#u21

It might’ve been a heat in the moment decision for those fans, but I wonder if any of them thought of the impact of them leaving early and not clapping off the players would have on the youth players? Like how do they think Nyoni, Rio, Morrison, etc, feel after putting on a good performance (goals aside) and then watching their “supporters” basically abandon them?

Like I understand the long building anger towards our older players that play pretty much every game, are much more experienced, etc, but aiming your frustration at the guys who were probably born after 2004, much less experienced than the likes of Salah, Virgil, and Robbo, and who put on a much better performance with more pressing and speed than the older players in our recent games, youth boys who are probably a lot more sensitive than the older guys as well, how do you think those boys feel?

Do they think the boys felt a bolstering moment of confidence and love watching supporters leave them? Or do you think they felt humiliated? You tell me.

It’s one thing to have longstanding wrath at first team players who are experienced enough and old enough to have high expectations for (expectations that they should be meeting, yes), it’s another thing to aim it at boys younger than 21 who play like one first team game a season.

I think I’d be less upset that fans walked out if it was a game with our usual senior, first team lineup. But walking out and not supporting the KIDS who had nothing to do with our last few losses, that’s what’s saddening me.

I understand passion. I understand that we are one of the most passionate fanbases that football has ever known. But there is a difference between passion for your club and everything that LFC stands for and an obsession with glory. Don’t let your anger for our situation cloud your mind enough that you end up being hurtful to young players that are not the cause of our current situation. Don’t let their memories of Kopites be filled with sadness and embarrassment.

Yes, we lost this game, but our U21 are showing strong signs of being immensely skilled players in future. Don’t give them reasons to not want to play for us.

Do better for the youth. Don’t be a plastic.

thank you @stormyrainyday for the tag i love snooping on other people's writing so this is open!! if you see it feel free to post!!

more u21 because it's all i've been working on recently since posting cliffhanger and while this wasn't written particularly recently (maybe last month?) i'm especially proud of it. normally i'm a bit iffy on dialogue but i like the flow of this section so! enjoy

The gasp Ness lets escape punctures through the phone like a gunshot wound. Rin spends the ensuing pause toying with the idea of what if — what if he’d been good enough? What if he’d taken better care of his instrument? What if he’d fought back, grabbed Sae’s wrist as he left and made him stay? What if he’d just done it right? “I don’t think he slept here last night,” he mumbles instead, laughing humourlessly. “I wonder where he went.” “How did you get home?” asks Ness, pointlessly. “Since Sae clearly didn’t walk you.” The way he says it is bitter, upset, and for a single, spiteful moment, Rin lets vindication wash over him and cool his frustrated skin. “Is it important?” he replies finally, digging a canine into his bottom lip. For some reason, he wants to keep Isagi to himself, tucked away like a dirty secret, hidden like those fleeting moments of peace found in the air as they walked were stolen instead of found. “It’s important to me,” Ness rephrases, uncharacteristically gentle all of a sudden, and Rin folds like his ribcage is made of paper. “Someone from the auditorium walked me back. A practice room neighbour. He overheard Sae and I talking and got worried.” “Got worried? Over just a discussion? Are you sure?” Ness hums, and Rin knows him well enough to tell when he’s trying to manipulate a situation.  “Just a discussion,” he bites out, and Ness doesn’t audibly press the matter, but he can practically sense the sceptical expression on his face through the phone screen, complete with raised eyebrows and a half-curled top lip. “And you were safe? Was he trustworthy? Did he introduce himself? Do you know him?” Ness quizzes all at once, bombarding Rin with mouthfuls of questions that come from a place of concern so thick that it threatens to drown him in it.  “I think if he wasn’t safe to go home with, I wouldn’t be phoning you right now,” replies Rin with as much derisive dryness as he can muster. “He gave me his name and his school and helped me tidy the room, given I was out of sorts.” Ness pauses for a moment, humming a small tune to himself in a way that suggests he’s contemplating something. “And those are? For no reason at all, of course.”

rin ness friendship is lowkey everything to me. their situations are almost offensively similar and it fucks with me so much UGH i love this duo so much (have never interacted in canon)

YNWA!! YOUNG LIONS!!

this boy.. i swear.. has just radiated happiness since the beginning also look at that pure dumb innocent smile at the end 🥺