As Liverpool and Preston North End united to pay tribute to the late Diogo Jota, both did themselves and their fans proud with their tone…
I’VE never really been interested in preseason friendlies.
We seldom learn anything from them, save for who’s kept in shape and who’s clearly had a good holiday, but tactical changes and hints towards what’s to come? Well, they’re less forthcoming.
The best ones usually involve someone else’s clubs. I was at Norwich City versus St Pauli last season and absolutely loved it. The Canaries were awful, and the newly promoted Bundesliga club had a field day.
The home fans booed the team off at half time with the score 0-3. Johannes Hoff Thorup had been in-situ for a whole 45 minutes and he was jeered back to the dressing room. Lovely stuff.
I didn’t go to Preston on Sunday and wouldn’t have even if the last two weeks hadn’t happened. They’re not important games and I like the summer off.
But Sunday wasn’t just about a game of football.
A word for Preston North End. Absolutely first class in every way. It’s so easy to get these things wrong, to over or underplay them, and their dignity and respect for the situation were exemplary.
It’s easy to be cynical about other clubs these days so that was heartwarming to see. From the singer (girlfriend in tears) to their captain laying out the wreath (me in tears), they were everything we wanted and needed them to be. I wish them every success.
And it’s hard to know where to set the tone. Everyone is in different places.
I all but shut down when the news of Diogo and Andre came through. My phone went into overdrive, but I was too numb to read it. Later I discovered I’d been invited onto four non-TAW podcasts, but I couldn’t have replied even if I’d wanted to.
Football and the tragedy of two men and their families seemed too far apart and though I can talk about Liverpool, I’m no expert on life. It’s particularly difficult when we were all trying to make sense of it all. There was no sense in any of it.
So my past week has featured an internal of ‘when does football come back into my life’. The answer was ‘not yet’ so I let Preston slide and felt that, if anything, I would watch the actual football dispassionately. The subtext was still too huge to even contemplate.
This pre-season friendly was important after all. It might be the most significant game of the season. It’s the game which brought players, club and fans together. Nothing is more important than that. It’s the first step and all sides needed it. I didn’t think I did but…
I had the sound off when the players came out at the end. The silence made it more atmospheric. Seeing our lads, Diogo and Andre’s mates, locking eyes with our support was beautiful. They came out to see if we’re alright. They came out to remember our mate and to do it together. That was beautiful. More tears.
I criticise this club all the time. I fall in and out of love with them constantly, but the way they’ve handled the past fortnight has been exemplary.
What’s more, they’ve brought us in and made us a part of it when it would be so easy to deal with everything behind closed doors. We all felt part of it yesterday – those in the ground and those watching at home.
That’s my club. That’s who I support. That’s why I support them. That underscores a need for trophies and success.
We’re all in different places still, but Sunday was the first step to dealing with the tragedy while acknowledging the need to slowly return to the game Diogo and Andre loved.
Go at your own pace. There are no rights and wrongs here.
We’ll do this together like we always do.
