Liverpool 'have heeded wisdom of one of their greatest icons'

Yahoo

06-08-2025

Will Liverpool be even better this season than last?
They have an army of modern technical advisers but they have heeded the wisdom of one of their greatest historic icons.
Former manager Bill Shankly is remembered for his iconic one-liners, none more than: "Football isn't a matter of life and death - it's more important than that."
For those who now think that trite or even tasteless, it was meant as a joke, an exaggeration, a bit of fun with words - nothing more.
I was always more impressed with his idea that "you must always strengthen when you are at the top, before your power starts to fade". Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu would have been proud of that ideology.
It is easier said than done, however. Bringing an expensive bunch of new players into the group after winning a major trophy can put some of the current squad's noses out of joint. Some might think: "Are they replacing me already, after all I have done for them?"
Liverpool cannot afford to damage the brilliant team spirit they have, so the personalities of the new recruits are as vital as how you sell their arrival to the rest of the players.
They cannot be allowed to upset the on-field balance either. Some players just work perfectly together - there is a synergy that cannot be measured by stats. They understand each other and help each other, sometimes even without knowing they are doing it.
There is also the thought that one day Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk will slow down with age or get injured more frequently. While everybody still backs the Reds as favourites, could these problems beset Arne Slot's team this season?
Almost certainly not. They have recruited brilliantly and are still the team to beat, even if some of us are flailing around trying to find a weakness - which probably is not there.
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