Born to be a coach [soccer]

Chapter 283

Justice should be timely, and if it is late, it is tantamount to denying justice—Anglo-American-French proverb.

Sir Kenny Dalglish looked relaxed and relieved as he stepped down as Liverpool FC manager.

"Let's give the right position to the right person!" he said.

At this time Dalglish has received reliable news that Anton will come back to take over.

After Anton came to Liverpool, the first thing he did was to visit the "King", hoping to hear his views and advice on his appointment as coach.

Dalglish said with a smile: "You are here, I can finally feel at ease."

Anton sincerely asked for advice: "Sir, what should I do first?"

Dalglish said seriously: "Of course it is to learn to sing Liverpool's team song "You Never Walk Alone"! I also have a playlist of the Beatles here, you can learn it all, as long as you can play and sing. As for 'Black Pig' There is no need to learn such a song, it is too widely sung, and it is not worthy of your identity!"

Anton: ...

Dalglish: "Of course I'm joking!" Seeing Anton's astonishment, the old man laughed wrinkled.

Then he said seriously: "Actually, I have nothing to teach you. You came just in time, and I can go to my 'business'."

Anton knew what Dalglish's "business" was.The former meritorious coach of Liverpool has said more than once before that after he leaves office, he will focus on the work of the "Hillsborough Justice Movement Organization".

Anton quickly asked, "Excuse me...has there been any recent progress in the independent investigation?"

He still remembers that when he was the head coach of Sunderland, he once faced Liverpool at the Stadium of Light. At that time, the British government announced that it would release all top-secret documents related to the "Hillsborough tragedy" and start an independent investigation.More than a year has passed now, and the results of the investigation have yet to be released.

Dalglish nodded: "I attended the progress report meeting of the independent investigation team to the British government last week. They did find something. I believe that the investigation team will have official results soon."

Dalglish seemed relieved to see that Anton was concerned about this matter.He told Anton that the work of the independent investigation team found that the South Yorkshire Police tampered with more than 100 investigative documents at that time, and the oral information of hundreds of police officers on duty was significantly changed, and the testimony unfavorable to the police was deleted. or modify it.

Anton was dumbfounded when he heard this: he was still too young to imagine that such a thing would happen in England at the end of the last century, the birthplace of modern football.

"Young people, in fact, this incident has never been a simple accident. There are too many entanglements of interests and classes behind it. The prime minister and the ruling party at that time never liked the labor class, but the labor class is the strongest in football. A strong supporter of..."

Football has never been a sport favored by the upper class. On the contrary, football is more like a tool for this class to accumulate wealth.

"But I am very happy, this matter will soon have a result." Dalglish said with a sigh.

Even so, the "soon" in Dalglish's mouth took more than three months. On September 2012, 9, the independent investigation team of the Hillsborough tragedy finally issued a report, declaring that "Liverpool fans should not bear any responsibility for the Hillsborough tragedy", and the main cause of the tragedy was poor police control.

Cameron, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, made a speech after the report was published, solemnly apologizing to Liverpool fans.Cameron admitted that South Yorkshire Police had previously shifted responsibility to Liverpool fans, and claimed that the investigation that "the whole tragedy happened because of the fans' drunkenness" was extremely unfair.Cameron also criticized the serious mistakes of the police and stadium staff in maintaining order on the day of the tragedy.

In addition, Kevin McKenzie, who was the editor of the "Sun" and was responsible for producing the report "Truth" that was published on the front page that day, publicly confessed on this day.He said: Although more than 20 years have passed since this incident, he still feels deeply guilty for the front page he made at that time. Although the title at that time was "The Truth", it was obviously full of lies. The title of that report should have been "Lies"...

On this day, the whole city of Liverpool observed a 2-minute silence for the victims of the year.

And Liverpool's "King" Dalglish tweeted: "23 years later, I hope the families of the victims can find comfort in this moment."

This day is called "truth day" by many Liverpool fans.At this point, the "justice" that Liverpool fans have been waiting for seems to have finally come.

But this is far from over.

After Anton entered Anfield, he inevitably came into contact with the "Hillsborough Justice Movement Organization" and began to understand the inside story of more and more incidents:

For example, the youngest victim in the tragedy happened to be the cousin of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.When Gerrard made his debut at Anfield that year, he once said: "He is watching me and I will always fight for him."

However, as an outsider, it is difficult for Anton to understand why such a case required the British government and judicial system to spend more than 20 years to clarify the already very clear truth; Pot, he has been refusing to bow his head and admit his mistake.

People always say: justice may be late, but never absent forever.But for some Liverpool fans, justice is always absent.

No one was held legally responsible for the victims, as the official investigation after the massacre declared it an accident.Many families of the victims have not received even a penny in compensation.During these years, these family members experienced the most desperate and dark trough in their lives, and some even passed away because of this.

The situation with the South Yorkshire Police is quite the opposite: most of the police officers who were on duty on the day of the tragedy received generous compensation.The person in charge of security at the Hillsborough football stadium that day, South Yorkshire Police Chief Duckenfield, like many of his colleagues in the police force, was promoted and raised, and escaped all punishment smoothly.

Anton once met several key members of the "Hillsborough Justice Movement Organization", and they would point to the photo of Duckenfield on the leaflet and say, "Look, this is the guy, he is the culprit!"

Anton asked, "Do you have evidence?"

The families of the victims said: "Of course we have!" Then they took out a box full of materials, including various photos, texts, audio recordings, video recordings, oral statements, testimonies, and written reports...

The evidence is overwhelming, but this man named Duckenfield just didn't admit it in court.

