The emotion of football – a sport unlike any other

I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say I’m happy to admit I shed a tear or two yesterday, when it actually hit home that Klopp wasn’t going to be our manager anymore. It’s surreal isn’t it? The effect football can have on grown men?

You all know me by now – I’m a former soldier, veteran of two wars who’s not known for being overly in touch with his emotions. Quite the opposite in fact. Numerous ex-girlfriends have called me an “emotional robot” and even on our music nights, I can remember Jerry once calling me out for pretty much exclusively listening to upbeat music and he was right, I do. My emotions are a can of worms I’d generally rather not open and I can’t even blame it on the military, as I’ve pretty much always been like that. You’re talking to a man who buried his father at 12 years old and didn’t shed a single tear at the funeral, not one!

I’m trying to think of how many times I’ve cried in the last decade and the only two times that immediately come to mind are the start of Gerrard’s last game, when he led the team out for the final time and yesterday at the end of the game watching Klopp’s interview.

What is it about football then, in comparison with other sports that brings this emotion out, even in an “emotional robot” such as myself? I’m a big boxing fan but I’ve never felt emotional when a fighter I’ve been a fan of loses or retires. Likewise I grew up in snooker halls and while not so much these days, I used to be a massive fan of snooker in the 90’s but again, I’ve never felt proper emotional about it.

I’m sure it’s different for everyone but having given some thought to it, I think for me it’s about stability in your life. My life has been tumultuous to say the very least at times, both my personal and professional life, particularly as a soldier in regards to the latter and stability was never something that could be depended on. In Gerrard and then Klopp however, for a decade (more in Gerrard’s case) they were always there. A cornerstone of my life that I could count on, look up to and admire. You take it for granted that they’re just always there… until one day they’re not and the magnitude of that feeling – knowing you’ll never watch them again, it becomes overwhelming. You get so invested in the football team you support though, in a way I just don’t think you do in other sports you may be a fan of. Again, to use boxing as an example being very much my second favourite sport, there aren’t fights you’re invested in happening every week. In fact there’s probably only about half a dozen a YEAR that I really care about the outcome and aren’t just watching due to my interest in the sport.

Football is different though. Three games a week at times, planning your week around the games, checking every day for news of injuries, transfers etc. Even just the affect your team can have on your day to day mood! When you’re in great form, winning matches and going far in Europe and such like, you’re generally happier in your day to day life. It’s nuts when you think about it.

Anyway, bit of a different article than usual but today is no ordinary day in the life of a Liverpool fan. Today is the day that reality hits – a truly golden era has come to an end.

I remember Klopp once saying that football isn’t the most important thing in life but it’s maybe the most important of the least important things and I think that sums it up, so a different kind of article from me today describing what it’s meant for me and I look forward to reading what it means to other members of the community, if you’re happy to share such things. Walk on!