Today’s dream role for Damian Lewis comes from Annie, a big Damian Lewis and an even bigger Liverpool FC fan!
Annie has been a massive LFC supporter since 1977 – she remembers crying behind her mom’s sofa when Manchester United beat Liverpool in the FA Cup final! She believes LFC supporters are the best with the best songs and have some of the most memorable matches in football history! Her absolute hero is Steven Gerrard whom she was so lucky to see him play so many times but unfortunately never met in person… yet!
Well, Annie, I am sure Damian shares your sentiments both about Liverpool FC and Stevie Gerrard!
So how about Annie’s dream role for Damian? Well, this massive LFC and Stevie Gerrard fan casts Damian in the role of Stevie Gerrard himself. And I provide evidence throughout the text that Damian can play soccer! 🙂 Huge thanks go to Annie for taking the time to write this fabulous story. ENJOY!
This is about how I think Damian would fair as the ex captain of Liverpool FC during the Champions League competition 2004-05.
I can see Damian playing Stevie, on so many levels, his mental strength, leading his team through so many hard times, against the odds, pulling through, working miracles and his dogged determination…. and of course being a Red!
‘Those 6 minutes’
Half time. 3-0 down to those boys from Milan.
What to do?
What would Brody do?
What would Bobby do?
What would Major Winters do?
What did Stevie do?
FIGHT. and that’s just what they did.
Turning back the clock towards the end of 2004, Stevie (Damian) captaining his side through the qualifying rounds, head strong and in control (like Axe) a few blips on the way, which in turn made the last game one to remember. LFC needed 2 clear goals to push their way into the knockout rounds. this was the one that mattered. Stevie had lost his counterpart in Owen departing the club, rather like when Taylor left him, but as we know change is sometimes for the best and Alonso stepped into the fold, and rather like Wendy, Xabi always had his back ‘friends for life, or you don’t exist to me’ and that rings true even now.
And so under the spotlights of Anfield, a cold December evening, Stevie stepped out with his team, Major Winters heading to fight with his men, knowing what they had to do, only one result would do. Victory at all costs, nothing less, failure is not an option as Axe would say…
And then the Germans (Greeks) scored… and then the mountain to climb began. Stevie had to rally his troops, ‘hang tough’ Major Winters! He had to find the nick in the armour, had to find a way to get into their system. and slowly they began with Stevie powering them through, time running down, he wasn’t going down easily, the fighting spirit and rebellious nature (typical Aquarian) meant he had to push them all the way…. and then as if fate played a part, and he found the last bullet in his rifle, the ball landed at his feet. No time to think, no time to be calculated, no time to think of the repercussions if he missed.
And he struck the ball…..
‘what a hit son, what a hit’
Tv cameras following our Stevie, running into the crowds, ecstatic, he was one with all the fans… a home boy at heart, a football fan inside, living the dream with them all… but the journey was not complete, not by a long shot.
There followed more tough battles, but he never gave up, his men kept with him, they were properly trained and willing to follow him into battle.
Juventus’ game was eventful, but the semi final with the London blues was the one that got them to their goal. His teammate Luis (Garcia) had made a big impression in the quarters, following in Stevie’s footsteps, marching on with him. He’d taught them everything they knew, but not everything he knew.
That game, Stevie was a team player, but the story that took the headlines was the ‘ghost’ only this time it wasn’t the unit posing as the Nazi’s, this was the 4 minute goal that would be questioned for years to come. was it over the line… where was VAR when we needed it the CFC fans cried?
Of course it crossed the line, Stevie wouldn’t have celebrated it if it hadn’t, would he…..?
So then the mighty reds head to Ataturk stadium, Istanbul on a hot summer night, their fans flocking in their 1000’s to the ground. The 2nd battalion was getting there by any means, truck, coach, car, foot, horse & cart… the war was to begin, and they didn’t want to miss a second.
They probably wish they had missed the first 2700 seconds, it was an embarrassment, only 1 minute in, total shock. The Italians were on fire.
Stevie was out of answers, even Wendy wouldn’t have any advice for him at that point. The team were forlorn, they’d been taken apart in those 45 minutes. Half time.
And then, all you could hear was singing. 40,000 fans in unison, it was an inspiration to the boys in the dressing room. they knew they had hope, they had leadership in Stevie. He would lead them in the final cavalry charge. He wanted to pull this deal off, and leave Nagasaki behind. so they walked out to the noise…..
AC Milan didn’t know what hit them. Bang. Stevie heads the 1st one in. So now, gee the crowd up, rally the troops, he’d done the initial job, the commander had started his Audemars Piguet watch off for 6 minutes of mayhem….
Bang, the 2nd one in. The young cadet Smicer, sending a shot to goal, Baros swerving his body out of the way. Not finished there, El Capitan pushing again, getting that penalty. Only one other person to take it: Xabi. But he missed….noooooo! Like a cat, pounced on the rebound, and Bang! Level pegs.
A millisecond of doubt, turned into elation for the red sea of fans, disbelief, tears, cheers and hugs. A proud captain stood, but hungry to do more, get that next deal, shoot that next bullet, go for the jugular. Never stop, until there is no more.
The defence stood firm, barraged so many times, heart stopping moments in the last part of normal time. then the whistle blew. extra time beckoned.
This is when Stevie has to step up (again!) speak to his men, give such an inspiring team talk that they would walk to the ends of the earth for him, back him 200% to the end.
Penalties it is…. (personally i hate them, suffering for a few minutes, misery if you lose, but such elation if you win) the reds begin well, then falter, Dudek in goal copying Bruce from years ago with the wobbly legs.
The final kick, surprisingly saved! They had done it. They had got over the line, they had the holy grail, made the greatest deal, won the war, beaten the odds.
And Stevie, smiling. Knowing he’d dragged the boys through the mud and come out the other end, the leadership he had shown, the team he had with him, they had been victorious, all the hard work had paid off. Mentally and physically, he was stronger than the opponent.
“It was the biggest night of my career, it was the best Champions League final, the fans played their part, everyone will always remember this game.”
I can see Damian playing Stevie, on so many levels, his mental strength, leading his team through so many hard times, against the odds, pulling through, working miracles and his dogged determination…. and of course being a Red!
