The oval ball once again takes a backseat for the English Premier League in this column this week.
And with good reason – this will be an emotional final weekend of the 2023-24 season.
Yes, obviously there is lots to play for on the field, but sometimes it’s the moments off it that truly captures hearts. Like Jurgen Klopp.
As an Arsenal fan (and sorry for this Mikel Arteta), I can honestly say that the Liverpool coach is my favourite manager in the league. Hell, he is my favourite football manager in the world.
And no, it’s not because of his tactics or what he’s achieved, even though those were the things that got me to like him at first. It’s because of the person he seems to be – I say this having never met the guy and only seeing him on TV.
But the way he always smiles, his passionate fan salutes and how he embraced South Africa’s own Siya Kolisi as a friend are just some of the pictures I will remember when his Liverpool tenure comes to an end against Wolves on Sunday.
I have so much respect for Klopp that I was even willing to wait one more year for my beloved Gunners to win the Premier League if he could take it in his farewell season.
But the moment the Reds fell out of contention, it got easier to not feel happy at Klopp’s expense.
The Premier League has conjured up some great managers in the past – Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola and yes, the Special One Jose Mourinho are probably the four that stand out head and shoulders above the rest. Klopp is undoubtedly in that WhatsApp group and Liverpool – to my mind – simply won’t be the same without him.
Now from the good to the bad. They say there’s always a first for everything and on Tuesday night I had the “privilege” to experience one of those firsts. Never in all my decades as a sports fan have I ever seen anything quite like fans paying money to egg on their team to lose.
But that’s what we saw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where Spurs lost 2-0 to Manchester City to take Arsenal’s grip off the top of the Premier League table. The hatred must run really deep if, as a fan, you’d rather miss out on playing Champions League football the next season than watch your rival win the league.
As Spurs fans sang “Are you watching Arsenal?”, I could just imagine the anger the red brigade in north London must have felt. The hatred between the two clubs is perhaps not felt as deeply here in SA because we don’t have an appreciation of the 6.4km that divide the two teams’ stadiums and also maybe because, from a footballing perspective, Spurs haven’t really been a “winning club” in the Premier League era. So there’s that.
Congrats to Aston Villa by the way. Because of Spurs’ loss they cemented fourth place.
Anyhoo, as a Gooner it’s not over. Ever since the days of Paulo di Canio, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard I’ve always liked West Ham.
When they’ve dropped to the Championship on occasion, I’ve always kept a close eye on them as Marlon Harewood, among others, carved up defences to return to the top flight. I always liked their style and that’s why I reckon Declan Rice has some extra work to do this week.
The former West Ham captain must call up his pals and really stir them up for Sunday’s finale against City.
You see, from where I sat on my couch, City looked like a team celebrating four titles in a row on Tuesday. Add to this injuries to Kevin de Bruyne and Ederson and West Ham will smell blood in what will be coach David Moyes’ final game at the club.
Yes, I hear some of you saying it is wishful thinking, but there’s a big part of me that thinks that it’s a real kans to stun City.
That means, if Arsenal beat Everton they will be crowned champions for the first time in 20 years.
Lots to play for… can’t wait for Sunday.