I still recall as a kid, my parents telling me the age appropriate inspirational tale, meant to be a lesson in life, about the “little train that could”. I don’t recall every single scintillating syllable of the story, but the core of it, is that that this symbolic “train” may not have had the wherewithal to either get where it was going, or be as good as other “trains". Just like a lot of good child- like allegory’s, this one illustrates through it’s innocent simplicity, that anybody can achieve anything they want, no matter how seemingly difficult the task may be. As the story continues, the little train is chugging along the track repeating to itself in harmony with the pistons in it’s engine “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” Of course it’s a youngsters version of the power of positive thinking. Sure enough the “little train” achieves it’s goal through the up-beat internal voice,and the point is made to the then impressionable young minds, like yours and mine at that age, to never give up or sell yourself short.
There was as real life type a story on Sunday in professional sports similar to the “little train”, as I have witnessed in quite some time. It comes from the world of professional soccer, in the Premiership. Some people reading the story will think, ‘oh well, I’m not a soccer fan’, and stop reading, and that’s most unfortunate. Any extreme underdog that can prevail over a heavy favorite in a ‘David versus Goliath’ type match, is always inspiring, reminding all of us that our own sometimes seemingly impossible objectives may be achievable no matter how devastating the odds against us may be in any real life situation.
In this case it was Liverpool , a team having a dreadful season on the pitch, and controversy swirling off the field as well ,pertaining to the financial struggles of their American owners, Tom Hicks, and George Gillett. On Sunday, they hosted perennial Premiership favorite and arch rival Manchester United, a powerhouse in professional soccer, and possessors' of one of the largest global fan bases of any team, anywhere in the world, to go along with a legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. The Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, was under fire from the teams fans for their underachievement so far this year, and questioned about his handling of players as well as his game strategy. Liverpool has recently gone through some dreadful injury problems, having to compete without some of their most gifted athletes. The loss of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, and Glen Johnson had been costly in a recent loss to Lyon of France, in a Champions League match on Tuesday at Anfield. Torres and Johnson were able to play on Sunday.
How intense was the pressure? As one analyst described it on ESPN.com, “ ……..worst crisis Liverpool have suffered in decades……if the critics were to be believed……Liverpool were all washed up and facing financial ruin.” Pertaining to Benitez, even the the off – season defection of one of the teams most important players was being placed at the footsteps of the embattled manager. As soccer columnist James Lawton noted in “The Independent” and reprinted in the Toronto Sun; “… his relationship with former midfielder Xabi Alonso now in the service of Real Madrid, was chilly to the point where arguably the club’s most influential player was bound to leave.”
In keeping with the theme of the “little train”, miraculously, Liverpool delivered a herculean like effort, and bolstered by most of the 44,000 beleaguered buff’s at Anfield, the Reds manufactured a clean sheet victory over the Red Devils by a score of 2-0. In the process, they broke a string of four successive losses, which had not been part of a Liverpool team since 1987. Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was prophetic after the Tuesday loss to Lyon at Anfield, in predicting a team turnaround. He told Sky Sports at the time….” We have great fight and character. We’re going through a tough patch but we’ve been through them before. We will come through no doubt.” Maybe Jamie Carragher and his Liverpool teammates heard about the “the little train that could” when they were little leaguers. In this case, the fable became a fact. Carragher thought they could and as it tuned out, the little train in the apologue paid a visit to Anfield, with the Liverpool Reds all aboard !!!