Anton thought to himself: After so many years and so much evidence, it is still impossible to accuse the chief of the police of responsibility—even from the perspective of an outsider, it is inevitable that the British authorities and the judicial system are suspected of covering up.

On September 2012, 9, the independent investigation report was finally released.The independent investigation report concluded that the cause of the accident was not the Liverpool fans but the police - in this case, someone should be responsible for the matter.As a result, related litigation based on this independent investigation has continued.The 12 victims who have been wronged for more than 20 years deserve justice.

Three months later, the British Supreme Court finally formally ordered a new judicial investigation into the Hillsborough tragedy. In March 2014, a renewed inquiry and hearing was held at Warrington Court near Liverpool.Duckenfield, the well-connected man, was called to testify.

The retired police chief was still proud when he first testified in court, as if he was still the same chief who responded to everyone back then.

But as the judge presented him with detailed evidence and heard the testimonies of all the witnesses, the director's composure and calmness began to disappear, replaced by sitting on pins and needles and sweating profusely.

He first admitted that his resume was false: before the tragedy, Duckenfield had never hosted a major event involving more than 5 people, and he knew nothing about the safety hazards of the Hillsborough Stadium.After the tragedy that year, the South Yorkshire Police had unanimously described the chief as an experienced expert.

Then Duckenfield admitted that he personally ordered the opening of the stadium passage, allowing thousands of Liverpool fans to rush in and squeeze into the small stands.Prior to this, there had been rumors that "drunk Liverpool fans" had thrown the gate open on their own.

Although Duckenfield had been very cautious in keeping his mouth shut in the previous investigations and interrogations, this time he confessed in front of the ironclad evidence: he admitted that he gave the order, and he had never considered the risk of congestion before ordering, nor did he The dire consequences of this order were not anticipated.

This time Duckenfield's confession was complete and accurate, and it also shocked the whole of Britain.

The police chief, Duckenfield, who was completely overwhelmed by various evidences, was on the verge of a mental breakdown in court, and incidentally admitted that he had lied shamelessly at the time—hitting the pot as soon as the tragedy happened. dumped on the fans.After that, due to the unanimous opinion of the South Yorkshire police, almost the whole of the UK believed that the tragedy was caused by the drunken fans themselves.

It was not until 25 years later that the truth of this tragedy finally came to light due to the personal confession of the person concerned, and it became an iron case.

Two years later, in April 2016, a jury ruled at Warrington Court, overturning the 4 official conclusion that the victims of the tragedy, 1991 Liverpool fans, were "unlawfully killed" and the responsibility lay with South Yorkshire Police.At the same time the court ruled that the Liverpool fans were not responsible for the accident.

On the day the court made its verdict, the Hillsborough Justice Movement and the families of the victims gathered outside Warrington Court, singing the team's anthem "You Never Walk Alone" to comfort the souls of the 96 victims. .

This landmark ruling completely returned justice to the 96 victims and allowed Liverpool fans to rectify their names.

At this time, 27 years have passed since the tragedy happened.

Anton was invited to Dalglish's home in Liverpool.

Dalglish's Mrs. Marina specially made Anton her famous caramel apricot flip tart, which reminded Anton of his visit to the Dalglish family in Scotland that summer.

The weather in Liverpool, a seaside city facing the Atlantic Ocean, is also unpredictable from sunny to rainy.At this time, the sun shines gently on the delicious dessert in front of Anton through the glass window, but there are still water spots on the window glass - there was a torrential rain just before, and now it is finally over.

"Sir, you look very good!" Anton keenly sensed that Dalgliesh was in good spirits, his face was rosy and his expression was relaxed.But the handsome old man's hair turned gray, and he looked a little older than before.

"Really?" Dalgliesh was also very happy to hear Anton say that, "I think so too, after the final verdict comes out, I always feel that a page has finally been turned and my life can start again. "

The old man turned his head and looked out the window.It can be seen that his heart is no longer burdened.

"I believe there are many people like me in this city."

"Ferguson, the guy, always said he pulled us off the championship. But is that true?"

"The Liverpool team has gone from prosperity to decline. It is not so much that Manchester United dragged us down from the throne, but because of ourselves. The tragedy 27 years ago changed the mood of too many people, and therefore Changed our team..."

"After that, we only won the league championship once, and then many of us, the coaching staff, the players...including me, we all left because we couldn't bear the psychological pressure." Dalglish Talking, falling into memories.

Anton nodded: "...It's true, that incident changed many people, and it also changed football."

After the Hillsborough tragedy, English football was also completely changed: the barbed wire separating the fans from the stadium was dismantled, the standing seats were replaced with seats, the structure of the stadium was adjusted, and safety hazards were eliminated one by one...England has never been played again. There have been such accidents.

It is an unbearable past event for a team, a club, and a city, but it still has a positive impact on football.

"Yes!" Dalglish finally turned his head and looked at Anton with burning eyes. "So, I think, I am the same as this team. It's time to let go of the burden and move forward."

"Anton, I know I'm old, but I still want to play my part for this team and this club. So I'm going to submit a cover letter and apply for a job as a youth coach at the club. You are the head coach , I would like to hear your opinion before submitting the application."

Of course Anton has no problem: "Welcome, welcome!"

Seeing Dalgliesh cheer up so much, Anton gave the "king" a heartfelt smile:

In this city at least, football lovers will never feel alone.Isn't that what the song keeps singing:...you never walk alone.

The author has something to say: This chapter may be a bit heavy...but if you don't write this result, you always feel as if something is not finished.

I will start writing some more relaxed and fun content tomorrow, and I will write "Happy Football" tomorrow.