The Liverpool beach ball is already behind glass
at the National Football Museum. Alongside all those other objects,
mementoes and trinkets which recount the fascinating, beautiful and
occasionally grimy story of the game in this country, lies the
inflatable sphere which was tossed from the away end by a naive
young Liverpool supporter at the Stadium of Light on October
17.
Amazing, isn’t it? Amazing to think that as well as the sections
devoted to Sir Tom Finney and the Busby Babes, Maradona’s ‘Hand of
God’ shirt and the oldest surviving FA Cup, the object which Darren
Bent’s shot cannoned off and then flew into Pepe Reina’s goal has
so quickly been enshrined as part of our shared experience. Three
months ago and already an historical exhibit.
Amazing, too, to recall that day and consider it in the context
of Sunderland’s recent, deflating results; how little Craig Gordon
had to do, aside from one fine save from David Ngog, Lorik Cana’s
stand-in heroics in defence - “I’ve witnessed an exceptional
performance,” Steve Bruce said - and, of course, Bent’s energy and
enthusiasm in attack. At least one thing can still be relied
upon.
George Gillett, Liverpool’s co-owner, stated earlier this month
that Liverpool were still struggling to come to terms with the
beach ball incident and, for a variety of reasons, you can make a
case that Sunderland’s season also hinged on that moment. Lee
Cattermole’s loss to injury, the (premature?) euphoria which swept
around Wearside, the fact that the two clubs still appear locked in
a grizzly embrace.
Ironic that, even then, Bruce and Rafael Benitez were engaged in
an undiplomatic spat regarding Kenwyne Jones, with the pair forced
apart by Neil Swarbrick, the fourth official, when the striker was
felled by a heavy challenge which would later require a trip to
hospital. Now, of course, they are squabbling over Jones’ future,
and about who spoke to who, about what and when.
Bruce said. “He has had his head turned by the ludicrous notion
he will go on loan.
“Hopefully, that has been put to bed now and he has to get over
it. I’ve tried to be as honest as I can - we want him leading the
attack and being the Kenwyne Jones we know he is, but he is not
that at the moment and hopefully he can get it back. I’ve only
worked with him for a few months and he has wonderful talent and a
wonderful idea of the game, but he has to do it repeatedly.
“We have to make him the Kenwyne we know he can be. Maybe his
focus has not been on playing – it was elsewhere on Saturday.
Nobody should forget the crimes against football which
supporters have endured over the last decade; it is down to the
players and management to change that. They are aware of it and
that helps but, like Bent’s beach ball, optimism presently feels
like a relic.