The 30 year wait

On the box tonight at 9pm, BBC 2

On the box tonight at 9pm, BBC 2

Interesting watch that.

Well worth watching. Thoroughly enjoyed that.

Here's the iPlayer link.   Really enjoyed that programme - good to have so many of the managers down the years getting interviewed as well.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000m7l8/liverpool-fc-the-30year-wait

Here's the iPlayer link.   Really enjoyed that programme - good to have so many of the managers down the years getting interviewed as well.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000m7l8/liverpool-fc-the-30year-wait

Sad to see that there is still animosity between Roy and Gerard though, I found that interesting plus some of the insights around Hicks and Gillet and the rest of the club being so against them at the end.

Was also really cool how they introduced Jürgen :-)

Sad to see that there is still animosity between Roy and Gerard though, I found that interesting

Yes I was a bit surprised about that too. Think Evans was given plenty of time I don't think he can really hold grudges.

Was nice to see Houllier included. That Roma game was a F***ing great European night and doesn't get talked about as much as it should. Believe they were the reigning Italian champions at the time so it was some result turning them over 2-0

Always shocks me when I see how frail & colourless he looks returning to the dugout though, no way he should have returned that early.

The joint manager thing is always a laugh too. Has any club (similar to size in ours) ever tried anything like that since? Or had any club done it before? We're the only side I'm aware of that has ever done it

Sad to see that there is still animosity between Roy and Gerard though

I liked the bit where Houllier was talking about going into the dressing room after Istanbul and Benitez was brilliant with him.

I've heard the story a few times before but always presumed Rafa didn't want him there or there was a bit of awkwardness between the two

Missed half, completely forgot about it, will have to give it a rewatch through BBC i-player.

Missed half, completely forgot about it, will have to give it a rewatch through BBC i-player.

Roy still being bitter at Gerard gave me a needed chuckle.
2001 though, what a season that was.

The Klopp stuff was nicely done.
Lucky time to be an LFC fan.

Do they put these programmes on DVD, or BlueRay or SpaceJam or floppy disk or whatever it is called now? 

How about Beta? I think I can run Beta on my VCR.

Or an 8-track tape player?

Sad to see that there is still animosity between Roy and Gerard

It’s more from Evans’ side. But Co-managers should never have happened in the first place, terrible decision for a club to make.

It’s more from Evans’ side. But Co-managers should never have happened in the first place, terrible decision for a club to make.

Have to blame David Moores really, same with sounds,, personal relationships meant he found it difficult to sack people 

Really enjoyed the programme, thought Gerard Houllier was a really likeable person, perhaps a bit too nice at times ! Always liked Rafa who at least guided the club to winning the champions league, in what was a very memorable occasion, a bit sad to see him depart in one sense. Kenny came back after the Roy Hodgson era, he was never cut out to be a Liverpool manager.

  Brendan tried his best, but perhaps did not have the experience, unlike present manager Jürgen Klopp, who was the perfect fit for the club, as his record shows, finally guiding us to the premiership title after such a long wait. These are my views only I except I am not as knowledgeable as many Liverpool fans out there.

As an American, how can I watch?

As an American, how can I watch?

you can find it here.
https://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2020/08/31/liverpool-fc-the-30-year-wait-documentary/

you can find it here.
https://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2020/08/31/liverpool-fc-the-30-year-wait-documentary/

Cheers!

Was nice to see Houllier included. That Roma game was a f**king great European night and doesn't get talked about as much as it should. Believe they were the reigning Italian champions at the time so it was some result turning them over 2-0

Always shocks me when I see how frail & colourless he looks returning to the dugout though, no way he should have returned that early.

The joint manager thing is always a laugh too. Has any club (similar to size in ours) ever tried anything like that since? Or had any club done it before? We're the only side I'm aware of that has ever done it

Brian Clough and Peter Taylor 😬

Really enjoyed the programme, thought Gerard Houllier was a really likeable person, perhaps a bit too nice at times !

Not a chance Houllier could be described as a bit too nice, bringing in a loan player to spy on the squad when he first got full control to weed out a player (Paul Ince) who was running to the press with all kinds of stories, the way he got shut of players including anyone who argued with him, his belief he was fine after the heart problems and cracked on with 2002/2003 season even though everyone and his dog could tell he was still ill.

You could call it stereotypically French arrogance. But when he first got full control that was need to build a platform for going into the 21st century and getting rid of the deadwood of the time.

Do they put these programmes on DVD, or BlueRay or SpaceJam or floppy disk or whatever it is called now? 

