Prelude
29th May 2011
BREAKING NEWS
29th May 2011
BREAKING NEWS
.........Thanks Simon, I’m here live outside Wembley, where a short time ago in a thrilling F.A Cup Arsenal beat Liverpool 4-3 in extra time. We have since received a press release from Liverpool stating that 26 year old manager Steven Curtis has had his contract terminated by the club.
The pressure has been mounting since March when Curtis’ Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League to Sporting Lisbon. Despite only losing twice since Christmas theloses to Arsenal and Manchester City in the weeks following the Champion League exit, all but crushed Liverpool’s titles bid, The Reds finally finished 3rd behind Man City (who retained the title) and Chelsea. It was only Liverpool’s F.A Cup run that has kept Curtis his job. Beating Tottenham, Stoke, West Ham, Leeds and Newcastle on route to Curtis’ first F.A cup final.
It is rumoured that former boss Rafa Benitez is amongst the front runners to take over the hot seat. As for Curtis, the only top flight jobs available in England being the one at recently relegated Fulham. But Curtis may hold out for a bigger job, with pressure mounting of Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson following a disappointing season at Old Trafford which saw The Red devils finish 7th. Curtis may also consider not taking a club job, due to his responsibilities toward the England Under-20s, who’s world cup is coming up in September. The book makers have also made Curtis the favourite to take over at his home town club, struggling Norwich City.
---------- Post added at 12:06 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 11:31 PM ----------
Prelude part 2
So there I was. Sitting in a hotel room in London, overlooking the St Paul’s Cathedral, but I was looking at the views. I was sat on my bed, my head in my hands as my world crumbled around me. To be honest it had been coming for 4 months. My Liverpool team crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Sporting Lisbon. The papers were on my back, and following the back to back loses Arsenal and Manchester City, the fans were starting to get on my back as well. But We went unbeaten until the end of the season, in the Cup and League, we finished 3rd. Which the board had deemed unacceptable, and the lose to Arsenal a short time ago was the final straw and that was that. I was out of a job!
I laid in the bed, the glow from the T.V and the lights of London partly keeping me awake, but mainly what’s was keeping me awake was the fact that tomorrow morning, I wake up for the time in 2 years not the manager of Liverpool. A club I love, and the support of fans who I love gone. That was it my dream job was over. My phone had been buzzing none stop since the news broke to the news outlets. But I had only spoken to 2 people since I had left Wembley. My former assistant Jamie Redknapp, who offered me condolences and told me that he and 5 other people has terminated their contracts in protest. The second was my wife, Claire who wanted me to go straight back to our flat in the Liverpool docklands. I was tempted to drive back up straight away but with the press hounding me, the safest place for me was right here in my hotel room. I pulled the double quilt over me, wrapped myself up in it. I had never felt so alone as I did right now. My phone was buzzing again. The one problem with 24 hour news outlets was they expected a quote 24 hours a day. I leaned over and switched off the phone glancing at a clock 2 am. I must have laid their for a further hour before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.
I woke up on the Sunday, turned on my iPhone 3 voice-mails, not as bad as I thought. I didn’t listen to them though, all from 1 reporter, from Sky, wanting a quote. I hit my Twitter app...........5000 mentions! I looked through the 1st 20 or so, all good luck messages from Liverpool fans, 1 or 2 from United fans taunting me. I posted a message
@steve_curtis85 would like to thank the fans for their support, unfortunately It has come to end. Sorry about yesterday, wasn’t meant to be.
I phoned the desk and asked them to send some breakfast. I then headed down to my Ford Focus, hit play on the iPhone, iPod. Mr Brightside kicked in as I pulled out of the car park. Camera men running toward to me, flashes going off, so I put my foot down and pulled away as quick as possible. As I headed north, my phone battery dying I flicked the radio on............
..So with Curtis no longer at the helm how will Liverpool fair next season...........
I turned the radio over to radio one.......
.Once again the sports headlines, Steven Curtis was yesterday sacked by Liverpool. Rafa Benitez is favourite to replace Curtis..................
I pulled into the next services I saw unable to concentrate on driving. I got out of the car, walked over to the high bank that surrounded the motor way services. I climbed over the barrier and up the bank. I reached the top and sat their over looking the surrounding area. On the horizon London. But I didn’t care, where I was, who was shouting at me from the car park, that my phone was ringing, or that it was starting to rain, I sat down on the grass. And just watched the traffic, watched the bird, watched anything that took my mind off the devastation that was yesterday..........................................
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