IrishMacca
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 5 Feb 2009
- Messages
- 1,242
(Very long..apologies in advance)
Believe right? That's what they're all saying.
It's easy to say it, it's easy to say that you have to believe. That you need to do this, you need to play for each other, and do it for the jersey, the fans, the players around you? But is that enough?
"MENTORS. DRESSINGROOMS. Tradition. Newspapers. Vince Lombardi. Liars all. They tell you you have to care because, well because you have to. Because you wear this colour jersey, because this is your chance, because this is BIG, because everyone else cares.
YOU HAVE TO CARE. YOU GOTTA. Capisce?"
But no one can make them do it. Unless they truly believe it and unless they are willing to do just about anything for each other, and give a part of themselves on that pitch, blood sweat and tears for every single piece of grass and every kick of the ball, working every second to outplay their opposite number, then what's the point. Unless they are willing to do it for themselves, for each other, for gach uile liathroid, what is the point?
Unless they're able to turn to eachother at the end of the game and say that.."They did it for themselves and all they had stood for, all they had meant to one another." Well we'll have lost all ready.
It's clear that the heart in the jersey isn't really felt in this game, not in the players, not most. So it's harder, harder to get them to buy into the jersey and what it stands for and the history of the club. It's easy if you're a club like United, it's easy to believe, all those years of success and one manager. That's easy.
Us? Obsessed with doing it the hard way aren't we.
People, so called experts or other fans, say we've no history, bitter fools, unless I've been dreaming, (doubt it, wouldn't exactly call our history something dreams are made of) we've been around for a hell of a long time. History, it doesn't mean success.
We've had fuck all success, but we're built of strong stuff, we keep coming back for, what seemed at times insufferable misery and constant disappointed.
And that's what makes us stronger, and the fact that we can taste success, that we're a couple of kicks away from full blown European football, and dipping our toes in with the kings of Europe, well I think it's about time.
"Sport at its most moving and most visceral doesn't have to involve cups or medals or bragging rights. It has to do with a group coming together and sharing experiences until such time as those shared experiences turn them into something else."
NO MORE ALMOST OR MAYBE, I'll be fucking damned if we're the GALLANT LOOSER.
We've suffered enough. Some Irish sporting pundit, can't remember who, I think it was after the Irish team lost..again.. but it was said once, that
"If there's not a lot of pain when you lose then there wont be any joy when you win." And never a truer word was spoken in my opinion.
Another Irish legend said, way back when, when we were really having it hard..he said.."It is not those who can inflict the most, but those that can suffer the most who will conquer."
Now I'm not one for using Irish history of suffering and English football in the same line, but I think it's relevant.
We've put up enough of those lot across the road, of their success, the media darlings. It's about time we get a bit of what's coming to us. We've sure as hell suffered enough.
It was 2002/2003 season, Munster needed to beat Gloucester, not just beat them, but win by a margin of 27 points and score 4 tries to qualify for the next round. Every odd was against us, the only thing they had was their jersey, and their history, the tradition of never loosing a Heineken Cup match at home.
It turned out to be one of the most staggering recoveries in the history of the Heineken Cup to send Gloucester tumbling out of the competition.
All because of the jersey and their belief in it, and themselves. Because of the ground they were in and the jersey they had on their back, they were able to qualify, despite everything, despite all the odds Munster qualified because of the team they were.
Why? That crest means that Munster players can go 10% longer and give 10% more than any other team. That is why we are so hard to beat and why no one ever writes us off.
I mean City, well, we may be the richest club in the world, but you can't buy that. That doesn't form over night.
If, after all of this, all the pain, all the getting a muddy foot in the face from United, every bloody season, and every other game we've lost and relegation battle we've had,if it isn't relevant to them, or doesn't motivate them, or it isn't enough, then all they need to do is look at what happened on the weekend to Shay Given.
Given gave all of himself for Newcastle, bravery, a life threatening injury included, and stayed loyal 12 years, that kind of character you rarely see these days, and he is showing the same commitment to the City jersey and the team and that is reflective of how the fans see him and how more importantly the players see him. He is a massive character in the dressing room, well liked and well respected. He's captained City many times now, and is a big voice in the dressing room.
If there is a speech needed to be made before the game or at half time, then he should do it (if he can).
Or they sure as hell better do it for him. He gave all of himself to Newcastle when he should have walked away many times and he gives all of himself to the City jersey as well, if that save was enough to get us 4th, and if was asked would he make the save again and take that injury again, if it got us 4th, he would.
The same can't be said for a lot of other players.
If for some unknown reason they find it a little bit hard to find motivation come the weekend and the games they have left, they need to look to each other and do it for him.
I'm sick shite of almost and maybes.