How about Beta? I think I can run Beta on my VCR.

Or an 8-track tape player?

Probably not, mostly because of copyright issues usually 

Good programme, tried to fit a lot into the time available.
Bit that stuck out for me too was the Houllier/Evans relationship, or lack of one as it stands now. Roy really looked hurt by it, though agree that joint manager thing was never going to work.
I've generally liked Gerard, but when he talked about when Rafa won the CL in 2005, it was basically with HIS players. OK Gerard, but do you think YOU could have won it with those players - I really don't think so. And Rafa went on to build a much stronger team than Houllier.
And Hick's quote, saying buying LFC was like buying Kleenex or something, some tw*t that lad.
Stevie G and KK mentioned thoughout, SGs slip got another outing, never easy to watch. And the Karius howlers in the CL final
But seeing the managers come and go, it only highlighted the unbelievable job Jürgen has done since he was come in. Absolutely incredible.

Brian Clough and Peter Taylor 😬

They were a distinct manager and assistant though those two

I missed the start, which was just as well considering the first 10-15 minutes was about the 80's, and the first 5 minutes focused on some irrelevant incident in Belgium. I'm sure most of us would rather not be reminded about it, in a Liverpool documentary. We are it's target audience after all. Especially a show that's supposed to start in the year 1990.

The rest of it could have focused on the team's results during the leaner years, not merely gloss over them. So they could have talked about the team drawing at home to Swindon, or losing at home to Barnsley, or going out of the cup at home to Grimsby/Northampton, or finishing 8th in the table several years, to mention a few. It would have been far more informative to our newer generation of fans. I know time is short but to better appreciate what we have, it helps to understand how far we've actually come. Then they can fully appreciate what it feels like to finally finish 1st.

you can find it here.
https://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2020/08/31/liverpool-fc-the-30-year-wait-documentary/

Midway through it now and it is just riveting. Thank You!

I missed the start, which was just as well considering the first 10-15 minutes was about the 80's, and the first 5 minutes focused on some irrelevant incident in Belgium. I'm sure most of us would rather not be reminded about it, in a Liverpool documentary. We are it's target audience after all. Especially a show that's supposed to start in the year 1990.

The rest of it could have focused on the team's results during the leaner years, not merely gloss over them. So they could have talked about the team drawing at home to Swindon, or losing at home to Barnsley, or going out of the cup at home to Grimsby/Northampton, or finishing 8th in the table several years, to mention a few. It would have been far more informative to our newer generation of fans. I know time is short but to better appreciate what we have, it helps to understand how far we've actually come. Then they can fully appreciate what it feels like to finally finish 1st.

Irrelevant incident?

They were a distinct manager and assistant though those two

Know what you mean Kopite, but wherever you have two ‘managers’ working together, there’s always a dominant partner, and the other is looked on as the assistant.
I think Roy became the assistant.

Know what you mean Kopite, but wherever you have two ‘managers’ working together, there’s always a dominant partner, and the other is looked on as the assistant.
I think Roy became the assistant.

I'm not sure Roy became the "assistant " in the clubs thinking
But I think Gerard definitely saw him as more of an inconvenience and didn't really treat him as an equal which is where the animosity comes from on Roy's side.
I mean it was never going to work, all it did was confuse players and cause a rift at the top

But I think Roy doesn't think that Gerard ever tried to make it work and was trying to push him out from minute 1


Clough and Taylor werent joint managers though at all, Clough was number 1, Taylor 2
They eventually fell out because of Cloughs  attitude, drinking and arrogance and Taylor then tried to make it as a number 1 on his own right at Brighton but that didnt really work out

Enjoyed that and got to see it last night.

Big mistake to appoint joint managers at that time and sad to see Roy still seems to hold a grudge against Ged. I don't see how that could have ended any differently and both me shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place and was always only going to be one outcome.

Just managed to watch it, really well made and got me a bit emotional at times.

Well done the BBC.

Big F***ing grins when Klopp turns up!!

"Hello"

Out of all the managers, it seemed that BR was the only one to try and make it about himself.

He stopped short of claiming credit for the title, but only just.

Still a great watch though.

Really enjoyable hour and a half and quite difficult to fit our 'history' in such a short space of time so I think the BBC did very well, looking back at the Souness days and the Hodgson days was painful as well as the hicks/gillette period. makes you realise how good everything is at the moment with FSG and Jürgen at the helm, like Racer said, it's a great time to be a Liverpool fan, we should all count our blessings, Shanks and Bob would be happy to see that we're in great hands at this moment.

