"Fire in your belly comes from pride and passion in wearing the red shirt. We don't need to motivate players because each of them is responsible for the performance of the team as a whole. The status of Liverpool's players keeps them motivated." ~ Shanks
The affect the mind has on performance should never be underestimated. You may be the best footballer in the world, and by a country mile - but if you don't even want the ball because your confidence is so low, the team may as well play with 10 men. You are useless, more than that; you are a passenger and a liability.
I've always said football is as much a frame of mind as it is a game of style.
"A lot of football success is in the mind. You must believe you are the best and then make sure that you are. In my time at Anfield we always said we had the best two teams on Merseyside, Liverpool and Liverpool reserves." ~ Shanks
Shankly once said "For a player to be good enough to play for Liverpool, he must be prepared to run through a brick wall for me then come out fighting on the other side." And they did. With Shanks it didn't matter if you were Ron Yeats or wee Jimminy Cricket, that wall would fall before you.
The dressing room is where a game is won or lost for me. There's a lot to be said for 'losing the dressing room'. Once that has happened, you're a dead man walking.
Consider Hodgson saying we should be wary of teams like bottom of the table Wolves to this:
"My idea was to build Liverpool into a bastion of invincibility. Had Napoleon had that idea he would have conquered the bloody world. I wanted Liverpool to be untouchable. My idea was to build Liverpool up and up until eventually everyone would have to submit and give in." ~ Shanks
If that doesn't send a shiver down your spine, nothing will. Bet you'd eat your way through that wall - or die trying. That's what a strong leader can do to you and for you. Opponents would have no choice - you were beaten all hands down. It wasn't a case of if you like it or not.
"I'm a people's man - only the people matter." ~ Shanks
For me, Kenny has the potential to be as big an influence as Shanks, if not bigger. It doesn't matter his age, Shanks was no spring chicken, but his ghost still walks the Anfield halls and his spirit is still there. When you consider Kenny as had success as a manager and a player, his influence is immense.
"Sickness would not have kept me away from this one. If I'd been dead, I would have had them bring the casket to the ground, prop it up in the stands and cut a hole in the lid." Shanks
If we do not keep Kenny on after this season, and barring us losing every game from now on in, I can see him staying - it will be a bad decision of cosmic proportions.
"I was the best manager in Britain because I was never devious or cheated anyone. I'd break my wife's legs if I played against her, but I'd never cheat her." Shanks
It will take some time, but Kenny has what Shanks, Paisley, and Fagan had. Honesty, love for the club, a desire to win, the ability to see the club is bigger than any other player, and a down to earth attitude that stood for no nonsense.
"No one was asked to do more than anyone else...we were a team. We shared the ball, we shared the game, we shared the worries." ~ Shanks
"You'll never walk alone" We the supporters
“Even down to 10 men at Manchester United, and having lost the game to a diabolical penalty kick, we can’t accept that and we won’t accept that.” ~ Kenny
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