Lewis Balfe, an eleven-year-old schoolboy from Maidenhead, was among the many children who made the move up from primary to secondary school during the Covid time.
With the UK having been locked down since March, Lewis has been stuck at home, deprived of physical contact with friends.
He got anxious about starting secondary school.
He started to doubt himself.
He felt lost.
An ordinary kid with an ordinary problem, you might say.
Well, here’s the thing.
Rather than complaining, pondering and worrying like everyone else, he took action.
He turned to his hero to share his concerns over a new school.
Being a die-hard Liverpool fan, in August he sent a letter to Jürgen Klopp at his office at Melwood.
Yes, the one, the only, Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager.
Jürgen’s response is yet another example of the selflessness of the Liverpool manager, who has shown throughout his career that he genuinely cares about each and every supporter.
Hello Lewis, can I start by telling you a secret?
"I get nervous. To be totally honest, I would be worried if I did not get nervous because when it happens it gives me the chance to turn that energy into something positive. I know it might be strange for a boy of your age to think that the Liverpool manager can feel the way that you do but I do.
From your letter it is clear that you are very thoughtful and also very caring and when you have these qualities it is very hard to avoid getting nervous. You asked me what I do when my players feel this way and the answer is simple – I remind them of how important they are to me and how much I believe in them and I have no doubt that it will be exactly the same for your family with you.
You do not need to worry about bad things happening. As you know, I lost more than a few finals and this isn’t a good feeling but with the help of my family and friends I kept going and in the end we were able to enjoy some really good times. If I had dwelled on the bad moments I know that this would not have been possible so please be positive about yourself and look forward to the brilliant time that I know you will have growing up.
And don’t forget that you are part of the Liverpool family and this means that you have millions and millions of people just like you who want you to be as happy as you can be. Your support means a lot to me and to everyone at LFC so I hope that this letter shows that we support you too.
You’ll Never Walk Alone
Jurgen Klopp
'A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men.’ -Thomas Carlyle
In his book The Art Of The Start, Guy Kawasaki takes a jab at corporate mission statements.
They’re too long, too bland and they don’t resonate.
They are not representative of the true meaning of the company.
Nobody remembers them.
Nobody cares about them.
And nobody acts upon them.
Instead, Guy proposes putting together a mantra - a single phrase that captures the essence of your organization.
Look again how Jurgen closed his letter.
You’ll never walk alone.
Think about it.
It’s something you can easily say, remember and identify with. (There’s even a hashtag #YNWA)
It’s about YOU. (Check my rant on You vs Me here)
‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ is a song from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.
When in 1963, a local Liverpool band Gerry and the Pacemakers turned it into a hit, the team’s supporters embraced the song as their anthem.
'You’ll Never Walk Alone' is such a part of FC Liverpool that the title is on the soccer club’s coat of arms and engraved atop Anfield stadium’s Shankly Gates.
A motto, anthem or mantra.
Whatever you call it, it resonates with people.
It can be seen adorning almost everything to do with the club.
It unites.
It's uplifting.
It's about cultivating relationships, bonds nurtured through compassion and the eagerness to help.
It's the North Star.
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Liverpool fans are renowned for their loyalty to their great club.
The Australian fans showed great respect by joining in and helping make the Liverpool anthem ring out to the heavens.
95,000 fans in the Melbourne Cricket Ground sang the Liverpool F.C. Anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.
This was easily one of the best moments in the history of football, possibly sport in general.
Whenever I watch this video, it sends shivers down my spine.
It’s almost a religious experience.
Play it as loud as your system can handle.
Imagine the first game after this pandemic goes away.
Oh boy, that'll be a hell of a 'You'll never walk alone.'
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