"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."

Bill Shankly

The first time I ever saw an English football match was 20th of May 1995. That was the day ABG came to install our ‘cable TV’ (which was really an antenna) in Lagos, just in time for us to catch the FA cup final. Everton was playing Manchester United, and Nigeria’s Daniel Amokachi was playing for Everton, so of course I was rooting for the boys in blue. The antenna was not set up properly, so we watched the whole match with a very grainy, snowy picture. 4 days later, we got to watch Ajax lift the Champions League with a win over AC Milan, with 2 Nigerians in their team (Finidi George and a very young Kanu Nwankwo). Yes, those were the good old days, when Nigerians were ruling the football world, but I digress, let me get back to where I was heading. (I have a post in my head about this, coming soon)

Anyway, the next season, we got to watch the English Premier League live. I didn’t support any team in particular, I just loved watching the football. My uncle lived in Liverpool, so I assumed he was a Liverpool fan, and was very disappointed that he turned out to be an Evertonian (In 2001, when I went to live in Liverpool, I found out that almost EVERYONE who lives in Liverpool is an Evertonian !!) So, my natural affinty to Liverpool began, they had some really good players in their squad, most notably Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman. And McManaman was the reason I eventually started supporting Liverpool.

Liverpool was a ruthless team, and their passing game reminded me of the clinical. methodical game Ajax played in the 1995 and 1996 Champions Leagues finals. But as we didn’t get the Dutch league on TV, Liverpool became my Ajax. And on the 19th of August 1996, it was sealed. Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-0 at Anfield, and McManaman gave one his best performances ever. The rest of the team were playing a one touch passing game, but once McManaman got the ball, the ball seemed stuck to his feet, he dribbled like a master, went past anyone who dared challenge him. ESPN’s Tommy Smyth said “He’s a good player, but he doesn’t score enough goals”. And Stevie scored 2 goals, and shut him up. Mangerless Arsenal were no match for the men in Red. And that was the day I started to support Liverpool “Full time”. (Bruce Rioch was sacked by Arsenal at the start of that season. In October, a few weeks later, Arsene Wenger became Arsenal manager)

Anyway, the next few years saw more and more Nigerians get access to cable TV, satellite TV, and most importantly, Premiership football. Most people started ‘supporting’ the teams who were winning things at the time, namely Arsenal and Manchester United. I stuck with Liverpool. After researching the history of the club, I couldn’t let go. All you need to do is read one Bill Shankly quote, and you’re hooked. The history around the club is inspiring, and their record second to none in England.

Over the years, it’s been an interesting journey, I went to University of Liverpool in 2001, and finally got to watch a few matches at Anfield.

So, why did I give all this ‘history’?

Well, last week, after Arsenal lost to Manchester United, a Kenyan Arsenal fan hung himself. He was still wearing his Arsenal shirt.

This has shocked people in Kenya, as to why he took this so far. But coming from a similar background, I can understand where the passion came from. But I would obviously not go that far (following Liverpool, I would have killed myself a million times in the last 14 years!!).

When I went back to Nigeria in 2003, I was surprised to see how well the Sky/Premier League marketing machine was working. Everyone was a fan of a club in England. Arsenal, Man. United mainly. We watched so much Premier League, it felt like we were English. In 2006, sports shows were inviting listeners to dial in and debate who would be a better England captain, John Terry or Steven Gerrard. I remember listening to the show online, and amazed at how people called in to argue their points, even more effectively, than the people I listened to on English radio !!

In the last few years, fights have broken out when the big teams have played each other, and people have been killed. Africans are very passionate people, and sometimes, all we need is a cause to fight for, and we’ll fight it to the end.

Sadly for Suleiman Omondi, it’s too late. What a tragic waste of life. Reading this blog post, apparently, there have been Premier League related brawls in Kenya as well, so it’s not a uniquely Nigerian problem. Sadly, you can still see the Africna passion of the writer :

PS: This is a wake up call to Arsenal. This is how much it hurts all the fans when you play hopelessly. It might just be financials for the Arsenal stakeholders, might just be business for the Arsenal Board of Directors, might be just another job for Arsene Wenger, might just be a career for the players … but this club is the LIFE for all the supporters…! May Suleiman Omondi R.I.P.

Taken from here.

I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.

Arsene Wenger and any one of the Arsenal players probably make more in a week what this guy makes in a years, and that’s assuming he’s either abroad, or has a very, very good job. And the people who can claim to have a real connection to Arsenal, the North Londoners, when the team loses, they drown their sorrows with alcohol, and are back at work with a hangover the next day.

Please. It’s a beautiful game, but it’s just a game.

WARNING : LONG FOOTBALL RELATED POST
I remember the second time I went to watch a competitive match at Anfield. It was Liverpool v. Ipswich town, 3rd round in the league cup, back in 2002. The match ended in a draw, and Liverpool won on penalties. I sat close to the Ipswich fans with a friend of mine, and there was a brief moment when I thought things would kick off, but fortunately, the police/stewards sorted things out. Anyway, after the match, as we were leaving, we came across a group of Ipswich fans. In my ‘Nigerian boy’ attitude, I started to taunt them. Liverpool fans around me told me off immediately. “That’s not how we treat people” was among the phrases I heard that night. The message was clear, and I learnt a valuable lesson about supporting the greatest club in the world.

