Liverpool Thread - 2023/24

[Betterdeedthan red]

Mahrez is the captain of the reigning African Cup of Nations. Algeria is the biggest country in Africa.

He’s probably closer than you think to Salah.

Lots of Algerians in tunisia a couple of years ago.
All had mahrez shirts on.
If you mentioned city they just said mahrez mahrez

 

[aguero93:20]

Lots of Algerians in tunisia a couple of years ago.
All had mahrez shirts on.
If you mentioned city they just said mahrez mahrez

Should have introduced them to the Dzeko cult.

 

[roman totale]

Mahrez is the captain of the reigning African Cup of Nations. Algeria is the biggest country in Africa.

He’s probably closer than you think to Salah.

Don’t disagree at all with your main point about Mahrez, but Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area. It’s nowhere near the biggest by population.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Don’t disagree at all with your main point about Mahrez, but Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area. It’s nowhere near the biggest by population.

Yet, Nigerian players aren’t that high profile, for whatever reason.

 

[mexico1970]

I wonder who the best Mormon player is of all time? All this talk of fans just liking players because of their religion makes me think they are Scottish ;O

 

[SebastianBlue]

To be fair to him and other footballers, they probably don't give a shite about the alphabet community, however they get pushed into making statements. He should just be honest and say that although he doesn't agree with the culture towards the alphabet lot in Saudi, he's there to work and to make money for his family. Tell them that our government and other governments and institutions around the world still do business with the Saudis so have a dig at them instead.

This is a good point and is why I've held off criticising Henderson too much despite him digging a rather big hole for himself.

"Pushed into making statements" is probably very close to the truth on this particular matter. And I wouldn't be surprised if it was Liverpool themselves who pushed him into championing LGBTQ+ rights, given he was club captain and all that. Remember that Henderson signed the book of condolence in Liverpool after the Queen died as well - again, it wouldn't surprise me if he was asked by the club to do that. Of course, the fallout from that was seeing Liverpool fans all over social media spitting their dummies out as we know many of them aren't particularly big fans of the Royal Family so I think the club misjudged that one if indeed they put him up to it. Let's also not forget that a few years ago, a Liverpool youth team playing a tournament in Poland went on a tour of Auschwitz while they were over there and were given a stack of candles to light while there. Trouble is, they weren't plain candles - astonishingly they were Liverpool FC branded candles because as we know, it always has to be about them.

Of course, if Liverpool were indeed involved in putting Henderson forward as some sort of LGBTQ+ ambassador, well instead of sitting back and seeing him take all the flak for his move to Saudi they might want to explain why they were more than happy to accept Saudi money for him.

I am not sure footballers writ-large don’t care about the LGBTQ+ community (“alphabet” is pejorative so I won’t use that term), but I imagine he may not care as much, given his background, and was likely pressured in to acting in the way he did at the WC (and before).

But, even so, he is still a grown man, with full agency, that knew what he was doing, as he does now.

And that makes him a complete and utter hypocrite.

We’ve all been there, of course; none of us is without sin. But just as is the case with we common folk, it is perfectly appropriate to call him out when he is being hypocritical, especially in such an egregious case as this.

If he had said “I am going there to model the behaviour I would like to see around the world, continuing to support the LGBTQ+ community, as I believe engaging with different cultures in good faith and earnestly sharing our ideas with them is the only thing that actually leads to any sort of change over time” then I would have some respect for him, even if I knew it was largely for the money and he probably wouldn’t be doing much advocacy. That’s because that statement alone, given the circumstances, would be a bold gesture.

But we all know he can’t spell half of those words, much less know what they mean, and would never approve a PR-written statement the full implications of which couldn’t be explained to a 7 year-old, so that was never going to happen.

I do take the point about Liverpool leaving him high and dry. But that is their modus operandi, so it is no great surprise, hence why my mild ire is not directed at them.

 

[roman totale]

I wonder who the best Mormon player is of all time?

Jordan Henderson, Phil Jones, Slabhead, Wayne Rooney?

EDIT: Oh, you said Mormon.

 

[BongoBlue]

Jordan Henderson, Phil Jones, Slabhead, Wayne Rooney?

EDIT: Oh, you said Mormon.

Reminds me of the old line from Cheers:

Rebecca: "Why can't more men buy flowers?"
Sam: "I didn't know that a Mormon couldn't buy flowers..."

 

[halfcenturyup]

He's got shredded on the latest issue of the Guardian podcast.

He can't be all bad then.

Seriously, time to leave the guy alone. He was a bit of a ****, but he did what was best for his family. And really, I am sure the offended community will survive. (I don't mean Liverpool fans. They will be scarred for life, of course).

 

[He’stheleftbackremember]

Why not tell the truth. I’m here for the money, too good to turn down. Although I am wealthy compared to most people this move will make me very wealthy and secure my families future for generations to come. I don’t agree that homosexuality should be illegal but me coming here or not coming here ain’t gonna change its legal status in Saudi, but it will make be very wealthy. I wish I had more moral conviction to turn down such money, but I haven’t.