Anyone who emails me idiotic nonsense will go into my hall of shame known as ‘Idiot of the Day’. I happily enter into constructive discussions when I am able to, and admit my mistakes, as I did with my most recent blog. But idiots are idiots are idiots.
I'll use this as a blog to show what I hate about certain Liverpool fans and morons who can't be bothered to properly read what I say, and don't even understand how to use our own language properly. (Spelling and punctuation are designed to help people understand what you are saying, so they don’t have to spend 15 minutes trying to get what you mean. I did not have a privileged education; I made the effort to learn off my own bat.)
Of course, this idiot may actually be a Manchester United fan in disguise, but I’ll take him at his word.
This 1,200 word email is the best since my French friend emailed me a few weeks back. Kudos, Thomas Radwell (email: thomas.radwell@hsbcib.com). You are my Idiot of the Day!
Paul,
I've been reading your articles for a couple of years now and feel that the time has come where I MUST email you.
Whilst I appreciate being a die-hard Liverpool fan, you feel the need to be 'protective' over your team but I find it infuriating that you NEVER, EVER, EVER have a single word of criticism of them. [Er, that’s a blatant lie, go back and read the earlier blogs; censorship on .tv prohibits me making certain criticisms on the official site, as you’d expect.]
Its [it’s] ridiculous, if they were truly as good as you make them sound they would not only be Champions of the Premier League but they would also have won the World Cup, Ryder Cup and Wimbledon.
You make out that there is some global conspiracy against Liverpool and Rafa and there isn't. Liverpool rightly get alot [a lot] of criticism because as a team who 'must be challenging' for the title every year… they are still miles away from Man Utd who are still, by far and away, the bench mark. [Miles away? Two points, at time of writing.]
(PLEASE NOTE I AM A LIVERPOOL FAN AND THE VERY SIGHT OF MAN UTD MAKES ME WANT TO PUKE…but I can still be honest about it.)
[Doth he protest too much?]
I agree that they are not lucky as I genuinely believe there's is no such thing (it's an excuse for losers!) [no such thing as luck? Wow, it must be a made-up word] but that also means that they not unlucky which you've pointed out many time when they've been unable to break down a s1ht side like Fulham or West Ham at home. You'll bemoan refereeing decisions against Liverpool or bemoan a teams stifling tactics as if they don't do it to teams like Man Utd or Chelsea. Teams have every right to stick 10 men behind the ball [I’ve never denied that] and if Liverpool cant deal with that then that is LIVERPOOL'S problem…no one elses [Aww, so close with the correct use of an apostrophe and then you go and blow it].
I'll [all?] I'm asking is that you say it, HOW IT IS, it's the excuses that wind me up and Rafa loves an excuse. It doesn't mean you're not a real fan if you criticise them, criticism is good. Rafa rightly gots [new word on me, that] a lot of criticism because when they are bad ………….. [it should be three dots, not a random amount] they are ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING!! some of this years [‘] draws have been woeful. They look so bereft of ideas and incision ….sometimes YOU KNOW they won't score. [Why, are you another psychic? The spirits are obviously strong here…]
The reason why Man Utd win 1-0 late on and get praised whilst Liverpool do the same and get cained [interesting word] is because a poor Man Utd are still so much better than a poor Liverpool'.
Liverpool have to start being SO much more convincing. You can see they've been gone into a few of these 'Must/should win home games ie Fulham, Hull, West Ham', they knew they HAD to win and the crowd certainly knew and they floundered under the expectation. Remember Man Utd have been winning the league for the last 16 years so have earned the right to be praised and so, are rightly hailed (whether you and me like it or not). The next 13 games are all 'must win' and you'll see their challenge falter…..they just wont be able to deal with that. [Who? Man Utd? Liverpool? Try helping me by reading your own words first.] The burden of not having won the league for 20 years (whilst Man U have cleaned up) hangs like a dark cloud over the whole club and clearly affects the players.
I also note that the second Rafa does something you always justify it and say 'yes, he was absolutely right to do that'. Whilst defending him is admirable, its also a bit misguided. I've just read the 'Why Keane Had to Go Article' as a perfect example. You were pleased they signed him and never had any criticism of hm , the second he gets sold you come out and say 'oh yeah, I always thought that. Alarm bells were ringing'. If they were ringing then why didn't you say BEFORE he sold him. That transfer was the biggest farce ever.
