Liverpool v Olympiacos: Steven Gerrard Testimonial

An open letter from Olympiacos...

The president of Olympiacos, Evangelos Marinakis, issued an open letter to Steven Gerrard and Liverpool FC following today's testimonial fixture at Anfield. Here is what he wrote…

We are delighted to be part of this event for so many reasons.

Steven Gerrard is one of the finest footballers in the world, and it is fantastic to see today a club able to support a player with a testimonial after 15 years with them - but all the more so when the player is also able to play for his hometown team and achieve so much including becoming captain of club and country.

I have been a lifelong Olympiacos fan, as was my father before me, so I know only too well the pride and special feeling of being able to be part of the team that brings success to the club you've supported all of your life.

Steven may have selected Olympiacos for that special goal and all it meant to him and went on to mean, but I feel the clubs have a very special resonance and connection.

Olympiacos are a side from the port city Piraeus - today part of the wider Athens - the fans are famous for being the best and most passionate in Greece, creating a fantastic atmosphere in our stadium. Without any question it is their passion and commitment that has so often been the extra player that has cheered on their team in red and white to being the most successful club in Greece, reaching our 40th league title this year.

So it is perhaps easy to understand why Liverpool FC are very popular with many Olympiacos fans and why when I personally came to the UK to live for a while when I was younger and why I was so naturally drawn towards supporting Liverpool - as I still do today - as the connections and similarities are so clear and strong.

The clubs have been further bonded by their respective tragedies. I know all Olympiacos fans feel huge unity with Liverpool fans in the campaign for justice for the 96 as we have suffered our gate 7 tragedy where 21 supporters lost their lives just over 30 years ago.

We are equally delighted Steven has chosen to donate his proceeds from this match to the Steven Gerrard Foundation, a registered charity which helps disadvantaged children. This reinforces the feeling of common understanding as we will be donating our proceeds to similar charities in Greece to aid children who are in dire need of support today.

So for so many reasons when we were asked to take part, it was a very easy and quick decision.

We would like to offer our congratulations to Steven for a fantastic career so far and wish him a wonderful evening.


http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/141673-an-open-letter-from-olympiacos

Class ^

Pure class that, great words from the Olympiacos president.

Gee, the president of Olympiacos is a Liverpool  fans. Never knew it before. Good on ya Evangelos!

Wow good news on here and everyone agrees that's got to be a first.

Top class that. All thats good in football still

Class act by their president. And yet our owners appeared to have passed on the opportunity to even make a statement, much less watch the game?

Class act by their president. And yet our owners appeared to have passed on the opportunity to even make a statement, much less watch the game?

As you said FL their President is a class act and a football man best leave it at that.

Class act from their president that as many have already said, good man!

Class act by their president. And yet our owners appeared to have passed on the opportunity to even make a statement, much less watch the game?

Did think something similar. I understand they may not have been able to be their but not one statement about Gerrard. It's as if they have nothing to do with the club. Top class from their owner. Starting to have a bit of a liking for Olympiakos.

As for the game, it's easy to forget but the Greeks are a Champions League team. Whilst they won't win the tournament, and it is only preseason, we pushed them and did very well. Two goals and another clean sheet.

As for Stevie, the man is top class. Devestated I couldn't be at Anfield today but it looked like a fitting occasion for the Huyton man. Now on to Valerenga in Norway, Celtic in Dublin and then the first game of the league against Stoke Rugby Club.

Fowler looked better than Borini today.  Why did he retire?

Class act by their president. And yet our owners appeared to have passed on the opportunity to even make a statement, much less watch the game?

Just sums them up for me, not interested except for what they can make when they sell.
Bitterly disappointed that they couldn't at least put out a statement in support of our, and their, fantastic captain.
No wonder so many of us are questioning their commitment.
Steven Gerrard deserves better!

The greatest ever player to play for Liverpool Football Club.

We won't see a bigger talent than Steven GERRARD in our lifetimes. 100 years down the line, there'd be people telling stories about Steven Gerrard.

Just sums them up for me, not interested except for what they can make when they sell.
Bitterly disappointed that they couldn't at least put out a statement in support of our, and their, fantastic captain.
No wonder so many of us are questioning their commitment.
Steven Gerrard deserves better!

Is it any wonder that L.F.C.supporters have little faith or trust in our owners.

Echo all the comments above, great stuff from their president.

Fowler looked better than Borini today.  Why did he retire?

Oh for the love of sweet Jesus, do my eyes deceive me?!

Know plenty of fantastic players have played for Liverpool down through the years, and won lots of trophies.
Stevie G hasn't had the success he deserves to have had, but I can't think of any player/character I'd rate ahead of him.
The guy is quality to the core, irreplacable. Glad we don't have to think about a season without him just yet...

Hopefully this is just about to start on LFCtv so I can get to see the game.

Hopefully this is just about to start on LFCtv so I can get to see the game.

Get in! Just starting now! You never can tell with 'match extra', theres been a few occasions where i've waited up and then it's some bastaaaaard game from a week earlier! Not tonight thankfully!

Yup touch of class that.

Watched the rest of the game first thign this morning. Although it peetered out a bit form the 75th minute mark (might have had something to do with God's diminishing pace!) I thought the lads looked really sharp and you can see why Stevie commented on the lads being much fitter than this time last year. I like the fact Rodgers is generally giving minutes to his obvious first choice 11-13 players the last couple of minutes and i think that will pay off come the opening match against Stoke. Positives from this game for me were:

- The midfield 3 looked sharp. Joe Allen and Lucas looked very fit, very mobile and both were on their game, making tackles and passing the ball well. It's great to see Allen playing further forward and doing such a good job in the pre-season. Quite a few fans doubt whether he has the ability to be effective in the final 3rd but he has got the skill-set to be very effective up there ie. superb touch, quick feet and good vision.

- I like the look of Mignolet in goal, whilst we lose the sweeper keeper ability of Reina I suspect Mignolet's greater physical prescence can make a difference at our achilles heel of set-pieces and corners. Also like the fact he never stops barking orders.

- Another clean sheet. Can't knock 5 clean sheets out of 5 although (like others) I do wish we had lined up some better opposition because I'd like to see the lads get more a test.

- Aspas looked bright once again and he seems to be turning a few heads. Has jumped a mile ahead of Borini this pre-season and hopefully that puts the nail in the coffin of Borini starting the game against Stoke which should surely never happen. Aspas looks bright doesn't he, I like his movement and awareness of what is around him and his workrate is also excellent.

Gutted I missed the rerun but I've just switched on to see Jay Spearing more or less walked over in the midfield. Nice!

Watched the game last night and was impressed with Lucas and Allen.