Tuesday 15 April 2014


96 fans I can never meet
96 fans I can never greet

25 years ago today
you never returned home

this flame will never go out
we will never forget you
you will always be remembered
the truth will always prevail
and justice will be served

rest in eternal peace, Brothers and Sisters...

Monday 14 April 2014

Wake Me Up When You Lift The Cup

I burst into tears when I saw Steven Gerrard at the end of the match. I lost count of how many times this man made me cried. Seriously, Gerrard, how can I not love you?

24 years.
24 effin years just waiting for a chance to be back on where we were, where we should be, top of the league, closer to the Premier League title. I didn't know that I could be this patient. Didn't realise that it was Liverpool factor until last night. I couldn't help myself, I couldn't hold the tears, I cried. Tears of joy. Tangis itu pecah mana kala menyaksikan Legenda Liverpool menitikkan air mata sesaat setelah wasit meniup peluit tanda pertandingan berakhir. Yes... It's been too long, for me, for us fans, for Liverpool, for the man himself... Steven Gerrard. No one deserves the Premier League title more than him. 

I've been supporting this magnificent football club since 1998 and my love has grown stronger than ever. No one understands this emotional bond I have with Liverpool (well, only if you're a fan too like me), termasuk reaksi haru biru yg begitu natural semalam. Being a Liverpool fan is not easy. It's a full-time job. Once a Red, you'll be forever a Red. Well, at least, that's what goes in me. As a 90s generation, I've been riding the Liverpool roller coaster and I was not a good rider at some moments. That moment when my First Liverpool Love, Michael Owen, left the club... I was so sad. As if my sadness wasn't enough, he returned home as a Manutd player. I was brokenhearted. Rasanya seperti dikhianati orang yg paling kita cintai. Hancur.

Gerrard was always be the one who could cheer me up. He was always be there for us fans. How do I spell 'loyalty'? It's G-E-R-R-A-R-D. His loyalty to Liverpool was beyond superb. Ini bukan perkara bias karena saya seorang fan Liverpool. Well, di mata pemain lain pun Gerrard adalah sosok yg disegani. Beberapa mengamini bahwa Gerrard lebih berhak mendapatkan Premier League Title lebih dari siapapun di liga ini. Alam semesta seolah berkonspirasi. Semalam, di Anfield, tangan Tuhan bekerja dengan indahnya. Witnessed by the Famous Kopites and 96 Angels in heaven, Liverpool won 3-2 after a dramatic match vs Manchester City. Aura magis Anfield terasa hingga ke Rolling Stone Cafe Jakarta Selatan, tempat dimana saya dan ratusan pecinta Liverpool menyaksikan momen istimewa tersebut. Moment of Silence untuk 96 saudara merah yg tak sempat menjadi saksi bagaimana Gerrard begitu emosional. Kemenangan yg tak bisa dibilang mudah itu seolah menjadi tangga harapan Liverpool menuju surga dunia, Juara Liga Premier Inggris.

Saya seolah deja vu dengan apa yg Gerrard lakukan semalam. This man is born leader. For so many times I was amazed by his charisma. The way he put his feet back on the ground after the winning, tried to be in control and calmed the lads down. Perjalanan belum berakhir. Masih ada 4 pertandingan menanti. Konsistensi. Tahan diri. Hindari tinggi hati. Then I realised that I've been watching this decent attitude since I was kid. He never changed. He's the same old Steven Gerrard.

Saat Tuhan mengirimkan manusia bernama Brendan Rodgers ke Liverpool, saya tak langsung menerima agendaNya. Siapa sih Brendan Rodgers? Sehebat apa dia sampai menggantikan King Kenny saya? I was in total doubt. Still in my own denial cause I didn't want anyone to replace King Kenny. When he was sacked, I cried. Rani Tearjerky. He was good in Swansea, so? Liverpool ain't Swansea. 

Mulut ini kerap mengeluh bahkan mengumpat dengan semua hal yg Ia lakukan. Mulai dari belanja pemain hingga taktik di lapangan. Saya bukan pandit seperti beberapa rekan di BIGREDS, tapi saya tidak sebodoh itu tentang sepakbola. I cared so much about this club. Ya of course I knew my voice wasn't loud enough to be heard. I only remembered that I once said a comment when Liverpool released Rodgers' first ever photo in Anfield. I said that the way he held the scarf... I saw Our Great Shank's gesture in a glance. But that was it. I didn't remember other good thing I said about him. I was so mean, I know.

When we finished at the 7th place in the league, I wasn't satisfied. It was just a place higher than King Kenny's. Again, I was still that mean. Saya bukan orang yg gampang terkesima dan yakin dengan orang baru. Sama seperti slogan kampanye sosial Liverpool, "seeing is believing" that's how people should impress me. Saat tur pramusim lalu, saya tidak berkesempatan untuk bertemu langsung dengan Rodgers. Saya hanya mendengar cerita dari teman-teman yg bertemu dengannya, melihat foto-foto bersama mereka, ya hanya sekedar cerita. 

Musim 2013-2014 dimulai dan perlahan kejutekan saya terhadap Rodgers mulai luntur berganti dengan simpati. I began to respect this man because he has a vision. He's a visionary manager. He'd lead the team in Liverpool philosophy. I started to think that he's got the spirit of Shankly. Setiap saya melihat foto-foto latihan sehari-hari tim di Melwood, bagaimana pemain berinteraksi dengannya, dan rona wajah yg tak dibuat-buat... hingga detik sekarang, saya akui saya salah. Agenda Tuhan memang selalu tepat. Ia yg paling tahu dan saya berterimakasih atas manusia utusan bernama Brendan Rodgers itu. I do respect you, Manager. Kereta ekspres dari Merseyside yg berwujud anjing Chihuahua itu kini melaju dengan kencang. Jangan injak remnya. Kita hampir sampai tujuan.

Now that we're a little closer to the end, I wish nothing but what we truly deserve... Premier League Title. Saya yakin Rodgers, seluruh tim, dan 96 malaikat di atas sana ingin Liverpool memenangkan gelar itu untuk Gerrard. Saya ingin melihat simbol kesetiaan itu menangis lagi di akhir musim. Dan ketika Ia menangis, Ia sedang memeluk dan mencium cawan perak raksasa (sambil menunjuk langit agar saudaranya bisa melihat hadiah dari Gerrard untuknya) yg sudah kita rindukan kepulangannya ke Anfield. I want you to be the happy, Captain. All of us want you to be the happiest person on earth at the end of this season. Yeah, maybe it's true that you're happy with your life... that you're living the dream, to be the Liverpool Captain since you're a big fan (England as well), that you have a beautiful wife and 3 sweet daughters... but in our deepest heart, in our prayers, we want Liverpool to complete your set of happiness. We dare to dream, the wildest dream... WE'RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE. We're gonna win the league for the 96. WE'RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE.

I will be there to witness our glory once again, I will definitely cry Niagara tears, I will. Until then, let me dream a little bit more. Wake me up when you lift the cup. 

You'll Never Walk Alone.
JFT96