Liverpool FC - Breaking The Barriers Of Language

Michelle Alves by Senior Writer Written on October 06, 2008
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Does the fact that we reside in Asia, have never been to Anfield, or have never seen a live Liverpool game, other than on the television make us any different from people born in Liverpool, brought up there and have been fortunate enough to watch a game or two at Anfield? The beautiful thing about football is that there is no language barrier. It is universal.

I walk around a mall, here in the United Arab Emirates, and I see a few people wearing the Liverpool shirt. On my way home, a car passes by with a mini Liverpool shirt on the dashboard. The driver see’s the “You’ll Never Walk Alone” banner in our car, honks and grins. Can a simple nod or smile from one supporter to another transform ones day? Certainly.

Why would an Asian support Liverpool? What is so great about this team? When Poet Emdad Rahman, spoke about Liverpool he was quoted saying “there's the sheer romance of Liverpool FC and that is just something else."

When I was on a vacation in India, I stopped by a few sports shops to see what I could come across for myself. I was taken aback to hear that the new Liverpool shirts were out of supply. No one in my family supports the side, so it was very surprising to hear that I wasn’t the only Liverpool fan there.

Phil Thompson, the two-times European Cup winner visited Asia, and said, “Club like AC Milan and Bayern Munich can say what they like but they have nowhere near the level of worldwide support Liverpool have, and these fans live and breathe the club just as much as lads from Kirkby and Anfield."

Oh how true are those words, Mr. Thompson. If I could put down how much affection I have for this team, I would. Hell, I’ve never even been close to Europe! Games are shown in Asia at ungodly hours, we have perfected the art of sneaking out of bed, pressing the mute button before the volume awakens the dead and coming up with perfect excuses as to why we fall asleep at work or school during the day. “But sir, I was up all night studying,” or “My wife locked me out,”

Here’s where I’d like to mention a friend. Someone who I have got along with so well, because she too, like me, supports Liverpool. They say friendship is when you laugh together, cry together and curse together. Liverpool is the foundation of our friendship.

The colour of your skin, your name, the place you were born, shouldn’t matter in football. Liverpool FC practically yells at you, “Look at me, Look how great I am... Watch me play!”

Liverpool FC, you look at them and think, “No, it’s not possible. They can’t win this game...” And before you know it, they equalise, score again and win and you’ll be sitting there thinking “How in the world...”

уσυ'ℓℓ ηєνєя ωαℓк αℓσηє . Four words, so much meaning. Nothing can part us supporters, it’s never going to be “Walk away,” for us it is “Walk on...”

No matter where you come from, what you do, if you are a Liverpool FC supporter, I salute you.

 

YNWA

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written on October 06, 2008 Opinion

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