jimmylibel

Just spotted it on Twitter too…

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That’s fantastic Anne. Thanks so much for sharing it.

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I think there were some mentions in the thread about what charities Vic supported… This is referenced on the linked bereavement notice but just to flag it, instead of flowers donations to Sports Against Racism Ireland (SARI) are suggested. https://www.sari.ie/donate

I’m still reeling at this news. Not been on this forum in a good while, just logged in after hearing about it all this evening (thanks for letting me know John am Rhein). I’m so sad and shocked, having pangs of guilt and yet still smiling at these wonderful posts. First time I met Vic was when he was coming over to Dublin and he put out a call on the forum to see if anyone wanted to watch the match over a pint. I had interacted with him a little bit on the forum and he always seemed sound so I figured, yeah why not. I’d never seen Vic before so got a bit of a shock when this shaven headed lad rocked up and he might have been surprised to be hanging out with a ‘suit’ …but we got on immediately. It was so easy to spend time with Vic. Those pints turned into another match, and another, which eventually turned into just meeting up just for pints and the football becoming less and less of the focus. He started spending more and more time in Ireland and I was lucky enough to get to spend a good bit of time with him as a result. It wasn’t long before Vic had effectively become a focal point for YNWA socialising in Dublin. A good few of the Irish posters would come together for a match and get to know each other and that was all down to Vic. I know others have mentioned acts of his generosity already but what astounded me at the time and still does to this day, is that when there were forum get togethers being organised in Liverpool or even just the occasional match in Liverpool, Vic would encourage me to go (despite not knowing any of ye at the time), organise a ticket for me and then PUT ME UP IN HIS HOUSE. He did this several times and it continued over the years, even when he was living in the countryside in Meath and he and Anne would graciously allow me to come visit and stay for a night. Vic opened doors in so many ways - it was only thanks to him that I got to meet a good few of you in real life. There’s been some really brilliant posts in this thread but I really liked what Ripley said about him absolutely suffering fools. That was Vic - he was really interested in people. He wanted to hear them, listen to them, debate with them sure, but in a positive and engaging kind of way. I think that perhaps was an illustration of something that has been captured in some of the anecdotes but not perhaps fully addressed - Vic was remarkably sensitive. I don’t mean he was prickly (he could be a little like but who isn’t), I mean he was acutely aware of others and how they were feeling. Sometimes his bluster would kinda drown that sensitivity out, but it was always there, if you looked and listened closely enough. Vic lived through a lot and I think that not only shaped him but also how he interacted with others, it made him very conscious of the other person’s perspective. A few times over the years, I think exclusively when we would both have had a little too much to drink, Vic would sometimes directly or in a roundabout way make the point that he and I were very different. And we were. (A small example, I worked for the Irish Government at one point and let’s just say he really didn’t exactly approve of that Government - naturally he was completely right on that one). He’d say that on paper in some ways we shouldn’t have been friends. And then he’d say but he loved me anyway and I’d say the same. I never felt it was just the booze talking. Being friends with Vic was one of the easiest things that ever happened to me and I’m so glad I got that opportunity. I didn’t see anywhere near enough of him for maybe the last 5+ years, but I really felt like he was one of the people I trusted most in the world. We might not talk in ages but when we did we just picked up exactly where we left off. I was never guarded with Vic, I never felt the need. His honesty was infectious. I’d happily share anything with him and I had no fear that trust would ever be broken. I’m glad I got the chance to tell him that. I have to admit though, tonight I feel s***ty that I wasn’t a good enough friend the last few years. I haven’t spoken to him enough and haven’t reached out to him enough. I think the last time I was talking to him directly was more than a year ago. We had a great chat at the time, made vague plans about meeting up and then, well, I hear this news. I think the fact I only heard the news tonight indicates how far I’d allowed myself to drift. That said, reading through this thread has been a help, because I do remember even in that chat he was talking about ‘taking some time’, which reading/ hearing from others seems to have been something he said a lot the last year. I know its easy to say this now, but I was definitely thinking of him the other day. I said to myself I must give him a call that evening- but I forgot. I am, most likely retrospectively, thinking that was on Monday, or else last week. Logically, hearing/ reading what others have said that wouldn’t have made a difference. But I really, really wish I had called. Apologies I know I’m rambling… but when I read this thread I just felt compelled to put something down. I miss my friend. Goodbye Vic and thank you for all you did.