Long may it continue.

Out of all the managers, it seemed that BR was the only one to try and make it about himself.

He stopped short of claiming credit for the title, but only just.

Still a great watch though.

Oh I'm not sure, Houllier had a good go.

Oh I'm not sure, Houllier had a good go.

Yeah, with the CL 

Thing is, we've heard from a lot of players etc since then about how it was "his squad", so I think it was probably fair enough for him to jump on board with that.

He looked proper fu**ed though in the program and in the old clips when he came out of hospital, so I find it hard to be too harsh on him, even if what Evans said was true. The bit about some people being better at "looking after themselves" suggests he thinks Houllier stuck the knife in behind his back.

A pity some of the old wounds got re-opened a bit, but all part of the 30 years I suppose.

Very well made documentary, loved the bits about Barnes, emotional about the Hillsborough part and a great ending.

The Brendan stuff was the only sour part. Made a point of blaming everyone bar himself - 'the slip was the real crucial moment'/'I told the players we were taking too many risk v Palace'/'I only needed Van Dijk'. Nah, not having that. Was a massive difference between that and the way Houllier and Rafa spoke.

Big f**king grins when Klopp turns up!!

"Hello"

Best bit by a mile this!

'I told the players we were taking too many risk v Palace

Was thinking the same myself - did he sh*te tell the players that. Pretty sure he'd have wanted them to hunt the goal difference down same as everybody else. If I remember correctly City only had one game left and that was at home to West Ham, so clawing back the goal difference was the only realistic way we were winning the title by that point.

Would have had a lot more respect for him if he'd have just come out and said something along the lines of "We went for the spectacular and it backfired, we had no other choice".

If we'd have won that game 7-0 and went on to win the title on goal difference I'm sure he would came out with some guff about how his decision to deploy Joe Allen as a "high pressing trequartista" was a masterstroke

Yeah, with the CL 

Thing is, we've heard from a lot of players etc since then about how it was "his squad", so I think it was probably fair enough for him to jump on board with that.

He looked proper fu**ed though in the program and in the old clips when he came out of hospital, so I find it hard to be too harsh on him, even if what Evans said was true. The bit about some people being better at "looking after themselves" suggests he thinks Houllier stuck the knife in behind his back.

A pity some of the old wounds got re-opened a bit, but all part of the 30 years I suppose.

I can remember being very happy when Houllier came in, I can't quite recall if that was as joint manager or sole manager, but Evans had his chance and largely dissapointed. With that crop of young players, Mcmannaman, Fowler, Redknapp etc he really should have been able to mount more of a challenge than he did but he was unable to control the spiceboys thing.  Houllier was a big improvement, then Rafa even more, then the manager who shall not be mentioned, then nice nostalgia with King Kenny, the Irishman who went so so close and then of course the Meister, Jürgen!

The rest of it could have focused on the team's results during the leaner years, not merely gloss over them.

Always fascinated by this 'leaner years' business.  For the overwhelming majority of football clubs, Liverpool's last 30 years would have been their golden period.

It's all relative - showing us winning the treble and a couple of European Cups and FA and League Cups and then banging on about them being terrible times just wouldn't register with non-Liverpool fans watching.  Our lowest league position has been 8th which we've finished in just 3 times in almost 60 years,  I'm not sure how much emotional connection you can buy when that was the depth of our performances.  Try selling that as heartbreak to Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest and Villa fans!

The programme was all about close shaves, failure and constant reinvention in the main trophy we all wanted.  Think it did a good job.

Was thinking the same myself - did he sh*te tell the players that. Pretty sure he'd have wanted them to hunt the goal difference down same as everybody else. If I remember correctly City only had one game left and that was at home to West Ham, so clawing back the goal difference was the only realistic way we were winning the title by that point.

Would have had a lot more respect for him if he'd have just come out and said something along the lines of "We went for the spectacular and it backfired, we had no other choice".

If we'd have won that game 7-0 and went on to win the title on goal difference I'm sure he would came out with some guff about how his decision to deploy Joe Allen as a "high pressing trequartista" was a masterstroke

That game still haunts me, but its not where we lost the title, or Chelsea. We lost the title because Brendan was and still is a fuckwit as regards defending, we scored a hell of a lot of goals in that campaign but we also conceded a hell of a lot, with a bit more smarts and a better balance to the team we would have beaten City that year.

That game still haunts me, but its not where we lost the title, or Chelsea. We lost the title because Brendan was and still is a fuckwit as regards defending, we scored a hell of a lot of goals in that campaign but we also conceded a hell of a lot, with a bit more smarts and a better balance to the team we would have beaten City that year.

