FAN ARTICLES

A question of character?

I?ve recently been revelling in a nostalgia trip via the 25th anniversary DVD of our greatest year ? 1984-85. I hadn?t watched any of the footage from that season since it occurred and the DVD was absolutely magnificent ? complete with well put together footage and excellent interviews with the players. The round table discussions with Reid, Ratcliffe, Gray, and Sharp were especially enjoyable and illuminating.

Watching the footage really brought it back to me just what an incredible team that was. What really came across, as well as the ability of the players, was how strong certain characters were. In Ratcliffe, Reid, and Gray the team had three born leaders, vocal personalities who demanded excellence from others as well as themselves. They were also physically up for a battle. Add the skills and ability of the likes of Steven, Stevens and Sheedy and its easy to see why the team hardly lost a game over a period of three or four seasons.

In the present day team, who are the characters who are going to go out at Anfield tomorrow and take responsibility and battle with every ounce of their being as Ratcliffe, Gray and Reid undoubtedly did?

When I think about genuine character in our team now, only Phil Neville springs to mind. I?m not saying for a minute he was as good a player as Gray, Reid or Ratcliffe ? but he is comparable in terms of personality and vocal presence. Cahill sweats blood for the cause and leads by example but doesn?t have the same vocal presence. Fellaini is a player who takes responsibility and gives his all ? but he?s still a young man and hasn?t matured yet. Ditto Coleman.

Where are the other senior players to help Neville? ? Arteta, Distin and Saha are our most senior players but when do you see them encouraging and assisting the younger players around them and overcoming adversity by sheer bloody mindedness?

A lack of leadership may well be one reason why a team of genuine talent has so underachieved this year. When things are going wrong on the pitch, there?s not enough players taking responsibility and changing things. An interview in the 25th anniversary DVD with Terry Darracott (a coach in 84-85) was telling ? he said how once the game starts there?s little the coaches can do ? but he always knew that the players in 84-85 would react themselves if things weren?t working and do something about it. I?m hoping this team had it in it to do the same over the rest of the season ? starting tomorrow. It's about time new characters emerged in our team ? and what better place for this to happen than Anfield?

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