Sancho is reportedly getting the same deal he was offered last summer (when he also had his terms with the Mancs finalised). At that time he apparently still preferred a move to us over them. The reason cited was he felt we were more likely to challenge for honours than they were. Either we’re not in for him (which we should be) or he’s changed his mind for some reason and is now picking them over us.

We might all want that to be true, but it patently isn’t. They finished second.

Nope. Unless you think finishing 5 points behind someone is proof that they’re worse run than us.

Aren’t as well ran as us? I’m fairly sure if clubs like the Mancs had gone into the January window with only one fit senior centre back they wouldn’t have left it until the last day of that window to sign reinforcements. Lest we forget the Mancs finished 5 points above us in the league. This time last year those claims held water. But not after what went down last season.

Completely.

Really would be the wrong winger to go after from the Bundesliga. As well as Sancho, Mancs also seem to be making moves to sign Camavinga - another player we should be all over. We had a major market advantage in terms of our status over the Mancs and others the previous two summers. It increasingly looks like that no longer applies. We really should have taken much more advantage of that.

We should be going for the player Dortmund will need to replace. Sancho was made for this Liverpool team. That we don’t seem to be in for him is ridiculous, yes even after no fans for more than a season. We should be doing all we can to get that deal sorted.

Blue-Anon?

Bayern making eyes at Mo. Rummenigge saying it would be “an honour” to have him at Bayern and calling him the “Messi of Africa”.

A few stories that we’re taking a close interest in Raphinha from Leeds.

Bissouma is an excellent player but he seems a lot more of a 6 than an 8. Unless we’re going to be rejigging the way our midfield plays we’ll need a player better at transitions and more press resistant I would have thought. That’s if we actually will have money to spend this summer.

Article in Germany saying Dortmund are lowering their price for Sancho. Will now take €100m or less apparently. While reports from Spain saying Real Madrid are willing to sell Vinicius this summer, a player we’ve supposedly been monitoring. I’d expect to hear quite a few more stories along these lines in the weeks/ months ahead. This summer is going to be some buyer’s market. Just a shame we’ve no money!

In a listicle article in the Mirror going through the transfer activity on a club by club basis, Maddock suggests we offered Lille a swap deal of Origi for Botman.

What’s reliable though? The Marcelo one definitely rings true. It was confirmed we were ‘contacting a number of clubs’ yesterday. Personally I think we were throwing in some fairly desperate last minute bids of limited up front value to a range of players we have identified as meeting sufficient criteria. So it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Demiral was one of the players we bid for.

I was thinking the same at one point yesterday but as more names came to light I don’t think that’s accurate. Demiral and Marcelo primarily play on the right I think. Caleta-Car, Tapsoba, Carmo on the left. Botman too although I don’t think we bid for him yesterday.

Not sure. Someone did pour cold water on the suggestion we’d bid a lesser sum for him when it was circulating on Sat/ Sun.

It seems he was unimpressed when we only offered him a six month deal. Reports in Italy that we offered Juventus €57m for Demiral.

I was the same when we signed Ruddock but he deserves on the list for the ‘pass the pound’ and wasn’t he the source of “Win or lose, we’re first to the bar for booze” or something to that effect. On Murphy, he was clearly pushing his Daily Mail, lil Englander stuff while at the club. If memory serves he was also slagging off ‘foreign players’ for not being very good and taking his place. Given he was talking about Luis Garcia that should be more than enough.