
There is something organic about Liverpool supporters, and how they show their love of the city and club that just doesn’t exist at most clubs, and that is especially true for their upcoming opponent, 115 Charges FC, Manchester City.
In The Avengers, Tony Stark wrongly accused Steve Rodgers, “everything special about you came out of a bottle.” However, everything special about Manchester City comes out of a barrel, and that’s not up for debate.
City won the “sportswashing project by a human rights abusing petrostate” lottery, and it’s hard to imagine them becoming anywhere as successful, or even being Premier League regulars, without being backed by a fucking state.
And for City, it wasn’t just that they wanted to use their vast financial advantage to simply win, they wanted to break the rules, and be immune from any consequences of their actions. They wanted all comers to simply step aside, sit back and admire their financial might, and endlessly praise them for winning trophy after trophy.
Liverpool, especially under Jurgen Klopp, have been a perpetual thorn in 115 Charges FC’s side. The club is a reminder that there are some things that you simply cannot get out of a barrel. In short, they have found out, as a certain Fab Four from Merseyside pointed out decades ago, that they can’t buy themselves love.
They cannot create the fan culture of Liverpool. Nor can they buy the praise and admiration from neutrals that a single Liverpool title can bring.
It pisses them off to no end.
Whenever this City era of dominance ends, whenever their Oil Daddy decides to buy another shiny, new toy, Manchester City will find themselves returning to the middling club that they were before, and with a massive asterisk next to all of their oil and blood soaked titles.
And just as importantly, Liverpool Football Club will remain.
Liverpool might lose tomorrow. And they might lose out on yet another title by a tragically close margin.
But I know what club I’d rather back and support.
I’d rather win one earned title, than cheat my way toward the top. I’d rather sing and shout, and be on the journey with millions of red-clad lunatics, than politely applaud yet another procession to yet another unearned title.
I’d rather be at a club that has more fun losing a cup final or a league title, than one that routinely wins everything because a petrostate decided to make my club the PR wing of their blood and oil soaked regime.
Tomorrow is about football, yes. But it is also about so, so much more. It is important to remember that, and to remind any neutral or City fan of exactly this point.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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