We are all mad about football because of the ecstasy and euphoria that goes with it. The inevitable comedowns are toppled by the highs. And those highs are the best kind.
We remember them and cherish them. Just like most substances, they only give us an appetite for more. You could call it an addiction to the jubilation and the affliction.
However, among the like-minded majority arise the space cadets, especially with the help of social media.
In the hours following the 0-0 draw with Man City, a video emerged of a fan on The Kop filming himself watching on as Riyad Mahrez blazed his penalty over the bar.
The responses have been filled with anger, embarrassment and humour (many tweets about this incident have certainly made me have a good chuckle). The winner of the bombardment of insults was ‘Turbo Virgin’.
In all seriousness, it is everything that is wrong with modern football. He has his earphones in, presumably listening to music while at the football; he is filming himself watching the penalty saying, “I can’t watch”, despite filming himself watching the match for £50. He contradicts himself whilst contradicting what it is all about to go the footy.
The famous Anfield atmosphere that has crushed the biggest teams across Europe from generation to generation is not upheld by this type of fan. The term ‘fan’ derives from ‘fanatic’. The only thing he appears fanatical about is eyeing up the £50, courtesy of 90min.com, he gets for videoing himself at different parts of the game giving a running commentary on what is happening on the pitch.
The kind of emotion he is showing on camera is generated because he has stuck a camera in his own face. It isn’t a raw, authentic passion that The Kop is renowned for. Simply put, it is a disgrace he is standing on The Kop and showing such a lack of respect towards ‘The Liverpool Way’.
It is nothing short of an injustice that people like that, not to mention that he hails from another part of the country (which makes it worse that he is not respecting the culture of this club) get tickets when there are local kids who can’t get tickets to see the THEIR team play. The team that was established to represent them.
You make noise and get behind the team for the good of the team, in the name of Liverpool. Us against them. For the tribalism that makes football as intense as it is. You don’t project emotions in front of a camera in order to line your pockets with a bit of cash while standing on The Kop.
I understand that there are journalists who make a living from reporting live from inside the stadium, but they are not situated amongst the fans, and they are producing respectable pieces of sports journalism, not cringe-worthy vlogs.
Well-seasoned regulars have condemned the lad on Twitter and rightly so.
Sadly, this is the way things are going in the digital age.
Only the power of the people can cut it out by condemning it when we see it.