Feels as though there were so many bizarre moments that season where for years we looked back on and thought "what if". Obviously Gerrard's slip tops them all but there was also Kolo Toure's absolute brain-fart of a pass to Anichebe against West Brom which led to them snatching an equalizer & Joe Allen's open goal miss in the 3-3 derby

The one which riled me up the most though would be Sterling's disallowed goal in the 1-2 away defeat to Man City (photo attached to jog your memory). Absolute disgrace how that was flagged for offside - and the same cu*ts have got a cheek to bang on about bias & VAR!

Was a terrific season though looking back, for excitement you couldn't fault it

Always fascinated by this 'leaner years' business.  For the overwhelming majority of football clubs, Liverpool's last 30 years would have been their golden period.

It's all relative - showing us winning the treble and a couple of European Cups and FA and League Cups and then banging on about them being terrible times just wouldn't register with non-Liverpool fans watching.  Our lowest league position has been 8th which we've finished in just 3 times in almost 60 years,  I'm not sure how much emotional connection you can buy when that was the depth of our performances.  Try selling that as heartbreak to Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest and Villa fans!

The programme was all about close shaves, failure and constant reinvention in the main trophy we all wanted.  Think it did a good job.

Entire seasons were glossed over/ignored. Yes they showed the main moments during the time, but we know everything about them. There is nothing more to show about Istanbul that hasn't already been covered many times before. Same with the slip. We know that Kenny resigned, we know why he resigned, this is stuff we Liverpool fans are all aware of. Was there anything groundbreaking? Maybe if it started in 1990, rather than 1985, we might find out something new. It was a 30 year wait, not a 35 year wait.

As regards Leeds and Villa fans etc, I assume very few were watching, and if they were, what was shown wouldn't interest them. Success for them is staying in the league, not winning the league as is the case here.

Entire seasons were glossed over/ignored. Yes they showed the main moments during the time, but we know everything about them. There is nothing more to show about Istanbul that hasn't already been covered many times before. Same with the slip. We know that Kenny resigned, we know why he resigned, this is stuff we Liverpool fans are all aware of. Was there anything groundbreaking? Maybe if it started in 1990, rather than 1985, we might find out something new. It was a 30 year wait, not a 35 year wait.

As regards Leeds and Villa fans etc, I assume very few were watching, and if they were, what was shown wouldn't interest them. Success for them is staying in the league, not winning the league as is the case here.

The thing is that it wasn't made just for Liverpool supporters. It was shown at primetime on a bank holiday weekend & was obviously made with a wider target audience in mind. Was nothing new for us but it would have been informative the rest of the country. I'm sure a lot of the Chicago Bulls fans who watched 'The Last Dance' on Netflix didn't learn much, but those who weren't clued up on the story like myself found it captivating

Entire seasons were glossed over/ignored. Yes they showed the main moments during the time, but we know everything about them. There is nothing more to show about Istanbul that hasn't already been covered many times before. Same with the slip. We know that Kenny resigned, we know why he resigned, this is stuff we Liverpool fans are all aware of. Was there anything groundbreaking? Maybe if it started in 1990, rather than 1985, we might find out something new. It was a 30 year wait, not a 35 year wait.

As regards Leeds and Villa fans etc, I assume very few were watching, and if they were, what was shown wouldn't interest them. Success for them is staying in the league, not winning the league as is the case here.

and people call me miserable and negative!!!

I wasn't aware of the ongoing animosity between Evans and Houllier, I also didn't know that Hicks was the bigger pr**k than Gillett.

But even if there weren't any big revelations it was a well made and interesting stroll down memory lane with a very happy ending.

Most of the interviews seemed to be held in July 2020. We found out that the Houllier interview was then, when the show was repeated as the broadcaster's tribute to his time here. In one of his last pre-game press conferences, he believed that we wanted at the time to go back to the 60's and 70's culture. That was never the case, but after 6 years in charge, we had hoped to be a bit closer to the champions than the 30 point gap we ended up with.

Rafa had his say in it as well, which as these things do, focused on the rant about you know who down the road. All these years later, he still defiantly believes he was spot on and doesn't see the issue with it. It's not that what he said was wrong, but the manc set a mind game trap for him, and he hit the ground running into it. Within a month, our title challenge had crumbled, our cup run was over, and it was all downhill from there.

By contrast, Jürgen says a lot in his media duties, but never what is not in his or the team's interests. I'm sure he had plenty to say though in The End Of The Storm, focusing on bringing the title home, when it's released on Sky Documentaries this weekend.