Liverpool fans might have a bad reputation from the past, however, things have changed. Liverpool fans respect visiting fans, and applaud other teams when they deserve it. When Havant and Waterloovile gave us a cracking match a few weeks ago, Liverpool fans gave them a standing ovation. One of the first things you see when you sit down in the stadium are signs saying foul language is not allowed. I’ve only ever attended a friendly and two league cup matches, so you could argue that the crowd I’ve sat with are not the normal Liverpool matchday crowd. But on all three occasions, the behaviour was immaculate.

Today, Manchester United finished off their week remembering the Bubsy Babes with a league match. They had planned to have a minute’s silence before the match began, but unfortunately for them, the match was against local rivals Manchester City. All week long, Man City fans have been urged to respect the minute’s silence. They even blackmailed them, reminding them that Frank Swift, a former Man City keeper also died on the flight. Fortunately, the minute’s silence was immaculately observed. Manchester City then decided to be very bad visitors, and beat their hosts in the match 2-1. Personally, I was pleased to see that. I find that it was poetic justice. Manchester City fans have been the target of some venomous chants from Manchester United for years.

Before I go into that in more detail, let me tell you another story. A friend of mine, a fellow Liverpool fan, who lived in Leicester was lucky to get a ticket to watch Leicester City against Manchester United. What got to him was the way the Man U supporters insulted Leciester fans throughout the match, and to rub salt in their wounds, they won it. “We’re got a stand bigger than your stadium” was one of the more polite chants. And of course, they inserted a random insult to Liverpool and Manchester City every few minutes. That was the day he started to hate United.

And that is what gets to me. Manchester Untied was expecting Man city fans to behave themselves today, however, they are probably the worst fans when it comes to respecting other teams. No matter who they are playing they pour out poison from the terraces about Liverpool, Manchester City, and any one else.

Tune: Oh my darling Clementine
Build a bonfire,
Build a bonfire,
Put the Scousers on the top,
Put City in the middle,
And we’ll burn the f*cking lot

My younger brother who supports United when to Old Trafford to watch them play West Brom. When he got back, he had learnt so may songs insulting Liverpool, and Manchester City, including the one above. But why do they find it necessary to insult Liverpool and City all the time? I’ve been to a few Liverpool matches, and the worst I’ve seen was in a friendly against Lazio, every time Japp Stam (former United player) touched the play, he was booed, but that was it. And when the other cup results were announced, a loud cheer if Man U lost.

Today, Manchester United fans expected Man City fans to be on their best behaviour, and thankfully, they were. However, I feel they need to look at themselves, if it was them on the other end, would they do it. Whenever Liverpool sing about winning the champions league 5 times, Man United tell us that they may have only won it twice, but they didn’t kill anyone.

Liverpool
We won it five times (2ce)
In Istanbul, we won it five times

Manchester United reply
We’ve won it two times (2ce)
Without killing anyone, we won it two times.

Personally, I think this is pretty distasteful. If Man U was visiting Liverpool when we were remembering the Hillsborough victims? I don’t think so.

In conclusion, and with respect to the dead, Manchester United must have heaved a sigh of relief when no one interrupted the minute’s silence today. However, while those great players whose lives were cut short deserve every honour, Manchester United fans do not.

I leave you with a selection of songs from the Man United terraces:

tune: this is how it feels (Inspiral Carpets)
This is how it feels to be City
This is how it feels to be small
This is how it feels when your team wins nothing at all
Nothing at all…

Tune : Land of hope and glory
We hate Nottingham Forest,
We hate Liverpool too, (and Leeds),
We hate Manchester City,
But United we love you – altogether now…

Tune : Daydream Believer
Cheer up Kevin Keegan,
Oh what can it mean,
to a Sad Geordie b*stard,
and a Sh*te football team.

Tune : If you’re happy and you know it…
If you all hate the scousers clap your hands

In the Liverpool slums,
They knock on the door when they want something to eat,
They find a dead rat and they think it’s a treat,
In the Liverpool slums…

In the Liverpool slums,
Your Mum’s on the beat and your Dad’s in the nick,
You can’t find a job ‘coz you’re too f*ckin’ thick,
In the Liverpool slums…

Tune : Let them know it’s Christmas time..
Feed the scousers,
Let them know it’s Christmas time…
Feed the scousers,
Let them know it’s Christmas time…

Tune : Don’t Dilly Dally on the way
My old man, said “be a city fan”,
I said “f*ck off, you’re a c*nt!”,
“I’d rather shag a bucket with a big hole in it,
Than be a city fan for just one minute”.

With hatchets and hammers,
Stanley knives and spanners,
We’ll show those city b*stards how to fight (how to fight),
“I’d rather shag a bucket with a big hole in it,
Than be a city fan! (all together now)”.

Tune : He’s got the whole world in his hands
They’ve got the tallest floodlights in the Football League,
They’ve got the tallest floodlights in the Football League.
They’ve got the tallest floodlights in the Football League
Oh city are a massive club!

Other verses include…
They’ve got the widest pitch, in the land.
They signed George Weah but he thought they played in red.
They had a derby match with Macclesfield.
Their best ever player played for Ajax reserves.
At last count, they are over 2000 different verses for this song.

P.S. In the days gone by, songs about the Munich Air Crash (‘Who’s that dying on the runway…?’) were sang tastelessly by Liverpool fans with responses aimed at Shankly’s death (‘Who’s that dying on the carpet…?’) from the United fans. After the Hillsborough Disaster, Liverpool fans stopped singing about Munich, so United fans chanted, ‘Where’s Your Famous Munich Song?‘.