The Neutral's Choice

On 26th May 1999 in a small flat above a shoe shop in the Shires a Crystal Palace fan, a Spurs fan and an Aston Villa fan huddled onto a tatty old sofa to watch a football game containing neither of their teams and we had all left our respective jobs early to race home for the match. For this generation robbed by the Heysel Tragedy this was our first experience of an English team in the final of Europe's top competition. None of us had any affinity with Manchester United and yet as the match progressed our support grew more passionate. I arrived late with Bayern Munich already a goal up and with Keane and Scholes suspended for the game the task looked impossible. We shouldn't have cared but we kept screaming them on. By the time Sheringham scored we were so riled that one of our party left the flat screaming, running around the car park returning just in time to see Solskjaer score the winner, to which he promptly turned around and ran back outside. We clapped and cheered their victory knowing that tomorrow we would not share in any of the victory or have any affection for the players and neither did we want to.

For many this moment would come again in Istanbul in 2005 when Liverpool came from three down to defeat AC Milan and claim an unlikely fifth European crown. I on the other hand was stuck in a technical rehearsal for the opening of my play and missed it in its entirety. We sulked through the rehearsal aware that we were missing this massive occasion. I turned on the television when I returned to see Liverpool celebrating in the semi-circle and couldn't believe the spectacle I had missed. 

The 2006 Arsenal- Barcelona final left me a little disinterested, as did the English domination of the final of 2009 and Chelsea's penalty victory of 2012. Why has this desire to see English teams win in Europe deserted me? Am I unable to wish other London clubs good fortune? Or has football developed in such a way during the last ten years that emotion can only be felt toward your own club?

I cannot understand supporters whose hate outweighs their love; Chelsea fans singing 'We hate Tottenham' and its anti-Semitic relatives throughout games not featuring Spurs are an example of this. I have heard Spurs fans claiming that they would rather lose a game if it was detrimental to Arsenal. I am sure this is consistent throughout the country between varying rivalries. When Arsenal scored their decisive penalty against Hull in the FA Cup semi-final my three year old son stormed out of the room in a huff. I later learned that an Arsenal fan in the park had teased him by singing 'We hate Tottenham' hours before. Although very disappointing it is perhaps the stroppy emotional reaction expected of a three year old. Why can't adults who behave in such a fashion realise how ridiculous their behaviour seems to others. When did hate become a barometer of how much you support your team? I've listened to many fan podcasts where in order to display their loyalty they proudly talk how they couldn't wear clothes the colour of their rivals or even have friends who support their teams. Seriously are you proud of that? Are you aware you are only punishing yourself? No one else cares that you are doing it. I've heard of fans who state that if their team isn't playing they aren't interested in watching football, that they find football boring without their team involved. Whilst strange I appreciate they have that prerogative. But if you truly love your team sing songs about them not your rivals, clap your players not boo them, if you love them show it.

I am unsure whether this plastic devotion is something new or just that my awareness of it has increased in the last decade but it appears evident that the word neutral has become dirty as a by-product. We are all neutrals, like it or not, that is the position we are in. You support your team and are neutral in every other respect. When two teams play I am sure somewhere in your brain a decision is being calculated as to who you would rather win. It doesn't affect your devotion for your team, it’s a natural process of the brain. I love Maltesers but if a shop only has a Twix and a Drifter I will make a decision on which I prefer (controversially Drifter) but it doesn't affect my love for Maltesers.

I presume my personal waning of support through the aforementioned campaigns is due to the nature of the teams playing and perhaps a saturation of a previously rare occasion. Fulham and Middlesbrough are teams I have no affiliation with but greatly enjoyed their runs in Europe and I am aware that many neutrals enjoyed Spurs run in the Champions League. These triumphs are unexpected yet deserved so as neutrals we warm to the narrative. That is what football is, when we break it down to its bare bones. It’s an unpredictable spoiler-free story and the story of the underdog is far more attractive than that of the oil tycoon who conquers all in his way. Who wants to watch the latter as a piece of narrative? Where is the drama? The most exciting football is never the obvious, its always the surprise or the well-deserved. It is entertainment at its most primal form.

This year we are faced with a question. For the first time in many years we are contemplating the last three games of the season with three possible champions. Unless you are a Liverpool, Chelsea or Manchester City supporter there is a choice- who would you prefer to win the Premier League? Glen Johnson recently stated that the neutrals would want to see Liverpool win it. Was he right?

Let us break down the narrative, for this is I believe what helps us make our decision. This decision is of course flavoured with personal preference, local rivalries, favourite players, associations with the place but in basic terms the narratives are as follows:

Manchester City have bought success but it could be argued that unlike other clubs in similar positions they have grafted to deserve some of that fortune. The supporters stayed loyal and in great numbers as the club nosedived into the third tier and it was hard to begrudge them that first FA Cup and Championship, but that narrative has changed since it was obtained. They appear to have worked to a plan and have not yet fallen foul of the glory supporters that blight successful teams. The team have many great players but are often suffocated by inconsistency. The British players are peripheral and too many prospective talents have been lost to this machine; Sturridge, Richards, Johnson, Sinclair, Rodwell, only Milner and Hart play with any frequency and there is no trust at all in the once solid Lescott.

Chelsea are still struggling to shake off the stench of Roman's money. They, perhaps fairly, have shouldered the blame for the inflation of the game into this juggernaut that no longer needs its fan's bottoms on its seats. They have often been without a plan; managers and players discarded at the slightest impulsive whimper only for them to achieve success elsewhere. They have a strong but aging English spine with Lampard, Terry and the lately unwanted Cole but the latter two are indicative of the image the club projects to the world. They are abrasive and arrogant, a perfect match for their current manager. That aside they are starting to build a very impressive team, the purchase of Matic, although systematic of their failings, was an exceptional piece of business from Mourinho. It was their problem position and now resolved this young team will only improve next year, if they are given that time.

Liverpool have suffered a long agonising fall from grace. For a team who dominated England and Europe through the 70s and 80s to wait twenty four years for a championship is unthinkable. Under Benitez they challenged and the European Cup was a beautiful distraction but ultimately they watched in vain as their fierce rivals Manchester United overtook their record league titles. Now they have returned as contenders. From seventh last year their British coach has developed and improved many of his squad, each one a marked improvement on last season, even the already outstanding Suarez. The team is made up of British players; Johnson, Flanagan, Henderson, Allen, Gerrard, Sterling and Sturridge and plays with such fluid movement and excitement that it is easy to overlook the often comedic defending. There is also the timing of the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Tragedy which increases the emotional impact of this title push enormously. Finally there is the loyalty of Stevie Gerrard. Granted there were a few days in his seventeen year professional career in which he pondered the idea of trying to further his career but his loyalty has never been in question. He has for many years been too good for that team and finally as his career is on its final leg he finally has a team around him capable of rewarding his loyalty.

I am sure Everton and Manchester United supporters will disagree but for the remaining neutrals amongst us the narrative of Liverpool is a feel-good Jerry Maguire type film, where we stumble toward the sickly sweet ending but wouldn't want it any other way.

Next year though is a different matter.