Martin King explains why comparing the current crop of players to legends of the past can bring nothing but disappointment.
It has often been said this summer that the current squad of players that Jürgen Klopp has put together is the strongest to ever be seen at Liverpool since the title-winning greats of the 80’s and 90’s.
The German, who is nearing a third full year as club manager, has spent big to address major weaknesses in the Reds squad, particularly in defence, and there’s a belief he is not through, as Anfield has once again become a destination for world class talent.
The current squad comprises of players very much within that bracket, as it can be stated as a matter of fact that before joining the club, players such as Virgil van Dijk, Naby Keïta, Sadio Mané and Alisson Becker, to name a few, were targetted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Regardless, they chose Liverpool, instantly making their way to the hearts of Reds fans, who want nothing more than to see their decision pay off with silverware.
Still, there is a habit these fans seem to have adopted towards their star players that needs to stop. It is very often the first step towards inflated expectations and unreasonable disappointment.
The thief of joy
If you don’t already know what that is in the modern world, it’s called comparison.
The 26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt put it well, asserting that comparing your life to someone else’s only serves to make you unhappy with what you have. The same applies in football and in Liverpool’s case, it’s the habit of fans and pundits comparing current players with legends of the past that unnerves me and ultimately leads to disappointment whenever these stars struggle to shine.
From back to front, there have been endless comparisons. Alisson has been tipped as a new and better Pepe Reina, van Dijk is compared to Alan Hansen, Keïta to Steven Gerrard, Mohamed Salah to Ian Rush and the list probably goes on.
The comparisons are obviously made as compliments, as each of the players the current crop are being compared to were great in their time, however, a former player’s success should be kept where it’s at (in the past) while the one who looks to emulate it in present day is allowed to do so without constant comparisons of his ability to that of the former player.
Inflated expectations and unreasonable disappointment
This is a re-iteration.
Comparing the old with the new in football is a mentality that takes the image of a former player in his best period (form, ability, influence, trophies) and attempts to either match it with a current player’s season or set it as the highest standard to be reached by the player himself, with no regard for the way football has changed, the struggles the club have experienced and the new challenges in place (inflated expectations).
When the player struggles to live up to that expectation, or even achieves success according to his own ability and not the legend’s, fans can easily begin to speak of him in less endearing terms or flat-out criticise him as though their childhood hero’s career was flawless (unreasonable disappointment).
Going forward…
The team that Klopp has put together is already under pressure to deliver success in the shape of silverware this season and it is a pressure they seem to know and enjoy, on recent evidence.
It would help the Anfield faithful, however, to remember that these players aren’t entering the pitch every week with the aim of rewriting history, such that we may compare them to figures of the past.
This team is out to start its own chapter of success and although achieving it will never help them escape the glorious traditions of Liverpool Football Club, it’s worth remembering that each victory will always be unique to them.
Gerrard, Rush, Carragher, Fowler, Suarez and many others plus the incredible moments they created will always remain special to the club – their achievements are literally placed around the club’s training base and stadium.
Still, these only serve as motivation for what the club can still achieve. Let’s not make it harder for the current players or indeed ourselves by turning these into boxes they all have to sit in because a success is coming that can be identified through them and them alone.
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