Football drought nears its end.

It’s been almost three months since the Premier League 2010/11 season came to a halt. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, or in this case a football pundit to tell you that Liverpool were a complete shambles, with their arch nemesis, Manchester United (I’d rather refer to them as Scum United), taking their tally up to 19 domestic league titles.

But let realism prevail. Liverpool was dealt a terrible set of cards. For starters, Hicks & Gillette pretty much did all they could to burn the fortress down, with the debt accumulating to the brink of administration. Not to mention the former KOP favorite ‘El Nino’ getting lured by the Russian Mob in mid season and of course Roy Hodgson’s appointment, replacing Benitez.

These stories have been documented time and time again. Yet, what tends to be overlooked is the undivided support of the fans. Which team can you recall that has an anthem so powerful that it can be heard anywhere the Reds set foot?  That’s Liverpool for you.

The departure of Torres, Hodgson, Hicks and Gillette brought about a sense of optimism and new belief. And who better to revive the glory days of yesteryear's than the man they call King Kenny. Even when Hodgson was around, you could sense Dalglish’s aura reflecting on the fans and players alike, even though his involvement remained strictly administrative.

Fortunately, the 50 million pounds earned from the sale of Torres, was reinvested almost immediately, bringing in the likes of Suarez and Carroll. Not a bad deal when you come to think of it, considering both are in their early twenties, and are starved for silverware. Some glimpses of Suarez in the second half of last season made him an instant KOP idol. Whereas Carroll, being plagued with injuries could not justify his 35 million pound price tag.

Finishing sixth at the end of the season, when they were flirting with the relegation zone mid season is an achievement on its own.

Close of season has its own excitement. Transfer gossips, rumors and a bold stance on the recruitment policy by the Liverpool hierarchy simply made the wait worthwhile. Recruiting young English talent not only is a calculated move, it can possibly become quite lucrative off the pitch with sponsorships and what not.

Bringing in Jordon Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing is most definitely shrewd business.  Henderson has the ability to play either on the right flank or in the centre of the park, having been dubbed the new Stevie G. He’s young, talented, versatile and above all, hungry for success. Charlie Adam has been brought in to fill the void Alonso left some years back. With his ability to make cross field passes at pinpoint accuracy, not to mention his superb technique with the dead ball, and a price tag which seems like pocket change compared to what he brings in, is good business to say the least. Lastly, Stewart Downing is one of those characters who seemed like a missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle. With his ability to run down the left flank and drill in crosses time and time again, not to mention his ability to switch flanks at a blink of an eye, makes him one of the players to look out for in the upcoming season. His pairing with Carroll will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with.

Considering the transfer window still has twenty days to go, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new left back, a centre back and hopefully a back up striker join the helm, with the likes of Luis Enrique and Scot Dann destined to wear the Red color of Liverpool. The question mark arises when considering the backup striker options – as many names have been mentioned, but ears yearn to hear a concrete signal of intent.

Irrespective of what happens now till the end of the transfer window – there is a sense of optimism floating around Merseyside. Expectations are there, yet the feet remain firmly grounded.

Just a matter of days and then the football drought ends. Highs and lows are part and parcel of the game, yet when it comes to supporting the Reds, you know there’s something special just around the corner. YNWA.

A Football Fanatic from a Cricket Crazy Nation

My love affair with Football started at the age of 7. Spending my early childhood in England, there was no way I could overlook the passionate support of all the people around me when it came to Football.

One of the earliest memories was the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where in the quarter final, I witnessed two very different sides of the game. Whether it was Maradona’s hand of God on the 51st minute, or whether it was the goal of the century, when he outclassed 6 members of the English squad. I knew right then, that there is more to Football than just kicking the ball around. 

My passion grew for the game, when me and my friends would put our coats down to make goal posts and play 5 a side games in shear cold weather. Mr. Smith, our sports teacher, handpicked a few kids from my school, to get coaching from an ex professional; I was one of the fortunate few. Being able to play as a unit, only made me realize what team play is all about. I remember playing on the fields, surrounded by hilly tops, were parents would gather to watch their kids. I loved the way my parents sat there and cheered out loudly every time I got a touch of the ball – Till date, this memory holds a lot of significance in my life.

At the age of 14, my parents opted to migrate to Pakistan, and that’s when I feared my love affair coming to an abrupt end. I remember seeing kids playing cricket on the streets, where as I, would be kicking the ball against the wall for hours. I called this wall Gazza (Paul Gascoigne).

Then an interschool football tournament came up. I remember captaining my team, and basically teaching them the basics of Football. I played as a left winger, but it seemed I was everywhere. Upon reaching the final of the tournament, it went into penalties. My goal keeper, petrified by the pressure of being in the goal for penalties opted out, which game me the pedestal to shine. With my childhood crush looking on, I had to impress. That I did, making us win 4-2 on penalties.

Indeed, a moment to cherish, yet, every touch of the ball crystal clear in my memory.

Then college began. Being a freshman, it was an honor to be selected for the college team. And when I got to find out that our team would tour a host of English colleges, I felt as if I’ll relive my childhood once more. Unfortunately, when we were about to submit our documents for the visa process, the tragic event of 9/11 happened, and the tour got cancelled.

It seemed that was the end of my playing days. Yet, I was not going to move away from the sport entirely. Cable TV came to the rescue. And watching the premiere league week in week out made me more passionate than ever. Since my early years, I supported Liverpool FC, whereas, all of my friends supported Manchester United. I don’t know but there was something cool about being unique.   

There were many other moments of the FIFA World Cups, that i still have fond memories of, such as, Beckham’s red card against arch rivals Argentina, Michael Owen’s fantastic goal against Brazil, and of course the recent, Zidane’s head butt in the final against Italy – moment of madness indeed.

I think I have transmitted my germs to my 2 year old nephew, who is obsessed with kicking the ball around, and is fascinated when I header the ball. I call him Messi.

it’s a personal agenda to somehow remain associated the beautiful game. Who would have thought 10 years from today, that Football would become a mainstream sport in Pakistan? But the truth is, Football, now is the 2^nd most popular sport in Pakistan and is constantly gaining popularity.

For me, football is not just a sport. it is a way of life. It is a religion. It is a cult. Maybe one day, my name would be mentioned amongst a few, as an ambassador for this game we call Football. This is my story.

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