From Euphoria to Disaster in The Space of 48 Hours
On Wednesday morning of last week it became apparent that the three year tenure of George Gillett and Tom Hicks was going into its final hours. From that moment, days rolled into nights and back into days again, as the events on both sides of the Atlantic began to unfold. We had Tom fighting to save a club that really was not his, like a spoilt child. The Royal Bank of Scotland having taken it over in effect last April put Martin Broughton and Christian Purslow in to run the club and to ensure it was told at a reasonable price.
We watched as the club was sold three times with the help of Lord Grabiner QC and Mr Justice Floyd, Still though Tom would not give up and tried to move Legal proceedings over to America, but he was thwarted by his own lies in the end as it turned out that he had not told the judge in Dallas the whole truth. It then became a race between New England Sports Ventures and Mill Finance (Kenny Huang) to get the funds to RBS by 4.00 p.m. But at 4.30 p.m. a jubilant Martin Broughton and Christian Purslow came down the steps at Slaughter and Mays with our new chairman John W Henry. The club had finally been sold, and along with the tears and the champagne that began to flow it was evident that a new beginning had begun.
But had it?
This Sunday would herald the first Merseyside Derby of the season and with both teams languishing at the bottom of the Premiership it was a must win game. We were playing at Goodison and with the possibility of our new owner being in the audience the team needed to ensure that they put on a good performance. This they did, except it was a diabolical performance rather than a good one.
John Henry and Thomas Werner who accompanied him watched an absolute horror show from the moment the game kicked off. Everton immediately took control of the game and proved that they were the better team on the day. I can honestly say I am ashamed to be Liverpool supporter this evening because I have never seen such a bad performance. Apart from Stevie, Jamie and Pepe, the rest of the team might as well have stayed at home because they certainly were not earning their wages this afternoon. They were just passing the ball here, there and everywhere without looking for another player to pick up the ball and follow it on. Before any of you say, but we did have some periods of passing, think again because they were not fluid enough and long enough to have any effect on the game. It certainly did not take Everton very long to score the first goal, the frailties that we saw in our defence last season were showing up again and I honestly wonder if some of the players actually know how to play football. Panic of course also set in and the yellow cards were beginning to be dished out.
The second half was no better although Stevie did try and do what he was does best and rescue the game, today though the fates were against him. Unfortunately players such as Maxi, Torres, Cole and Konchelsky decided to be invisible for most of the half and Everton got the inevitable second goal.
You could see the panic in Roy's face when the camera focused on him, he simply did not know what to do and spent a good 15-20 minutes consulting Sammy Lee about his next move, or so we thought. It was still a while before he plucked up the courage to bring on the substitutes. Ngog was brought on for Lucas, Babel for Cole and Jovanovic for Maxi. It was too late though and Everton were the worthy winners of the day.
Several times the camera's focused on John Henry and Thomas Werner and from a first shot that showed both them holding their ears as the first cheers of the afternoon rang around the stadium to a last shot which showed the absolute horror of the final result on their faces. Was it as that point I wonder that they realised what a huge job they had taken on.
They have said that they will not replace the manager but give him time. Give him time to do what I wonder because at the moment Roy is dragging the team into a downward spiral that they will not be able to crawl out off. Some people will say it is not the manager's fault, but the players. Everyone at the club from the top to the bottom has to realise that some of the blame needs to fall on them.
Roy was one of five candidates for the new managerial position in the summer and I will be honest in saying that after hearing the club had turned down Kenny's offer to take the hot seat, I thought he would be the right man. How wrong I was, he seems to be totally out of his depth and I believe he knows this but simply does not have the courage to accept it and walk away. Would I like to see Kenny appointed even in a temporary capacity, yes I would because I believe that he and he alone can instil in the players what wearing the red shirt means and why they must give their all for the team. Will Roy be given the time to prove to our Chairman, he can pull it around, I sincerely hope not.
His after the match press conference was absolutely amazing and I wonder if he was watching the same game as the rest of us. He said that we deserved to win and that we played very well this afternoon - hmm I don't think so Roy
John Henry has a twitter and Facebook account but having had a look at both and seen that every message after the game is calling for Roy to be sacked, I suspect he will close them both down in the next few days.
I just hope that now he and Thomas realise what a major job they have in front of them if not unfortunately it will be a simple case of déjà vu.
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