As youngsters, we all have our heroes. We all seem to find someone famous to be our inspiration, a person who's achieved what we surely will when we grow up. As a footy (soccer for you Yankee readers!) mad teenager in Carmel College, a Jewish boarding school near Oxford, my hero was none other than Robbie Fowler. I've always been a passionate Liverpool fan (Not sure why but I'm positive it's from the influnece of my grandfather and uncle). My move to Carmel finally allowed me to follow Liverpool non-stop. Be it by reading the weekly footy mags (Shoot or Match), or by reading the back page of the available papers; I was always looking to see what was happening up at Anfield. My 2 years in England coincided with the meteoric rise of a youngster from Toxteth (The 'Harlem' of Liverpool, which experienced bad riots in the early 1980s) by the name of Robbie Fowler.
Fowler broke into the first team as a 17 year old, scored 5 goals in his 3rd game and by his second season, was a shoe in for 30 goals every year. As I started playing regularly for the Carmel team, I tried to mimic him as a player (without much success I might add). The first Liverpool shirt I bought with my money would have his number (9) and name on it. The player the fans nicknamed 'God' had become a hero to us younger Liverpool fans. By the time I left England in 1994, I was able to follow Liverpool quite easily with the advent of AOL and the internet. Although I was in New York, I still eagerly followed the exploits of God and the team. Injuries took a toll on the player and in 2001, he was sold to Leeds. I was actually quoted by football365.com article after I wrote an angry e-mail slamming our manager's betrayal of one of our most loyal, passionate and talented players. I, as well as most Liverpool fans, thought this was it, it was the end of one of the most majestic striking careers in Liverpool history (171 goals in 330 games).
After Shabbat came out, I checked the headlines on various sports sites and one caught my eye, "(Phil) Thompson warns Liverpool fans not to expect the old Fowler." It confused me for a second as Fowler was now a Manchester City player and I had seen nothing on Friday afternoon signaling the potential signing. As I read the article, a huge grin covered my face. Robbie Fowler was coming home. It kinda took me back to those countless of hours in front of the tele in Carmel watching Match of Day talk about yet another Fowler goal, or the non-stop arugements about England's best natural finisher since Jimmy Greaves. Nice way to reminisce about the past, to remember years gone by. At his press conference on Monday, Fowler visibly emotional on his return to 'his true love', said 'If you pray enough for things I'm proof they can happen.' Guess the hero I grew up idolizing can still teach me a thing or two after all ...
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