Rafa had his say in it as well, which as these things do, focused on the rant about you know who down the road. All these years later, he still defiantly believes he was spot on and doesn't see the issue with it. It's not that what he said was wrong, but the manc set a mind game trap for him, and he hit the ground running into it. Within a month, our title challenge had crumbled, our cup run was over, and it was all downhill from there.

Lying tw*t!

His facts press conference was before the Stoke game in the January when he had gall stones. We went all the way to April until Macheda's goal for the mancs against Villa and our 4-4 draw against Arsenal ended the title challenge.

Your sad hatred for Rafa is still pathetic, Everton type behaviour and comments if I'm honest.

Lying T**t!

His facts press conference was before the Stoke game in the January when he had gall stones. We went all the way to April until Macheda's goal for the mancs against Villa and our 4-4 draw against Arsenal ended the title challenge.

Your sad hatred for Rafa is still pathetic, Everton type behaviour and comments if I'm honest.

History is written by the victors isn't it. That press conference has been rewritten as though it was some Keegan-esque meltdown but I think our form in the second half of the season after the "rant" was better than it was before. With the benefit of hindsight the reason we didn't win the title that year was not putting small teams to the sword at home, and to a lesser extent Macheda coming out of nowhere and rescuing two wins for United late on. Plus I don't know a single red who wasn't made up with him at the time for that press conference. Everyone was buzzing

Any torrents please guys?

History is written by the victors isn't it. That press conference has been rewritten as though it was some Keegan-esque meltdown but I think our form in the second half of the season after the "rant" was better than it was before. With the benefit of hindsight the reason we didn't win the title that year was not putting small teams to the sword at home, and to a lesser extent Macheda coming out of nowhere and rescuing two wins for United late on. Plus I don't know a single red who wasn't made up with him at the time for that press conference. Everyone was buzzing

Bang on, he was only saying what we had been saying for F***ing yonks and instead of kissing Ferguson's arse like the rest of the Fergie Wine Club set of managers, said what he felt.

And agree the early door draws against the likes of Hull didn't help.

And agree the early door draws against the likes of Hull didn't help.

Remember us getting booed off after a home draw against West Ham to take us top of the table 😂

Remember us getting booed off after a home draw against West Ham to take us top of the table 😂

Yep.

Currently watching that sky documentary "End of the Storm" even in F***ing Wuhan, there's Liverpool fans!!

One speaks about how during the initial outbreak, the only thing getting him through was being able to watch us for 90 minutes.

Yep.

Currently watching that sky documentary "End of the Storm" even in f**king Wuhan, there's Liverpool fans!!

One speaks about how during the initial outbreak, the only thing getting him through was being able to watch us for 90 minutes.

Funnily enough just got it on now mate while I'm "working" from home. Only about 15 minutes in but it's great so far. Enjoyed the bit at the start where they played Groovy Train by the Farm. Love that tune & the very first time I heard it was on the 'No Heart as Big' documentary about the 01/02 season which I used to watch religiously on video as a kid, so watching this feels like a bit of a long awaited sequel in that sense ha.

Desperation to get back in the ground has already gone up tenfold after watching the first few minutes too

Funnily enough just got it on now mate while I'm "working" from home. Only about 15 minutes in but it's great so far. Enjoyed the bit at the start where they played Groovy Train by the Farm. Love that tune & the very first time I heard it was on the 'No Heart as Big' documentary about the 01/02 season which I used to watch religiously on video as a kid, so watching this feels like a bit of a long awaited sequel in that sense ha.

Desperation to get back in the ground has already gone up tenfold after watching the first few minutes too

Wait unti Lana Del Ray starts with YNWA at the end, must admit got a teeny bit emotional.

Wait unti Lana Del Ray starts with YNWA at the end, must admit got a teeny bit emotional.

What's this on Sky ?

What's this on Sky ?

Yep was on Sky Documentary channel sunday at 9. I watched through the On Demand option straight after the match. Will be repeated and will probably appear on the sports channels at some point.

What's this on Sky ?

If you haven't got Sky you can download the Cinema apk app for your Android phone or Firestick if you've got one, pretty straightforward. Just checked on mine out of interest and it's been uploaded on there

Amazing documentary on Sky there, a much more in depth focus on winning the league than the cheap and cheerful BBC effort. It also focused on how our global fanbase support the club, and becoming World Champions which the BBC completely ignored. We won't be it for much longer but hopefully we can win it again soon.