Ok, i will run away and hide after this, but these are going to be my thoughts going into this very strange week for myself and millions of other lifelong Evertonians.
EFC are by far and away the best sports club/franchise/organisation on the planet. There is just an air of 'nice' about Everton as a club, friendly and professional. We as supporters are insanely passionate about our team, we worship the club and all that it stands for. We agree, disagree, air our views in private and in public, all the while supporting our team to the hilt and wanting only one thing above all else, for our team to be successful. Players past and present, every single one of them (well most, think Barmby, Nayarko) have said that once a blue always a blue, Everton touches you in ways that cannot be explained etc etc. But there is something else. On the whole, we are liked by most neutrals and are well respected by other teams. except it seems by a certain LFC and its support base, global support base, a support base that lives on past glories and thinks they have a divine right to be successful. It also looks upon us as a 'small' club, not the team to represent the city of Liverpool and just there to be laughed at now and again. Err, if you know your history people, we are the ORIGINAL team form the city, and LFC only exist because a greedy landlord wanted more money, we left and LFC was formed. Typical.
I want Everton to lose next saturday. There, I have said it and I will probably stick with it. The Champions League? Arsenal will probably hold onto 4th place, can't see them losing again. I can see us beating City, our past record against them, we are capable, and yes, Everton FC are the ultimate professionals - they will go out to try and win and so they should, and there is no doubt the Old Lady will be rocking as it should be. 2-0 or 2-1 EFC is my prediction. Then we beat Hull. 5th place guaranteed, Europa League - perfect except, LFC will be champions, taking away any limelight and success our great club will have earned itself in its first season under new management. A brilliant achievement. LFC have done this throughout their entire history, we are always, even in our most successful periods, clinging onto that teams coat tails.
So if all that happens and Arsenal do slip up - are we ready for the Champions League? remember last time? No in my mind - except I have every confidence that RM will strengthen our team no end in the summer. We are rebuilding, RM is building. Lets take a pop at the Europa League, se how good we really are, then push on with new world class players, a 4th place finish and a little European experience next time. I can live with that. And I want to live with it at the same time as wallowing in the fact that LFC, part in parcel because of 'Stevie 16 years he deserves it in the minds of all G-La's' slip against Chelsea today cost LFC the title, and after they had it basically in the bag.
This is what I want. We lose to City, beat Hull take 5th.
City go on after beating us and win their other two games (no guaranteed by any means but its highly possible) and sensationally take the title from LFC.
Our season is seen as a success, LFC as a failure- yes it would be after being 5 points clear with three to play!
I was as season ticket holder from the 1983-1984 season up until the 1994-1995 season, then I moved half way across the world. When I visit home, I plan my vacations around being able to catch as many home and away games as possible. I stay up (or set my alarm clock) for 2, 3 4 or 5pm in the freezing cold Alaska mornings to watch our live games on NBC here in the states. I still live and breath Everton Football club. We have a fantastic new manager (relatively speaking) who has instilled a sense of we can beat anyone into our team, we play attractive football, we have a new kit with a new crest that new exciting players will be wearing alongside Coleman, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Lukaku (yes Im confident), It seems that a new stadium within the city limits is on the horizon. As blues we all know that we live in hope and seem to get let down a lot, but we believe because we are Toffees.
I want us to lose against City. LFC are always their lurking aren't they? You can feel them. OK, Hillsborough and justice for the 96 we all support, it transcends football. But because of the lies and everything that has come to light since, that tragedy hides the fact that LFC fans turned up in great numbers without tickets. If they hadn't there would have been no deaths, and no disgusting government and police lies and coverups. Those families and their lost loved ones deserve to hear the truth and for justice to be done. End of and I fully support that. But also remember this, because the rest of the sporting world has conveniently forgotten it. Heysel. Italian football fans died because of rioting LFC fans. Yes, it happened people. And because it did, our club suffered the most, we still feel the ramifications of that ban today. Am I wrong thinking like this? I don't think I am but If I have upset anyone who cares to read all this I apologize (also apologize for the grammar here, my US computer only sometimes changes english and US spelling differences
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Signing off here. Ive rambled on too much. If you agree or disagree with me Im fine with it. Im still and Evertonian as much as you all, and I still want the best for our great football club.
I want to lose to City. It will hurt us a little, jeez lids we have had to edure a lot worse eh? But it will absoulutely hurt Liverpool more if City go on to take the title. And we would have for once, hurt their team. Do you really want, after everything that has happened in the past, for LFC fans to thank us, thank our team for helping them win the title, because that is what it will come down to.
Ok, there Ive said all I want to say, Over to you lot to love or hate me, I can take it, I am an Evertonian.
