The End of an Era

In his last league match, he was substituted one minute before a penalty was given for his beloved club. Wish that he was still in the pithc to take the penalty.

During RE's era in the 90ish, RF was (and is still) one of my favourite players in this club, along JR and SM. My first affair with this club was on 80ish when the only (national) TV station in my country, at that time, broadcasted two cup final events: one against Crystal Palace and the other against Wimbledon. Unfortunately, we lost in both matches. And considering my age at that time, it is amazing that I still have a faint memory of a disallowed goal by PB, though I can't remember against whom. Since then, I didn't follow the club due to lack of live broadcasts.

Things started to change in the 90ish where private TV stations were allowed to operate. And one benefit of living in my home country is that live football matches are broadcasted by normal TV stations; no need for TV cable even nowadays! Thus, I started to follow my club again.

Unfortunately, it was a dark period for us. Really, when I started, it was one or two years after our League Cup victory, then Coca-Cola cup, in <= 1993. The only consolation is that we had the trio of RF-JR-SM and also played attacking football. However, we were very inconsinstent and was terribly weak in defending high balls. I remember in league season 96/97 where this weakness was exposed in two successive matches. The first was an away match, mid-week, against PSG in the UEFA cup. Three days later, we faced MU in Anfield in a league-title-deciding match, only to be beaten 1-3 after conceeding 2 goals from GP (corner) and 1 from AC following a deep cross. Only in 2001 that for the first time I witnessed my club to lift tropies, a treble season I must add. It was even sweeter as RF scored in the League Cup final, UEFA cup final, and the last match against Charlton which sealed our entry to CL qualification 01/02.

Much have happen by then. For RF, he was sold to LU. He was injury plagued but his goal record while there still shows why he's called a natural striker. He then moved to MC and looked a pale shadow of his former self, until the mid of last season (05/06) when he made a comeback to his boyhood club. And he arised. His goals helped the club sealed the 3rd position the league.

This season, he made less appearances. But after we confirmed our place in next season CL qualification (07/08), in the last three league games, he had become a starter. Today, in the last league game, he played for nearly 90 minutes. If only he stayed in the pitch for one more minute. Maybe it's a fate that he's not supposed to score in the league's last match, but in the truly last match (CL final 06/07) in Athens, the home of gods. After all, his nickname is 'God'.

Ya, one can always dream. As RB said, "People must dream. That's what's good about football."

PS. the match ended in 2-2, with LFC coming from behind twice. Considering that RB's LFC have made two spectacular comebacks in their cup finals, is this a preparation for the CL final?