Money Corrupts

It seemed not long ago when it was my friend's birthday. The day after, The Reds hit the headlines all around the world by clinching their fifth European success, keeping the trophee. Liverpool granted his birthday wish which he made the day before. Billions of Reds all around the world were in a chorus of cheers as Stevie lifted the glittering Champions League Cup in front of a sea of Red and a couple of dejected AC fans.

And so the jubilant captain said, "After a night like this, how can I leave?". Everyone took his word seriously, from a man who almost carried Liverpool on his shoulders when they were in the dumps. Arigo Sacchi and Roman Abramovich probably switched off their TV sets when Shevchenko missed his kick from the spot.

So just how long does it take for a person to change his mind? A few months down the road and it'll be my birthday tomorrow. Tonight, I'll sleep, hardly surprised if Gerrard leaves the club which he belonged to since young. A man who once breathed red and had the Red spirit pumping through him. So this is soccer,

A whole row of shops. Suddenly, a filthy-rich woman with her pampered son comes across. She walks into one, and then another. Every shop she stops by, her son would be tugging at the hem of her skirt, crying to buy a figurine off the shelves. Irritated by her son, she simply slaps a cheque on the shopkeeper's face and drags her son to the next shop. So Gerrard will be bought off the shelves in a couple of days, leaving Liverpool with a hugh banknote. Or will he?

Whatever is running through Gerrard's mind. I wish he reads this. Answer my question. Why leave? I wish he can explain to all the die-hard Reds. If he doesn't, I'll probably sit in a rocking chair and tell my grandchildren that there was once a Liverpool captain who ran short of loyalty, and it was money that he wanted afterall. It seems that 150 000 euros per week is a little too much for him to resist. So he probably has 10 more houses than Ah Gong, a few more cars than Ah Gong and an earlier retirement age than Ah Gong. And I'll tell my grandchildren that Ah Gong knows that money is not everything but he didn't at that time.

I won't say that it's my birthday wish for Stevie to stay. One, because he is unlikely to and I welcome him to make me eat my words. Two, I won't make a wish which I can do absolutely nothing to achieve it. Perhaps my comments have been a little harsh on the Liverpool captain. To be fair to him, he worked his socks off for Liverpool when the others were sitting pretty and I believe he still will if he decides to stay. No money can buy the Steven Gerrard workrate and he will always be a tremendous boost to the engine room of whichever club he is playing for.

Until Gerrard is settled, and even after he as, Rafa will have to show that he has more tricks up his sleeve...Perhaps, I wouldn't be as happy seeing Gerrard lifting any trophee whatsoever again...But there's one thing you can be certain of - That I'll be a Liverpool Fan.