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I Bleed Liverpool Red by Lallanas-in-pyjamas (Tumblr)/Teletraan-1 (fanfic.net & AO3)
A/N: Sorry, but the news about Flanno being captain for the game got me all excited so I had to write a one-shot about it because it’s just too good an opportunity to miss.
20/03/2016
It was match day, yet again. Liverpool just knocked Manchester United out of the Europa on Thursday, which was a fantastic victory. One that was made just that little bit sweeter from the strong rivalry between the two clubs.
Every single one of the lads held their heads up a bit higher after that game. Things were really looking up for them. Well they were for now anyway, they did just draw Dortmund for the next leg of the Europa and they all knew how tough that battle was going to be with their manager’s old club. But they weren’t worrying too much about that game yet because the new club philosophy was to take everything just one game at a time. Believe it or not, it made things a lot easier when you didn’t have to think of the looming pressure of the next game, whether or not you’ll have what it takes to grab those three points or to make it to the next round of a cup. One game at a time. It was simple and it worked for them.
The past few games had been good. They were winning, or drawing at the least. Klopp kept their spirits high in training and they knew how much the wins meant to the gaffer. Straight from the start Klopp said he won’t care too much about what happens this season, he just wanted to see Liverpool play good football and fight for what they can. Finally, things were falling into place and they were doing just that. Playing to their best and taking whatever they could from it.
Sadly, this came at a price though. The 17 injuries of the season to be exact. Some of their regular and best players had been benched or left out altogether due to this. And although the situation really knocked them all down at the beginning of the season. They were finally getting around to picking themselves up again. Sure they didn’t have a chance in hell at winning the league, but that didn’t mean they had to make it easy for those who did. They were fighters, warriors. Liverpool FC aren’t a group of players who just roll over. If they hurt themselves, then they do everything they can to get back onto that pitch as fast as possible.
That was them.
Anyway, moving back onto the original topic. Match day. Liverpool vs Southampton. The club where they stole the captain and a couple of defenders. St Mary’s was never an easy stadium to play at, but they were going to give it everything they had and just hope for the best. Because what else could they do?
I BLEED LIVERPOOL RED…
The lads made their way into the changing rooms. That was always the more defining moment before a game. Not the journey to the stadium, not the walk in past the press, not the pre match interviews. It was always when they entered the changing rooms. That’s when it became real. When each and every one of them slipped their shirts over their heads so that the Liver bird could rest proudly upon each of the player’s chests. But something was different this time. When the lads walked in laughing and pushing to get to their shirts, Flanagan found an extra weight sitting on his hanger. The captain’s armband.
Now of course he’d been told a while before, by Klopp, that he would be captaining this game but the reality hadn’t really hit him until then. Until he saw the bold words of a leader next to his name and number.
Jon was a scouser born and bred. He’d dreamt of playing at Liverpool for as long as he could remember. He’d look up to men like Steven Gerrard in awe at how they could make a team work, how they could lift players up when their spirits were low, how they could create miracles out of dire situations. Now it was his turn. His chance to make himself into a man like Steven Gerrard. To do magical things for the team he loved.
A presence behind him snapped Flanagan out of his thoughts enough to finish pulling his shirt over his head. Most of the lads were dressed and ready. He saw Mignolet and Benteke laughing at something Lovren had said, whilst over in the corner, Lallana was messing around with Clyne. As the right back did up the buttons of his polo shirt, he turned to meet the presence behind him. Jordan Henderson stood waiting, still looking pale from the sickness he was battling. His brown hair was gelled down and he had his tracksuit jacket on, ready for sitting on the bench.
“You nervous?” the midfielder asked as he picked the armband up off the hanger.
“Yes and no.” he admitted as he held his arm out for Jordan. “I’ve been waiting for this moment forever, but I’m worried I might not be the captain everyone wants me to be.” Henderson smiled as he slid the armband up the young lad’s arm.
“You’re comparing yourself to Stevie aren’t you?” the regular captain asked with a smirk
“It’s kind of hard not to.” The scouser admitted with a sigh
“You can’t do that to yourself, Flanno. There will never be another Stevie G and we all have to accept that. I used to do the same thing and think what would Stevie do? How could I be more like him? But it took Ads practically screaming in my face for me to realise that I’m never going to be like Stevie because he was unique. He was a one in a million kind of guy. Ads helped me realise that all I can do as captain is be me and play to my best so that people will remember me for what I achieved and not for me trying to be someone I never could.” Jordan’s wise words resonated within the younger player.
“You go out there and you be your own captain. Don’t try to please anyone because trust me, it never works and it ends up making you miserable. It’s your first shot so you’ll have time to improve. But if I’m being honest, everyone loves you Flanno, you’re gonna kill it.” Henderson smiled at the player in front of him. “Don’t let the weight of that armband drag you down, you hear me?” Flanagan just nodded with his own smile.
A few moments later, Klopp shouted into the room that they had to be in the tunnel in one minute, so everyone began to file out. Just as Flanagan went to walk out the changing room door he caught sight of himself in the mirror. He saw the armband and smiled. This was his chance to prove his worth as a captain for when the time comes and he had the opportunity to wear it permanently.
Henderson was just making his way out the door when a voice called him back in. “Hey Hendo!”
“Yeah?” he shouted back at Flanagan
“Thanks.” The defender offered
“No problem. Now get your arse out here otherwise Klopp will throw a fit if you’re not upfront by the time we have to go out.” The younger man nodded and jogged out in front of him whilst he held the door open.
The words Jordan gave to Flanagan were similar to the ones Stevie said to him when he first put that armband on. But that’s all they were, similar. Not the same. Because Henderson was his own captain and what he said to Jon was something he picked up during his journey of living up to the title of being Liverpool’s captain.
It won’t be easy, but Flanno will grow into a great captain and Jordon would rest easy knowing that when the day comes that he has to give his place up, a fantastic player will be waiting to take on the role.
A/N: Yeah we lost and yeah it fucking sucked but I wanted to look at the positives, like Flanno being captain today! He’s the people’s captain and he will make it one day when Jordan retires or something. Oh and I chucked in some cheeky Lallanason friendship because I love it. Anyway, reviews are very much appreciated ;-) thanks for reading. YNWA!