Come on lads. The dawn is near.
Believe right? That's what they're all saying.
It's easy to say it, it's easy to say that you have to believe. That you need to do this, you need to play for each other, and do it for the jersey, the fans, the players around you? But is that enough?
"MENTORS. DRESSINGROOMS. Tradition. Newspapers. Vince Lombardi. Liars all. They tell you you have to care because, well because you have to. Because you wear this colour jersey, because this is your chance, because this is BIG, because everyone else cares.
YOU HAVE TO CARE. YOU GOTTA. Capisce?"
But no one can make them do it. Unless they truly believe it and unless they are willing to do just about anything for each other, and give a part of themselves on that pitch, blood sweat and tears for every single piece of grass and every kick of the ball, working every second to outplay their opposite number, then what's the point. Unless they are willing to do it for themselves, for each other, for gach uile liathroid, what is the point?
Unless they're able to turn to eachother at the end of the game and say that.."They did it for themselves and all they had stood for, all they had meant to one another." Well we'll have lost all ready.
It's clear that the heart in the jersey isn't really felt in this game, not in the players, not most. So it's harder, harder to get them to buy into the jersey and what it stands for and the history of the club. It's easy if you're a club like United, it's easy to believe, all those years of success and one manager. That's easy.
Us? Obsessed with doing it the hard way aren't we.
People, so called experts or other fans, say we've no history, bitter fools, unless I've been dreaming, (doubt it, wouldn't exactly call our history something dreams are made of) we've been around for a hell of a long time. History, it doesn't mean success.
We've had fuck all success, but we're built of strong stuff, we keep coming back for, what seemed at times insufferable misery and constant disappointed.
And that's what makes us stronger, and the fact that we can taste success, that we're a couple of kicks away from full blown European football, and dipping our toes in with the kings of Europe, well I think it's about time.
"Sport at its most moving and most visceral doesn't have to involve cups or medals or bragging rights. It has to do with a group coming together and sharing experiences until such time as those shared experiences turn them into something else."
NO MORE ALMOST OR MAYBE, I'll be fucking damned if we're the GALLANT LOOSER.
We've suffered enough. Some Irish sporting pundit, can't remember who, I think it was after the Irish team lost..again.. but it was said once, that
"If there's not a lot of pain when you lose then there wont be any joy when you win." And never a truer word was spoken in my opinion.
Another Irish legend said, way back when, when we were really having it hard..he said.."It is not those who can inflict the most, but those that can suffer the most who will conquer."
Now I'm not one for using Irish history of suffering and English football in the same line, but I think it's relevant.
We've put up enough of those lot across the road, of their success, the media darlings. It's about time we get a bit of what's coming to us. We've sure as hell suffered enough.
It was 2002/2003 season, Munster needed to beat Gloucester, not just beat them, but win by a margin of 27 points and score 4 tries to qualify for the next round. Every odd was against us, the only thing they had was their jersey, and their history, the tradition of never loosing a Heineken Cup match at home.
It turned out to be one of the most staggering recoveries in the history of the Heineken Cup to send Gloucester tumbling out of the competition.
All because of the jersey and their belief in it, and themselves. Because of the ground they were in and the jersey they had on their back, they were able to qualify, despite everything, despite all the odds Munster qualified because of the team they were.
Why? That crest means that Munster players can go 10% longer and give 10% more than any other team. That is why we are so hard to beat and why no one ever writes us off.
I mean City, well, we may be the richest club in the world, but you can't buy that. That doesn't form over night.
If, after all of this, all the pain, all the getting a muddy foot in the face from United, every bloody season, and every other game we've lost and relegation battle we've had,if it isn't relevant to them, or doesn't motivate them, or it isn't enough, then all they need to do is look at what happened on the weekend to Shay Given.
Given gave all of himself for Newcastle, bravery, a life threatening injury included, and stayed loyal 12 years, that kind of character you rarely see these days, and he is showing the same commitment to the City jersey and the team and that is reflective of how the fans see him and how more importantly the players see him. He is a massive character in the dressing room, well liked and well respected. He's captained City many times now, and is a big voice in the dressing room.
If there is a speech needed to be made before the game or at half time, then he should do it (if he can).
Or they sure as hell better do it for him. He gave all of himself to Newcastle when he should have walked away many times and he gives all of himself to the City jersey as well, if that save was enough to get us 4th, and if was asked would he make the save again and take that injury again, if it got us 4th, he would.
The same can't be said for a lot of other players.
If for some unknown reason they find it a little bit hard to find motivation come the weekend and the games they have left, they need to look to each other and do it for him.
I'm sick shite of almost and maybes.
Come on lads. The dawn is near.