Stan Collymore couldn’t help but tip his hat to Liverpool’s “classy” way of dealing with the heartbreaking news about Diogo Jota. Seriously, it’s like the entire world paused for a moment when they heard about the car crash in northern Spain – on July 3rd, if we’re being date-specific – that took the lives of Jota and his brother Andre Silva. Flowers, shirts, scarves – you name it – just flooded Anfield as a tribute.
Anyway, I kinda stumbled across Collymore’s latest column on CaughtOffside. He shared his reaction to the news, which was raw and genuine. He says Liverpool’s always been about looking after its people, especially in tough times. Makes sense, I guess, since they’ve been through Hillsborough and Heysel. They get tragedy on a deeper level, I think.
Collymore pointed out that the club’s priority is taking care of Jota’s family first, and then the team and staff. Emotional support seems a big thing for them, which is comforting. No one’s pressured into pretending they’re okay if they’re not – talking things out in the dressing room is encouraged. And if someone needs counseling, it’s there. It’s like, “We got you,” from the club to the players. Pretty comforting, don’t you think?
And then there’s more. The club didn’t just stop at a tribute. They went a step further and retired Jota’s number 20 shirt for all teams – men’s, women’s, academy – the works. A nod of respect to his family, really. Oh, and there’s going to be more tributes before their Sunday match with Preston. That’s their first game since, well, you know.
You can’t ignore the role of players like Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, and Alisson Becker in all this. They’re stepping up in the locker room, being leaders. But even leaders need someone, right? It’s not easy for them either. Processing grief is no cakewalk, even for the toughest.
Collymore mentions Liverpool’s history of enduring unspeakable sadness with a kind of stubborn resilience. It’s like they’ve got this unbreakable unity that keeps the spirit alive, no matter what. The upcoming days are going to test them, for sure, but if anyone can handle it, it’s this team.
