- Liverpool supporters (me included) have all become professional mourners with the announcement, Jürgen Klopp is due to step down from his 9 year tenure at the helm of the Red side of Scousville.
- Effectively it means that Anfield will play host to a three and a half month period of mourning, but also perhaps celebration, depending on how Liverpool’s season progresses’.
- My team is still currently in all four competitions, leading the league, in one final, and looking good in the other two competitions.
- Klopp’s final game in charge, in England will be at Anfield in May, against Wolves.
- Ordinarily this would just be another game on a congested fixture list, with the only interest being what zero, 1 or 3 points, means to the final standing of one’s team on the league table.
- But after 9 wonderful years in charge, resulting in 7 titles of varying importance, a plethora of other final appearances and a few very close runs in the league, Klopp’s departure has left a hole in the soul of most Liverpool supporters.
- And the possibility of another league title (thus equaling archrivals MAN U number of league titles) plus the prospect of an unprecedented quadruple, has created a very interesting economic dynamic.
- The Red side of Liverpool is decidedly left leaning when it comes to politics. They hate the Tories’ thanks to Margret Thatcher. They vote Labour, and they often see themselves as completely isolated from the rest of Britain.
- Capitalism is the Devils good work.
- Their hatred of the system is so entrenched that when they have appeared in UK finals at Wembley Stadium, they can be heard to be issuing loud boooooooo’s when “God Save the King” is sung by the lesser successful clubs supporters.
- So, to say that they are on the socialist side of UK politics is not an understatement.
- Except, apparently when it comes to ticket prices at Anfield.
- Which when you think about it, is an interesting study in human dynamics, political beliefs, and economic theory.
- In short - It looks like it’s easy to be a socialist when you are not the one having to pay for everyone else accounts.
- One may happen to be a staunch socialist, but also own season tickets at Anfield, which suddenly makes free market economics very attractive.
- Rule number one of economics is that money will flow where the opportunity presents itself or said another way - “There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it.”
- Supply and demand determine price. And no Marxist theory will change that fact.
- I have seen recent examples on social media where advocates for social housing in New York shout very loudly about the need for “the system” to pay for housing for migrants, but then shout even louder when their own tenants fail to pay rent timeously.
- But before I get cancelled for my political beliefs lets return to the Klopp story.
- The man deserves every honour that can be bestowed upon him. And if one can afford tickets to his farewell game, enjoy the party.
- For us lesser mortals who can’t afford the price of bidding him farewell, we will be shedding a tear, but not for the 500 000 rand hole in our bank statement.
- The only emotions running higher than Liverpool supporters is the utter glee shown by our rivals 50 miles up the road.
- YNWA
