Bill Shankly, a god in Liverpool

Before a legendary coach, Bill Shankly (Glenbuck, Scotland, 1913-1981) was a player of the bunch that defined itself as a specialist in the art of tackling (yes, he considered an art entries at ground): Hard but clean, no cheating. Twelve games he played for Scotland since winning an FA Cup with Preston North End, but his great contribution to the offered football coaching.

He began his career on the bench at Carlisle United and Grimsby Town went through the Workintong and Huddersfield Town before joining, in 1959, at Liverpool FC, a team that at that time there lived a depressing time after five years in the second Division. Shankly arrived and, in no time, it revolutionized everything. First the team after the club and eventually English football.

Shankly had a character that much closer to the fans, something already demonstrated in his previous clubs. But it was at Anfield where the Scot won a total communion with the crowd. The first thing I did was something I have not seen much in the world of football: surrounded by a technical staff with whom to share the doubts and decisions. Their names: Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett and Bob Paisley (the latter, his successor, will discuss in a future post).

His first major football legacy was the creation of the concept of Boot Room, turning the old warehouse where they cleaned and tidied up his boots in a meeting room for tactical discussions with his staff. Led by its prestige, the Boot Room concept spread around the world in a very short time and it is no wonder that today, in English-speaking countries, and to appoint what we call costume.

A Shankly did not need more than a couple of games to realize that the staff of the Reds needed a revolution. In less than a year left the club over twenty players. In his third season as Liverpool manager Second Division managed to finish in first place and reached the First Division. But one team, one coach, so well surrounded by colleagues and with the crowd beginning to worship, was done to achieve greater success. And not long in coming.

In his second season in the top flight, Shanks Liverpool won the League from 1963 to 1964, sixteen years after his last wound. Two years later he repeated title and still had time to win another league in the 72-73 year that also managed to give The Reds their first continental title, the UEFA Cup. Addition, also won two FA Cup (65 and 74) and four Charity Shield (64, 65, 66 and 74).

With 60 years, right after winning the FA Cup in 74, he felt he was "tired after so many years of work" and decided to leave the dock network, "full of pride in a job well done with a single remorse" not giving Liverpool European Cup (here comes, as we shall see, the figure of his successor, Bob Paisley). The news fell like a bomb in the city of the Beatles: Shankly was a god on earth for people of Anfield Road.

Beyond the playing style and titles won, Shankly's most legendary coach in the history of Liverpool because he did something much more important than winning championships: the Reds returned pride. I say more, made them feel more proud of their colors that they had ever been. Shankly was not only able to transmit to his team strong personality, but she caught it with all the fans, to the point that we would not say no lie if calificásemos each and every one of the Reds fans as the children of Shankly. Even those who were not even alive for that: today still dedicate songs to old Bill from The Kop.

The three great symbols of Liverpool are their colors, You'll never walk alone and the mythical sign that reads This is Anfield. The idea of ​​hanging that message in the stairs to the lawn was theirs. A message concise, direct, and perfect with a dual purpose: to invoke the spirit of seasoned players, who had to fight for his jersey until the last drop of sweat and, at the same time reminding intimidate the opponent where he was about to get. Those who say they have suffered little more impressive to go through those steps (which require you to finally get the first down to the lawn from a lower position) while listening to the roar of the stands for the contestants.

More than thirty years after his death, those who knew him in life we can understand its philosophy and its influence on the special character of the Reds, going over some of its mythical phrases, beginning with the most cited of all:

Some believe that football is just a matter of life or death, but it is much more important than that "

"If you are first you are first. If you are second you are nothing "

"A football team is like a piano. Eight people need to be moved, and three who can play the instrument condemned "

"If you're in the area and you're not sure what to do with the ball, put it in the goal and then discuss the options"

"We also had bad times: a year just seconds"

"- Where are you? -I am a Liverpool fan from London. 'Well, then, how it feels to be in heaven? ".

"If you can not support us when we lose or we tied not support us when we win"

Shankly had an extraordinary labia, but if there was something he was good above all things was to let the rival city of Liverpool, Everton, off the bitumen. His bad baba no bounds:

"When I have nothing to do look below the rating to see how the Everton"

"This city has two great teams: Liverpool and Liverpool reserve team"

"If Everton play in the garden of my house, run the curtains"

"I know this is a sad moment, but I think that Dixie would be amazed to know that it can attract more people now than Everton on a Saturday afternoon." (In Dixie Dean's funeral)

"Do not worry, Alan, at least you'll be close to a great team." (A Alan Ball, when he signed for Everton)

And of course, when one is a god on Earth, the popular imagination is soon assign and deeds than ever starred. The most widespread urban legend about Bill Shankly is one who has that when one of their players received a tremendous network entrance next to the bench and to the cries of the wounded ("My knee, my knee ...!, Cried"), snapped Shankly "Get up now, that's not your knee, it's Liverpool's knee".

This story is completely false. Shankly he professed a total love for his club, starting and ending their players by the fans, for which he always had time. He used to say that he had no problem answering any question of an amateur, provided the pose politely. Especially if you wore a red scarf around his neck. If there was something that excited Shankly was seeing thousands of people filling Anfield and their scarves flapping in the wind.