[I did say the alarm bells were ringing. I seriously criticised Keane’s finishing in a couple of games. Go back and read the blogs throughout the season. I felt he was a good signing in the summer, but it wasn’t working out.]
Another issue is resources (constantly reminding about how Chelsea and Man Utd have so much more money than Liverpoool…Boo-Hoo). You are man who loves looking at statistics (most of them obscure and irrelevant)…we can all dig out historical data to back up ANY argument. Im sure if I looked hard enough I could make a case for Bolton being just as good as Man U (based on relative levels of resources, expectation levels, fan base…whatever). Rafa has had MORE than enough money (over £150 million spent, Ive checked it – see attached and SO many rotten purchases in that,
please try to justify purchases of Kromkamp, Josemi, Gonzales who he chased for 2 years, Dossena, Voronin, Zenden, Pellegrino, Nunez. Barraghan the list goes on).
[The players you’ve listed cost a combined £14m, or half a Seba Veron/Andrei Shevchenko. All managers make crap signings; see my list of Wenger’s and Ferguson’s over the years. It’s the ones you get right that matter: Torres, Reina, Alonso, Skrtel, Agger, Mascherano, Riera, Kuyt, Arbeloa, Aurelio, et al. Barragan was a 17-year-old bought in for £200,000 and sold for a fee that could rise to over a million, for a talented lad who was homesick.]
5 years is more than enough time to mould Liverpool into a title winning team (what he was ultimately employed to do) and they have not even been in one title race yet. Please note, the title race does not begin until February being top of league in December does not count.
[Right, okay.]
All the first 6 months of a season does is determine whether team can even ENTER the title race. So the title race (and the REAL pressure which will choke them) starts now. Please dont throw the high points totals over the last few seasons as a counter argument. Amassing a big points total and scrapping it out week-in, week out at the business end of the season with a genuine chance of winning the league are 2 very separate entities. Its [it’s] all very well going on a good run when all you can hope for is 4th place. Try winning the last 7 or eight games of a season to actually win the league………..its a completely different kettle of fish. I think Liverpool will finish 2nd or 3rd this year but the real test of whether
true progress has been made will be in these last few games. Watch my words, they fall out of the title race and Man U will have it wrapped up by Easter.
I don't think he's cr$p manager, he cant be having won 2 leagues with Valencia and a Champions League with an average team but the Premier League is a different animal and I'm afraid to tell you……………he falls short. I'd love to be proved wrong and for you to come back to me in May saying'HA-HA ..told you you non-believer' but I dont think you will.
Keep writing the articles because part of me is addicted to fact that they are guaranteed to wind me up.
No doubt you'll come back at me with some blinkered 'Liverpool are the greatest and I'm just to blind to see it' response.
[No, not at all. I’ve never said Liverpool are the greatest. I’ve said Manchester United are currently stronger, although the gap has narrowed massively since 2004.]
P.S This attachment lists even more signings…I couldn't be bothered to go beyond Mark Gonzalez. Thats a £170 million there! They may have made some money back (not much) [Yeah, half of that amount is ‘not much. Plank] but nobody could possibly complain about a lack of resources and not having enough money.
Im so sick of that winey [what, whiney, or are you referring to the alcoholic drink you’re abusing?] excuse. Whilst we're at then all of the other teams in the entire world could complain about a lack of resources as being a obstacle to success. Thats [‘] why Wigan won't win the league this season.
[It’s all relative. Liverpool have good resources, but less than Chelsea (until very recently) and Manchester United. And if Everton, with a £12m striker and a £15m midfielder, aren’t expected to be above Liverpool in the league, then why should Liverpool, without the £30m players United and Chelsea have/have had, be above them? I repeat: Liverpool are no paupers. But their rivals have spent more.]
Regards and nothing personal. [Obviously…]
Tom
"Tomkins not only shows why he is a prolific, talented writer but also cements his status as very knowledgeable and passionate Red. In my opinion this is Tomkins' best work to date; a thoroughly excellent read."
Vic Gill, Shanks' son-in-law and former LFC trainee
“The project that Tomkins has taken on here is highly ambitious: assessing each of Liverpool’s managers since Bill Shankly. He does this in his own irrepressible style of analyzing in detail every area that falls within a manager’s remit. And whilst Tomkins has a talent for such a task, where he excels here is in approaching each manager without any apparent pre-conceived ideas.”
Paul Grech, Squarefootball.net
"A unique analysis of the club's managers, which is no mean feat given the extensive bibliography of the club… informative … another perspective on the last 50 years at Liverpool."
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